Happy birthday, Harper!
The hummingbirds arrived here yesterday, just in time to celebrate your birthday again.
Harper's Birthday - Part 5!
Happy Birthday Harper!
You would know better than I, David, in your field. My job is to hope that my daughters never feel that alienated. Some people didn't like the way she ended up handling her situation, that her choice didn't line up with one agenda or the other, but I just thought it was unlikely that at the end, she would go riding off into the sunset on her 10-speed. I think choices like that have a life-long impact.
I've lost almost 10 pounds since Easter, but it's slow going - about a pound a week. I hope I don't give up.
That's great, Sue. Keep going!
By the way, Harper, how old are you today!
i've finally made it to consistently under 150 over the last couple months. First time in 2 years.
sigh.
Sue and Amy. Congratulations on the weight loss. It is NOT an easy task to set out to lose weight, but with perseverance and a lot of prior planning, it can be done. I have been a member of an online weight loss and healthy life-style group since January, as has Anna. She has lost fifteen pounds and I am so proud of her. I joined it to keep her company there and to encourage her. What I have learned though, from that website, is invaluable information that keeps me healthier than I was last year.
Candyce, you're a good woman!
Good for you Sue & Amy! Although Amy confused me because Sue asked about age and Amy said she was consistently under 150. Aren't we all?
Eventually I figured it out.
Thanks for lifting my spirits this morning, Dave.
It felt almost as if you were handing me a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
Awww, but it's true!
Candyce, I think you and Anna are truly remarkable. I hope I have half as good a relationship with my daughters when they're older as you and Anna seem to have now.
The Healthy Living forum has many people who support each other during their weight loss challenges.
i was on medication for a time that caused me to gain nearly 30 pounds in less than 6 months. i went off it a couple years ago - because of other evil side effects - i took it for less than a year total - but the weight did not disappear correspondingly.
Medication can do evil things for sure.
Ironically, it was supposed to help against depression - but few things made me as depressed as gaining 30 pounds!
It also increased my OCD tendencies in fun ways - like weeding for hours after i said i'd stop - not eating, and being in pain from bending, but i could NOT STOP. i'd also pluck my eyebrows till they bled. Kinda contrary to the "making them look nice" i'd intend at the start.
i am pretty sure this is what they mean when they say a medicine increases an urge to gamble. i'd always thought it was silly, but now i think it means it encourages compulsive behaviour. i never gamble (really - zero interest) but if i did, i could imagine it getting out of control...
Amy, would you resume the medication and spend a week in my yard?
That is almost funny. But not really.
i have liriope for you.
Sorry.
Heehee... If i do the weeding, you get the 30 lbs...
But 2/3 of it is gone now...
Though i think i have 30 lbs of liriope!
I know I am very fortunate to have such a supportive relationship with my DD#2. With each of my three daughters there is a different kind of relationship. Anna, though, has always been my 'rock'.
So, I try to not take any of these relationships for granted, because we all know how quickly they can change.
It's snowing flower petals in my yard. The ground under the tree is entirely pink. It's sweet!
They may be over here any minute with this wind.
Yeah! Although, I don't think I'm going to rake it up and bring it to the compost. Many, many petals have blown into my neighbors yards and further down the block. I'm enjoying the "snowfall" though.
Harper, me too! Except my "snow" is white from the crabapple.
Speaking of wind. I have a big oak tree on the roof of Maypop this am.The upper part of the stone chimney is gone as well as the new triple walled steel liner. Don't know about the roof under the tree, but the rafters upstairs look OK. Waiting for the insurance company to call. Thank goodness I learned to use a camera these past few weeks. DH went back to Atlanta last night.
Laurel
Yikes!! Were you home when it fell?
Yes, in the bed. I heard a big BOOM and thought the bowling ball/gazing ball I made had blown off the tree stump it was perched on. Then I heard what sounded like something heavy rolling down the stone stairs along side the house...the ball for sure I was thinking. It was pitch black and I could not see anything from the window but there it was staring right at me when I opened the curtains for a morning view of the garden. I realized the rolling noise was the tree rolling across the roof before it lodged behind the chimney.
This is nothing...we were hit by a tornado ten years ago in Atlanta. Three years to repair the house and property. Truck loads of soil to replace the holes left from giant hickorys and oaks. Glass everywhere. Three years ago this August a tree went through the roof, attic and DS's room. Eighteen months of framing, sheet rock, floor sanding. I'm becoming unflappable in the disaster dept. No water damage, so it's all on the roof.
Laurel
I had heard about those storms in your area, Laurel. I was thinking of you, and others I know down south. I am so sorry that your home sustained major damage, but I am so happy that you, yourself, did not.
Thanks Candyce for your concern. The tree man was here and said it's going to take two days to get it done. Said my "chimmly" is a mess. I reckon. The crew will start later today. I feel very lucky because (1) it didn't go through the house and (2) there was no rain and (3) it will be taken care of quickly. Hopefully I can get someone in to tarp the roof before rain arrives. I have been warned that the yard around the house will sustain damage. They need to bring in a crane truck and some kind of equipment that anchors into the ground (lawn) that's an escalator. I'm just staying grateful here though a bit down about what I know the place is going to look like.
L
P.S. Got to stop eating salads while on line. I can't tell whether it's my punctuation or balsamic vinegar dots on the screen!
Funny on the balsamic vinegar dots.
Not so funny that they'll tear up your yard (I reckon!).
They won't have to trample any gardens, will they?
I'm in the house after taking a few photos. They're already back and climbing. Almost took out the power and phone lines backing the crane in.
There is flattened gooseneck loosestrife under the truck tires. I know some folks do find it invasive :). The answer to what to do with your hose(s)...well they just dropped three in my seedling flower beds. Zinnias, marigolds and four o'clocks mostly. Told me they looked like weeds. Now how's a gardener to take that? Things are crashing all around me. Wonder if it's safe to be in the house.
Thank you Sherrie.
The tree is now off the roof and the mess is all over the yard. The crane truck did a fair amount of damage and then the Bobcat-type machine with the tank treads tore up the rest. I know the guys tried to miss the flowers, but it's a hard space to work in with our stepped banks. I will take an additional day here to do some clean up, try to rake out some of the tread ruts and replace sod. The damage to the yard is worse than the damage to the house. Wonderful folks at DG Georgia forum have offered all kinds of help and replacement plants. I'm so moved.
L
Oh, Laurel, I'm so sorry to hear about your damage to your chimmly. But Whew - good to hear that you were not hurt. I reckon you are one lucky chile! It's really frustrating to have the damage to your yard, but it will just give you good reason to plant a few new gardens....right?
Just looked up in our meadow and there are three deer up there....very dark...no spring coats yet. It looks like the deer and other animals had a pretty rough winter here. We lost our Granny Smith apple to a porcupine, and the deer had a field day on our burning bushes. That's ok...they are welcome to them! LOL We also have a big turkey who keeps coming to my friendship garden and wallowing in the newly raked soil there. Welcome back to rural New Hampshire!!
Laurel, the loosestrife will come back, the annuals can be replaced. Any prize shrubs or trees damaged by the workers? Sounds so scary to have been in the house while it happened, and funny too, that you thought it was a bowling ball! The tornado in Atlanta mess sounds awful! Your homes are accident prone. So glad you're not!
Louise, welcome back up north!
Thanks so much Louise and Harper. I was feeling kind of hound dog this morning. Jumped into my overhauls and after a few hours cleaning up, I'm better. Poor chimmly is looking sightly. The gas flu runs up there too and it's a bit twisty. Louise I knew I was one lucky 'chile when I reached twenty one!
I'm trying to keep the plants in perspective; just a set back. Heat and expected drought are around the corner. It's probably too late to start from scratch, but I'll shuffle some volunteers around and make do. Thank goodness my prize bowling ball/gazing ball was unscathed! Still haven't had time to grout it. I do have fears of tobacco mosaic virus, not to mention TB, with all that huckin' and patooweying going on yesterday.
L
Eeew!