Coffee and....For Saturday, February 18, 2006 =^..^=

Here's the daily continued from
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/576949/#top
Have a super day! ♫
Susan
=^..^=

Thanks kittymom for your prayers. That is exactly what I think they are doing, pure plain torture. DH said today that he is ready to let her go, if she could just go without too much pain. What a sad, sad situation.

Susan,
Forgot to put this in last night's post,,,hope DD is doing well,,,how did the Dr. go and has she been able to pass that stone yet? Also,,,how is the shoulder coming along? Haven't talked to you in a couple of days and have been thinking of you.

Kelly

d-cat,
Very sad situation,,,so sorry to hear all the pain and suffering. Will be saying a prayer also.

Kelly

g-o-o-d m-o-r-n-i-n-g (that's my teeth chattering..) MAN is it cold out!!! Temp is minus 2 deg - I don't even know what the wind chill is, but I am freezing!! When I opened the woodstove there was only a few coals left. We are burning our scrap wood now and it just doesn't hold the heat like good hard wood does. Oh well, it's free!

Went to the tupperware party last night (I was the oldest one there....lol) Spent 50 bucks that I didn't want to spend - man is that stuff overpriced!!! Bought glasses and salt/pepper shakers. Oh well, DIL got the benefit - she didn't spend a dime and came out with a ton again!! The gal that did the show was awful....I remember her in school and she was loud and flighty - and she was the same 20 yrs later! LOL DIL announced she was getting PG in June. I chuckled to myself - she is so sure it will happen! I sure don't remember sharing that with a group...how times have changed... I better get those knitting needles working in overtime.

I went back on my prescription allergy meds. Been off them for about three weeks and have just been popping over the counter ones. I want to see if I can tell the difference.

defo - can't remember, how old is MIL? I agree, she's had enough. Just keep her pain free.

9kit- can't they blast those stones away? Time for a second opinion? Yikes, sounds uncomfortable..be thinking of her...

Mary - shucks, losing baby lambs must be hard, but I suppose you get used to it. Never had a lamb chop, but grew up eating mutton and loved it. Have never made it since I left home tho!

dmc - glad the power came back on - do you need a generator too? Lucky Maria got hers - I'm jealous. Our power seldom goes out, but when it does I grouse about not having one. DH likes the pioneer type of living, so he is in his glory.

Sir Bal - you have been busy!! This is what you need to do. Sit at your computer, take your gingko (keep it right by the keyboard) and tell us daily what plans you have...teachers orders - you better listen!! And NO fooling around -ya hear!

Well, I have nothing planned for today. I thought DGS would be coming over, but he is spending the day with his aunt (darn...) I may repot some flowers if the spirit moves me...and then again, maybe I'll finish the book I started...decisions decisions...

Hello to everyone else!! Keep warm

Good morning,

Hope every one feels better today, minus sinues and allergies, , minus stones, and health for those in hosptals.

Sarv, I still use some tupper ware I bought in my 20th, lol, remember how much fun that party was.

Finally the wind has died down, went to the mailbox yesterday afternoon, 50 miles an hour gusts, got cought in one, it turned me around and nearly knocked me over, sheesh. Very cold toda, suppose to be around 8 this weekend.

Samson must have spring vever, he is driving me crazy, going to have him straightened out as soon as possible, he will not like it but think I will,
witchy smile here

Updated: 6:55 AM CST on February 18, 2006
Observed At: Dubuque, Iowa
Elevation: 1076 ft / 328 m

-17 °F / -27 °C
Windchill: -27 °F / -33 °C

Oh Brrrrr Brrrrrrr Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It's 52* in here right now. There is absolutely *no* way I am getting in that shower! Dh just called, he got drafted to work late. The kids have to be at the bowling alley at 830, so I had to call my dad to see if he could give them a ride. I feel so awful about that. Asking him to come out in this frigid weather. He said not to worry about it, but I have major guilts now. I wish I had the money to call a taxi.

Guess I'd better get them up and going. Nathan should be a joy to wake up, lol. He really doesn't like it when it is cold inside, he's going to love this.

You know what? It is really hard to type when your teeth are chattering! Thanks goodness for SpellCheck!

Brrrrrrrr

mg

How does one get the spell check fot DG? Since I do not know how to type I make a lot of typo erroes, this would help

Maria,

DG doesn't have a SpellCheck, but you can download the Google Toolbar that has a SpellCheck feature built right in.

http://toolbar.google.com/

Make sure you pick the one for IE or Firefox, whichever you are running. Once it is installed you just click on the little button that has a green check mark with the abc's over it and "check" next to it. If you have spelling errors they are underlined in red. You just click on them and pick which word you were trying to spell. End the check when you have corrected everything and then hit send.

Dmail me if you run into a problem and I will call you and walk you through it.

I love the Google toolbar, it even has a Pop-Up blocker built in too. Many other neat things also.

mg

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr It's COLD!!! Just looked at the thermostat, and it's reading 67 even though I have it set higher for day time. Furnace isn't keeping up with the double digit below zero outside. Sure glad I covered up that patio slider. Now that it's sealed up from the inside you can see the plastic bulge inward from the drafts coming in. Thinking we might want to replace it entirely with a real door and a couple of windows on each side.

DD and her DH just replaced their very old double door front entrance with a single door and two side lights. Her front entryway now has light, which required stripping the wall paper we put up in there about 18 years ago! She did a textured paint, bought a new long area rug, put a different table there, what a transformation.

Dcat, your poor MIL has suffered so much from this surgery, I can understand the frustration and the stress. When the medical professionals get to the point of "let's try this" you begin to feel it is hopeless. The poor dear, our thoughts are with you and your family and we will hope for a good resolution one way or the other.

Regarding spinach in your braces, I can relate to that fear! Find some of those little mini brushes at the drug store for when you are out, and see if anyone has a Waterpik you can use for the duration for the stuff you can't reach with a brush. I've got some bridge work that drives me nuts, so I use both of those pretty often. Popcorn kernels are the worst.

Ann, loading up a new computer is boring and time consuming. When my hard drive blew up I could have just replaced it, but I wanted them to do the data recovery because I would have lost too many files and pictures etc. so it ended up costing almost as much as a new computer. But what would I do without one? They'd have to put me in detox.

Dmcd, Locusts!! LOL Have to agree this is the weirdest winter ever, Thursday we had every variety of precipitation, thunder, lightning, the works. Spring can come any time now. I'm sick of this! I'm not even starting any seeds inside. Can you imagine Sammi and seed trays? I'll have to settle for the three little pots of herbs in the south window of the dinette.

Mary, I sure hope it warms up for the rest of the lambing...for your sake as well as theirs.... poor little things.

Robert, have you done the Sunday New York Times Xword puzzles? They are difficult, but the most fun. They often have unusual themes or puzzles within the puzzle, or puns and jokes. I think you can access them on line but you better get that printer fixed if you want to print them out. I have all the Chicago Tribune Sunday puzzles saved on a clip board, thinking I would have more free time in winter....ya, sure...don't know when they'll ever get done.

Chores for the day, mail some books, (sold 5 this week!) pick up cat food and suet for the birds, fill the feeders, (can't go out the plastic covered deck door, have to go all the way around the outside of the house) and try to stay warm. Oh, by the way, the thermostat is now up to 69!! Only took three hours to raise the inside temp 9 degrees.

Susan, I agree it might be time for a second opinion...is that Dr. putting his kid through school on your DD's office visits? This seems a very long time to leave someone suffering in pain, when there is an easy solution with the Litho. I had tropical fish back in the seventies. Managed to keep them alive, until the final disaster, which was the tank glass cracking some time during the night. Called my brother who got me started on fish and said come and get the survivors before they are done for. Haven't had fish since. Too much maintenance for me.

Maria, whether Samson likes it or not is irrelevant, he won't blame you for it anyway. But wait until the weather improves, we don't want you blowing down the street in these high winds.

Off and running, (not literally) waving to everybody as I go....see y'all later. Oh, here's your Sammi fix ....Souky and Mini have each claimed another of the heat vents, no wonder it's cold in here!

Sheila

m5 ~ I gotta admit I was hoping for a Sammi-shoeboarding picture by the end of this thread LOL! Keep that camera handy. LOL about the traveling chairs

defoecat~continued prayers. I think you're right, they have no idea what to do so they're just randomly trying things. It sounds miserable.

mg~UUUGGGHHHH on the cold INSIDE! My sister's house is still without power, it was38 inside this morning. Supposed to get to 10 below tonight (I guess we'll have what you're having!) I'm so glad we have power!! Between the furnace and woodstove,I'm cozy

Maria~Samson sure picked a cold day to get spring fever!!!

9kitty~I don't think your quince blossoms are going to make it....if it's anything like the rest of the country~ Crazy!! Glad the cory kitty is still darting around!!

Vann~the driving sounds like it was awful!!I was afraid to go out att all yesterday. A guy was killed by a tree in Saratoga, and a woman in Rochester was also killed when a tree fell on her car.

I have to run for a few minutes *waving**hope to get back soon

Good morning everybody. Susan, I agree that your daughter needs to get a second opinion and some help to get that kidney stone out of there.

And while we are on that subject, Dcat, I think your husband is right to tell his mother's doctors that the poor woman and her family can't handle any more "try this and try that", just try to make her comfortable and say goodbye. Another thing is that often very ill people just keep willing themselves to live to spare their family the anguish of their passing, and if they all will tell her that it is ok for her to leave when the time comes it will make it easier for all of them. Not as much money for the doctor but I believe he's got enough.

For those of you trying to keep warm, I hope your weather warms up soon. Those heating bills are gonna make you say ouch!

Last night the temp was +5 when I went to the barn at llpm. I found a set of cold twins and carried them to the barn with their frantic momma circling me, almost knocking me off balance every few steps. A long trip. They were put into a pen and the coldest one put into the warming oven (more on that later) and I went back out and brought in a ewe who had just delivered a large single lamb about 5 minutes before. She followed without being in attack mode, until I put the lamb down in the straw, then she butted me. Well, that's gratitude! Went back out and saw some suspicious ewes but none trying for momentary delivery, so it was back to the barn to attend to the cold one from he first set that I had put in the barrel with a heat lamp suspended above it, the warming oven. The second ewe delivered a twin in her pen, I was trying to towel it it off and she was trying to butt me. I finally got the gate between me and her, got the lamb as dry as possible, iodined the navels and let her back in. The towel was freezing. I got another one and worked on the first set of twins with the places on it that were still dry and therefore pliable.

Back outside for another check, nothing happening right away. Back to the barn, the lamb in the barrel was standing up yelling so I put her back in with her mother. At this point I had been there about an hour and 45 minutes and was scheduled to be back soon, so I drove home (it's half a mile) and got a fresh battery for the flashlight, hung up my jacket with the wet and freezing sleeves, got a snack and a dry jacket, put some more wood on the fire in the woodstove, and went back to the barn. By now the temperature was down to 0. I shouldn't have looked.

Next trip through the pasture, I found a set of triplets, about as far from the barn as she could have had them! Since the 4 wheeler wouldn't start last night I had to carry them. The plastic lamb carriers don't work too well on tiny lambs so I carried two of the wet and shivering little things in my arms and made a fast trip to the barn while momma was occupied with lamb #3. Of course that got my dry jacket wet with lamb goo because I was serving as a sponge. Went back for momma and the third lamb, that one was large enough to fit in the carrier, and made the trip to the barn with momma circling us and butting both me and the lamb. It wasn't an easy trip but we made it. This set of lambs hadn't gotten so chilled, she was licking all of them and I decided to just leave a note that this set needed iodine because momma was so excited that every time I tried to reach in to get one of the lambs she was dancing all over around them laying there in the straw. She could have easily stepped on them in her effort to protect them.

After another trip through the pasture and a check of the other barn occupants, I looked at my frozen jacket front and sleeves and decided to call it a night since Paul was due to be there in another half hour. Whew!! When I got to bed it took me about 2 hours to get to sleep.

Hi to everyone I missed, I've done my reading (your posts) but not my remembering (the details).

Gotta get some breakfast, feed the horses, go to town, etc.

This is the most amazing saga of dedication I have ever seen. Your narrative makes me feel like I am taking part in it and I bow in admiration.
(***bowing***)
Pati

I think Mary needs a new name. DR MARY ....actually sounds like fun if you could do it with someone, but to do it all alone- no thank you!! Mary, if I lived closer, I'd lend you a hand. Those butting mamas sound funny (unless you are getting the butt!) Doesn't DH want to lend you a hand?

Well, it is noon and I finally put on some clothes. DH asked what time I got dressed during the week - I told him 5 min. before he came home. He laughed and went out to the barn (aka heaven) He did move one set of grow lights for me before he left. My geraniums were tangled up in the lights and the outter ones weren't getting any light. Now it is better.

Combed the poor cat. She is a long haired thing and gets the most awful mats in her fur. I ended up having to cut a bunch out -now she looks a little holey..Poor thing, she is so patient.

Time to take a look at todays sudoku!

Mary, All the chores associated with the lambing in this weather is daunting. Wouldn't it be nice if either the ewes or weather found a more amenable time to birth. But I guess that's one of the many trials of farming. Those little tykes sure are cute though. After a routine worming my girls tested positive for coccidia (spelling?) and are soon to be off meds and tested again. They should be 'clean', at least thats what I'm hoping for.

Meezer, I love the local crossword because I can usually finish it without resorting to a dictionary. Tried the NY one but it was too confusing. Of course deciding what cereal to buy is equally confusing. A senior moment ?

Sarv, What was for breakfast this morning ? Something good like pizza or pumpkin pie I hope. As requested, the daily plan for today is: 10:00 take shower and get dressed for chillyness; spend at least 2 hrs. carving; Lunch and nap; put yard waste in container for monday pick-up; allot an hour to read the printer manuals and try to 'figger out how to make the da** things work; pick up dog poop and set another short fence post and staple the new fencing in place; go to the market(s) in search of rosewater to make Jumbles for DW's pinochle group tomorrow; mop up and tidy the sunroom ( the ladies go out there to take a smoke break); mix up a dram of Single Malt, crank up the Mozart and crash for awhile. Not too exciting, but keeps me off the streets and out of the Bingo Parlors.

Defo, I'm so very sorry, to hear of dml's condition. I don't know what else to say, it is such a heart wrenching time and one wonders what the best thing is for everyone involved. A very sad time for all.

Sorry I can't stay any longer, I'm 8 minutes past time for my shower. It could have dire consequences for the schedualing of todays activities. Glad I'm not at all regimented.! Tinker says 'get with it dad'

Hi everyone
I promise I've read *everything*, but the DH is waiting on me to get ready to go on errands, so I only have a minute. I just *have* to say ... Mary, I don't know how in the world you do that. I feel like I'm reading a chapter in a book. I mean, it's all so different ... sounds sort of like, well, Little House". Guess that's what I think of. I just sit here on the edge of my chair. :)

Sarv, M5, MG Maria and the rest of y'all up there ... y'all stay in and stay warm, okay? I sure wish I could blow some of this warm weather your way. The last time I checked, we were already up to 79, so you *know* mother nature is going to lower the boom soon. This is just not normal.

Well, gotta go. I'll have to come back and tell you about my HD trip last night. I was a good girl. Promise! Only walked out with one plant. *kicking and screaming*
Please forgive me for my quick post. I'll do better later. Please know I enjoy *everyone's* posts and hope you all have a good day.

... Elaine

Hi All,

sarv,
I didn't know you could *plan* when you're getting pregnant???? Ah,,,,,Youth,,,LOL Hope the meds work well.

Maria,
You'll need to weigh yourself down with something before you go out so you don't get knocked over,,,LOL

mg,
That is way cold,,,did I miss something, is your furnace broken? Our temps in Eau Claire (60 miles west of me) right now are 0* and -19* Windchill. Bill went out snowmobiling today,,,,FOOL,,,he just got his new sled back and hasn't ridden it yet, so he was way antsy. He dressed appropriately but still,,,,,brrrrrrr.

M5,
Here too,,,I keep mine at 69*,,but it feels much colder in the house,,my fingers are freezing. We used to have a fish tank also. My Dad used to own a pet store. So, I got a tank set-up from him and then got my fish from around here (Dad lives in International Falls, MN) They kept dying and I kept calling him and trying to tell him what was wrong and was asking him for answers,,but with out seeing the tank and the fish,,he couldn't always give me the right advice,,,so, when the last one finally floated, I was done. Have thought about setting it up again,,,but don't want to flush my money down the toilet.

Mary,
What a blessing you are to those Ewe's and Lambs!!!! All your hard work and getting rammed on top of it. They are lucky to have such a dedicated, caring person. All those trips back and forth to the barn and trying to keep the cold ones alive,,,,,Kudo's to you.

pati,
Ditto here too *bowing*

bal,
You have the whole day scheduled out??? I'd never be able to stick to that on a day off,,,only in the Salon and that's cause it's written down in an appointment book,,,LOL

Elaine,
Wow, 1 plant????? You were a good girl,,even with the kicking and screaming,,,,LOL

Susan,
I would have to agree,,,if she hasn't passed it yet, maybe a second opinion is in order,,,why be in all that unecessary pain? Hope the shoulder is getiing there.

Well, dinner is at Gran's tonight so I have the whole afternoon to myself. I have a couple of movies from the Library that I am going to watch. One is The Notebook and one is Wynn-Dixie,,,so, I'm gonna go curl up on the couch with the afghan and get cozy.
See you all later.

Hi to everyone who hasn't checked in yet.

Kelly

GG, I am not really that delicate, but fighting 50 miles an hour woud give anyone a problem.

Thank you, gm, I do have that spell check, am pretty good at spelling but it can never figure out what I printed because of typo errors, I just wish it would underline it for me to help spotting it, I can look right at it and still not see the typing error, must be old age, lol

Mary, we had sheep for many years, with lambing season about now, seems to me my husband and I lived in the barn throughout the last one to be born, we had about 30 sheep.. They were all registered Suffolks, always had twins and as black as a moonless night

Hi Everyone,

More than half way through the day and I've not yet gotten dressed. However, we've got bread ready for the final shaping into loaves and I've spent quite a bit of time moving files onto the new computer. It's gradually becoming more than an expensive game machine. We were able to get the software for a memory stick onto to old computer and use it to carry lots of stuff back and forth since the new computer doesn't have an A drive for floppies anymore.

Mary, I continue to be amazed at your stories of the lambing. What dedication it takes at this time of year.

Much nicer day here today than yesterday - bright and sunny, but COLD.

Watched a bit of the Olympics - men's super G race and the 1000m long track speed skating. Great performance put in by your athlete for gold in the latter. Canad'a great speed-skater Wotherspoon seems to be in crash and burn mode for these Olympics. Does the US media make a big thing about your athletes that DON'T do as well as expected? I tend to thinks ours makes too much of it. I'm also AMAZED at the tiny differences between the finish times both in skiing and skating where you have less than two seconds separating the Gold Medal winner from the 15th place or so. Any one of them could take gold given the right conditions.

Ann

Hey, everybody. Just stopped in to say hi. Sorry to hear about all that are so cold. It's a little colder than I like in our house, but we're staying warm. We have 2 fireplaces to help out our furnace, so that makes a big difference. We got really lucky because we ran out of propane last weekend so just got a fill up on Monday. I'm glad it happened then and not this weekend because it would have gotten really cold in here, and with the little ones we can't let that happen.

Mary- The lambs are adorable. I feel the same was kittymom does, though. I'd be a terrible farmer because I couldn't stand to lose any.

Sarv- Do you want to come do my cat next? Oreo has really long fur but he refuses to be brushed, so the best I can do is cut out the mats when they get really bad.

I went to my DH's school with him yesterday and got to spend an hour in their greenhouses while he was in class. I thought I was in heaven!! It was just wonderful. Full of tropicals and the most beautiful blooms and smells. I didn't want to leave.

I've read everybody's posts, but don't have time to respond to all. Have to go fix dinner for the fam. They're requesting tacos for tonight, so at least it's something easy. And no extra people here to feed this weekend, so I should be able to check back in later.

Hi all
Don't have but just a sec again. *sigh* Time to go to the kitchen now. You know what they say ... a woman's work is never done. LOL I just had to come in here and tell you what my precious DH is doing. He's building me a plant stand. :) Yep, the dear man is out there right now altering a metal shelf unit I bought a month or so ago and is making brackets to hang plant lights on it. I'll be able to raise and lower the lights to suit the plants. *jumping up and down* Oh oh oh, I could just hug his neck. I have all these seed trays sitting everywhere. He keeps asking "where are you going to plant all these plants?" I just keep smiling and say ... "in that flower bed where the butterfly bush is you're going to move for me, honey." It might take a wee bit more than smiling, though. *evil grin* Anyway, when he gets finished I'll get him to take a pic. Oh yeah ... Kelly, we went back to HD and I spoiled my record. Found some little heirloom tomatoes and they were calling my name. Thought I'd better have a backup plan just in case mine don't make it. At least ... that's my story, and I'm stickin to it. LOL LOL
Catch y'all after supper. :)
... Elaine

Hello all, woke up this morning to snow. About 2 inches, but it had turned so much colder, and the wind was blowing. I had some errands to do so got out about 9:30, and did the bank, library and grocery for some forgotten items. DGD has had her friend Jenna here all day. They play well together, but I am thinking it might be time to separate for awhile.

Mary, I just sit with mouth open reading your posts about the lambing. Just like 101, it sounds like "Little House", don't know what character you would be. I am so soft hearted that the first death of a little one would absolutely devastate me. I know that "real farmers" take that in stride, but it would really be hard for me.

Maria, be careful out there on those wind gusts. Please don't carry an umbrella either, I would hate to see you flying over (Mary Poppins). Samson with spring fever, gee, he really is a bit early.

Bal, so glad that you are checking in again. I always have a schedule for each day. Didn't say I stuck to it, just that I have a schedule. LOL

101 How sweet is that DH. Making the shelves, and putting up lights, he is a keeper for sure. And tell us what kind of heirloom tomatos did you buy?

Flowerchild, we have a fireplace that we put in when the house was built, 10 years ago, and it has never had a match lit in it. DH is afraid that it will smoke up the house. It would help so much to have just a little extra heat to help out the furnace when it gets so cold.

VA, setting up a new computer is tedious, boring work. Just drives me crazy to have to do it, but until everything is transferred, it is sort of like a high priced gaming machine. LOL I laughed about half-way through the day and still not dressed. That is my driving ambition to be able to do that.

Mg, I am sure that dad did not mind coming to the rescue. Hey, don't you know that's what parents are for?

GG, Hi there, snowmobiling DH, That sounds horrible to me. I would just rather curl up and watch the movies, thank you very much.

Meezer, Thanks for the Sammi fix. He is so adorable, and innocent looking. Looks can be deceiving though. LOL Would have loved to see the shoe scootin boogie. Has he been listening to your collection of music?

Sarv, Tupperware, YUK. I hate to go to those parties, everything is so expensive, and now with the gladware, you can buy comparable containers for pennies on the dollar. And then if they get ruined or lost, you don't feel so guilty. Is DH's barn heated? Hope it is, or he is gonna freeze the dangling appendages off! Now you just figure out which appendage you would wish to disappear.LOL

Patischell Hi there!! How are the doxies doing? Glad to "see" that you are still lurking, wish you would start posting and letting us know what you are up to.

dmc Waving frantically hi!

kittymom, how is that shoulder? Be careful and don't take a tumble and reinjure it.

And the DD with the kidney stones. How in the world is she standing the pain? That was the worst pain I have ever had, even worse than childbirth.

I didn't know that you could announce that you were gonna be pregnant at a certain time. So those are long range plans huh?

Well, I have finished supper, it was roast beef sandwiches, mashed potatos and gravy. Sounds like a good wintery meal.

Well, I am going to go hunker down with a book and try to finish it tonight. DH has gone back to the hospital, and will be gone until heaven knows when. I made DMIL some potato soup and sent to her. She said earlier today that she wished she had some. So hope it tastes good to her and she eats the whole quart I sent. I also fixed her a roast beef plate, so maybe she can get something down.

I will be back later and check to see what's been going on.

Egad ! I fell off the schedule. Forgot the barbershop is busy on saturdays and that took extra time, then there was the driving 25 miles and visiting 4 stores to get the rosewater for the Jumbles (see recipes). Didn't do the yard waste, read manuals,carve,lunch or nap. Still have time for a good wee dram after the Jumbles are done. What the heck, it has been a fun day and if it was my last there would be no regrets.Time to get the dough out of the fridge and see if it will turn into something edible, or Garden Art.

Dmcd, if I could stop laughing at him long enough to go grab the camera it would be a great shot, but he's so fast! Weighed him tonight. He was 2 lbs. when he went in for his shots, January 10 or so, tonight I stepped on the scale with him, and then put him down and weighed without him........ 5 1/2 lbs , but it could be even higher as the scale is digital and goes in half lb. increments. He's gonna be a big boy!

bal~I think a schedule isn't gonna work, you need a FLOW CHART!! then you can spot the bottlenecks, like at the barbershop, and double-up, like eating lunch while driving. I'm glad you at least prioritized the wee dram. I guess that wouldn't go with driving either...

Have you tried powernapping? Oh my goodness, I'm sure we could rearrange it so you get everything in LOL

Seriously, isn't it nice to think if it were the last day there'd be no regrets? That's excellent. I would regret that my new dls would come in spring and probably no one would think to plant them!!

m5~i'm sure we can all just *see* Sammi shoeboarding across the floor!! It's a funny thought!!

WOW so much I have missed and how long to catch up~~~

Missed you all and hugs to everybody~~~ Some new people I see -- welcome what fun this forum is.

I have missed way to much to comment on but have read most of it. Please forgive me....

Love you all and hope everyone has a wonderful evening!

Anne/Mags

PS- could I possibly request a picture of sweet Samson! ((( Maria))))

Hi folks,

We took the day off today to go to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum to see a program on wolves. I'd been before but DH hadn't. We both enjoyed it and I was very surprised to see that the wolf "pup" they brought with them this time (14 months old, but pretty big) was a light cream color. I had no idea that there were wolves with that coloration. They are really beautiful animals, but I have to admit that I like the fact that they are generally scared stiff of humans, unlike dogs which usually scare the heck out of me!

Being a born pessimist, I fully expected to find a half greenhouse when we got back, due to the high winds we've been having. Wonder of wonders, it was still intact! The door was loose on the bottom at one end, but all the clamps that DH had applied held this time. Since it is now screwed down to a wooden base filled with crushed rock, it's days as a "kite" are now over; however, individual panels are still unfortunately able to fly off.

We were rather concerned about "Slim" the cat this morning as he was barfing all over the place, but since he's a long-haired cat who has decided that he doesn't really like being brushed, I figured that the most likely cause was the dreaded hairball and managed to get some petrolatum into him (smooshed it onto his paw as he was uninterested in eating it). He seems much improved tonight. How can I tell? When we got home I put a pork loin wrapped in plastic and then foil up on the counter to warm up a bit before I cooked it and came in here to check my e-mail and DG. I started hearing some funny noises from the kitchen and it suddenly dawned on me just what I was hearing. Sure enough, there was Slim who had daringly wrassled that big lump of meat down onto the floor and had worked his way through aluminum foil and Saran wrap to reach the motherlode. Not for long! Guess he must be feeling better though.

D'cat, I feel awful for you, your DH, and your poor MIL! Enough is enough. I hope she's spared any more agony. Glad that you sent the food to her. Even if it isn't a sign of improvement, at the least hopefully she enjoyed it and at the best, perhaps it is evidence of a turn for the better.

Hi Robert, nice to hear from you again. Even with the naps taking some of your time, you still seem to manage to get more accomplished than I do.

Mary, kudos to you! That's a lot of very hard work under trying circumstances. I know that I couldn't do it. There's no way I could look at those newborn lambs without feeling like a complete hypocrite. Lamb is my favorite red meat, but if I had to do the slaughtering myself I know that we'd be living on corn, rice, beans, and what DH refers to as "toe-food". I just don't think that I could ever raise and nurture an animal and then kill and eat it. I might manage to hunt, but can't say that I'm even certain about that!

Let's see, what else can I comment on ----- oh yeah, hair. Well, I'm probably the most "unstylish" woman you're ever likely to meet. When I look in the mirror and start fighting with my hair and think "Yech, I probably should just get it hacked off.", I also think "Yeah, and about 1/2 second after that I'll start to really regret it!" It certainly won't change the fact that my face is just starting to resemble a dried apple doll and my hair is kind of "salt & pepper" and I'm at least 15 pounds heavier than I ought to be, etc., etc. I've got to say too that today I saw a native woman with long gray hair that she wore loose (not braided or tied back in a pony tail, like mine) and she looked just fine to me! Gave me a little better feeling about myself as well. Not "stylish"? Well, I'd probably look like a caricature if I ever actually tried to be stylish anyway. (Hope you realize that this is NOT meant as any sort of criticism of anyone who does follow the current styles or of you, GG!)

Well, I know that I haven't answered or commented on many of the posts, but I get the uncomforable feeling that I'm "babbling on" so I think I'd best stop now. I've read all the posts (one reason supper was a bit late, as usual) and am thinking about all of you --- just don't want to end up writing another whole chapter here. Good night everyone. I hope it's a better tomorrow for one and all.

Nice to see you again Mags.... stop by more often!

LOL at the Petrolatum, McCool, I did that on the paw trick with Hobbes who was always yakking hair balls, he gave his paw one mighty shake and the darn stuff flew off and landed on the wall. That was a chore to get off, all that greasy stuff just kept spreading! After that he decided he liked it after all and would come if I just waved the tube at him.

Ready to crawl into my nicely warmed bed. The cold is just seeping through the walls and my feet feel like ice cubes.

See y'all in the morning...

Night Gracie....

Okay y'all ... finally got some time to sit down and rest a minute. The DH got my shelf unit fixed, and boy is it *ever* nice. I've already got it full of plants. Don't know how I managed without it. :) Didn't ask him to make pics yet ... thought I *might* be pressing my luck. LOL

Sarv, sure hope you didn't freeze to death. I've been thinking about you way up there with those horrid temps. Oh, and while I don't like the parties ... have bought my share of Tuppaware. Still have it and love every piece. I tease the DH and tell him I ain't gonna spend my money on a coffin for him. Already got his Tuppaware picked out. Forgive me if y'all think that's in poor taste. We tease that way around here. LOL Anyway, I *really* like the Tuppawear vegetable peelers. Don't use anyone elses. They're expensive, but worth every penny in my book.

Maria, couldn't help but LOL at the picture of you flying around in that 50 MPH wind. I was like Defoe
and immediately thought of Mary Poppins. Oh, and I *know* you aren't helpless or fragil or any of that other stuff. It was just soooo funny. Reminded me of one day when I was walking home from work in the rain and my umbrella turn upside down. I must have been a pitiful site. :) Now you tell Samson to behave himself or he's gonna be *sorry*!!! LOL LOL

MG, my house doesn't stay that cold, but I can certainly sympathize with the cold hands. :) Mine feel like ice burgs most of the time ... but then so do my feet. :)

Ann, hope you are beginning to get everything like you want it on your computer. Of course, just about the time you do ... there'll be an upgrade. LOL I have been upgrading my speech ... and then there's the dictionary files, the config files ... oh well you know what I mean. I *know* one thing ... can't do without my puter. No way!

Meezers, I got a real chuckle picturing Sammy on the shoe skateboard. Reminds me of something the Pink Panther would do. Maybe he'll be a star one day. LOL LOL

Mary, I hope you will have a more restful night tonight and that all the little lambs will make it from here on out. :)

Kelly, how did you like Winn Dixie? I just loved it ... and liked the book, also. They weren't exactly the same, of course. they never are. Read the book if you haven't. It's adorable, also.

Defoe, just saying hello and hoping things are calming down a bit for you. Know what you mean about needing a break, though. I just gotta have my quiet time ... kinda like a plant needs sunshine.

McCool, I can't help but ask if Slim the cat is looking for a new home? :)

balvenie, Pati, Darius, Molly, Susan and everyone I haven't addressed ... please know that I'm saying hi to you along with everyone else tonight. This is turning out to be quite a long post, and I need to get up from here. Y'all have a blessed night.
... elaine

Just stopping by to say good night. Busy day tomorrow - not sure when I'll get a chance to stop in - church followed by meeting of social action committee. Violists of OCO here for a section rehearsal in the afternoon and first full OSO rehearsal for the Feb 27 concert in the evening.

Have a good night everyone.

Ann

Well I made it back. DGD's friend Jenna stayed until about 8:30. Her mom came after her. They had played all day, and both were tired. About 1/2 hour before Jenna left DGD (Gabriella) started talking about how hot she was. Well the thermostat was set on 68, and it wasn't hot. She even went outside. Just thought she was kidding. Well after Jenna left, I missed Gabby and went looking for her. She was on the floor of the bathroom, and asked me to get her an ice pack. Well after awhile, she says she was sick, so gave her the Pepto Bismol, and within minutes she was upchucking. So hope this is not the dreaded stomach virus that has been going around.

Haven't heard anything from DH, so don't know if that means that DMIL has gone to sleep and is resting, or if she is having a bad time, and DH hasn't had time to call.

I sat down after Jenna left and finished a book that I had been reading. I always keep a book handy, as TV absolutely stinks. We have satelitte and have over 900 channels and nothing to watch.

101 Be nice to DH and then have him take a pic, and let us see your plant shelf.

Magoobu, glad to see you back, check in more often.

McCool, Laughed about the pork loin. Have had some moments like that at my house. So what did you have for dinner.

Meezer, I laughed about the glob of stuff on the walls. Are we talking petroleum jelly, or what is the substance you are putting on the paws. Miss Boots is part persian, with long hair, and she comes to sit in my lap everynight to be brushed. She loves it. It is as much for my benefit as hers. If she isn't brushed, we have tons on long gray hair everywhere. I give her a product called "HairBall Remedy" Comes in a tube and I just mix it in with her food.

I can just see Sammi, pushing that shoe across the floor, yeah, Pink Panther came to mind there. Our "fat cat" Patches, went to live with DGD about a month ago. She weighs a whopping 19 pounds. She is a calico, and looks about the size of a Jaguar.

Bal, listen to dmc, I think that she has a plan. They call is "multi tasking" in the corporate world. Glad to see that you were able to salvage the important elements of your schedule. The dram, should never be overlooked, or pushed aside for anything less important. So did you have edibles or Garden Art?

Mary, take care tonight, if you have lamb duty. Brr, I would hate to be out in the pastures looking for the youngins it being dark and cold, and an unreliable mode of transportation. Not to mention the lamb "goo" that you end up wearing. I like baby anythings, but I want them clean, dry and wrapped in a blanket when they are handed to me.

Well, I am going to get ready to take the walk down the hall to the restful sanctum, I call the bedroom, and try for a full 8 hours of sleep tonight. Will check early in the morning to see who survived the freeze, and is up to chatting awhile.

Goodnight all.

As usual, everyone else has gone to bed I guess.

My day started out coooooooooold. It was 12 or so. The dogs were thinking they were going to freeze to death. Pepper already had her coat on, but I drug some others out and now Wile E and Piper each have a coat too. Now Pepper is used to wearing a coat. They are NOT. It is very comical, Piper just stood completely still and was afraid to take a step at all. SOMETHING had ahold of her and wouldn't let go. ROFLOL WileE's WAs a little bit tight, so he was concerned also, but he did manage to lay down with it on. Then decided he wouldn't allow Piper within two feet of him. Don't know what that was about. They did get over it. Here is a picture of WileE and Piper later in the day. Piper managed I know not how, to tear a square tear in her coat. DOGS!!!!

Here is a collage of winter pictures of the day around here. We only got about two inches of snow and it was very windy. I think it was almost too cold to snow, like it is too dry to rain you know. We are lucky.....

Now, I have to show you a cute picture. Muffin and Bit have decided they are snuggle buddies. This is about the third or fourth time I have caught them like this. Actually this was the most snuggled up they have been, but they love that lavender throw, it is sooooo soft. LOL

One more picture then I will just ramble some more.
This is my granddaughter Jessica. I got this frame in one of the swaps I have participated in lately, maybe the getting to know you one, I'm not sure, anyway, I thought it was such a pretty shiny frame with butterfly cutouts. Thought Jessica would look adorable in it and of course she did. (Right Grandma!)...

OK, now for the day. I did my exercises three times today which is good for me. I am getting better at least the physical therapist says so. They probably tell everybody that so they won't get discouraged. Since I think It is going way too slow. I have decided that I am not going to be able to go to Indiana on March 14 to be with Jennifer for her thyroid surgery. I am supposed to have passive exercise only for 8 weeks and then 'start' active exercises. That 8 week time frame is ending right when I need to go up there. So I won't have even started active exercises. DH said he figured the doctor probably wouldn't like for me to skip a week from the therapy right then. So I am depressed. I guess I better get with it so I CAN make it for Jessica's 10th birthday on May 4. Ten years old!!! Wow, seems like I just went up for her birth. Time goes by way too fast.

Jennifer of course is still not passing the stone. The doctor she went to she has complete faith in, and it was only the first time she has been to him with this thing. The other doctors were at the ER abd seemed more interested in just getting her out of there. Her Dr gave her some much better pain meds that don't make her crazy olike the hydrocodone and don't make her sick at her stomach. He also said it was OK for her to take the herbal stuff too. She is supposed to let him know if it has not passed by Tuesday, they will probably take some other measures to help her out.

We went out to eat and to the movie. We went to Firewall. I'm telling you actors are sure more tough than a normal human being. If I was hit or kicked by just one of those blows, I would be dead. Of course he is Indiana Jones, LOL, so I guess he can survive it of course. It was an interesting movie, entertaining anyway.

Last week we went to see Glory Road which was really entertaining. and true too I think.

We decided it was too cold to leave the car sitting out over night so we brought snowcone in the house so he wouldn't run off, and Cali and Strypurr sure didn't want to go out into the snow so they were fine while we brought the car in. We, I say, ha ha ha since I still can't drive.

I can do more and more things with my arm though and my stretches on the kitchen table go almost the whole way across. They have thrown in some isometric exercises that don't look like I am doing anything but it does hurt. LOL so I guess I'm doing something.

Well, I had better go get that daily up for tomorrow. I could ramble on for hours. Better not go poof.
I just copied it just in case.

Susan
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The daily is up for tomorrow at
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/577365/
if anyone wants to put a watch on it.

Have a good night and better tomorrow.
Susan
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