mdrai

Sorry about that, Tracy. Bad punctuation. and bad run-on thoughts in that sentence, too. But I tend to type the way I talk, so........... my sentences run On & On & On... :tongue2: I would *never* cheer a horrible TOM...

Hey girls... quick check-in... after my lazy day on Friday, it's been go-go-go since then!! DD guilted me into us going to church today... it was nice... she wants to keep going regularly... we shall see... Then DS & I went to the Y where he had his weight circuit orientation & I walked on the treadmill... we're going to try to get in a regular routine for going there... Then the grocery store for the week's shopping... bleh... & now home. Yay. Tracy, TOM's here too, w/a vengeance... I couldn't even make it all the way through the service this a.m.... had to duck out 1/2 way through, then try to sneak back in... lovely. Stupid Tom! Love you all!!

Hey Girlies~~ Phew! Talk about withdrawal shakes! My 'puter was down all day... AH! When dh came home he clicked like twice and voila, it was fixed! Guess what I did today!? NOTHING. Yep, that's it. I watched a bunch of dvr'd shows & knit. All day. I think I'm getting this "not being busy" thing down!! Now of course, tomorrow will be a completely different story... but... I enjoyed today. $29 for a loaf of bread?? Man oh man!! I AM in the wrong business! Make it a great eve, everyone!

TracyK... she's adorable -- but you've got to get that girl some REAL snow!!

"It's fast, it's tasty and it makes me poop." This will be my new siggy line... seriously... it is soooooo funny... you rock, Judy!! :wink:

Congratulations, Laura!! Good point, Tracy K! Fingers crossed for your mom, Tracy KS! + you're doing so great w/the LC'ing!! Yay you! Haydee -- sounds like so much fun w/your sisters! PamEla -- Too funny about the furniture -- I agree! Judy -- This is the funniest phrase I've read in a long time: "fiber one pop tart" Ba Ha Ha! Is that supposed to make them sound healthful?? Guess what guess what guess what??!! Over the river and THROUGH THE SNOW -- my Secret Santa package arrived today! Can you guess who sent it (the "through the snow" part should be the BIG, DEEP, SNOWY clue) -- JUDY!! Yay!! I didn't know if I should open it, so I thrust it into dd's hands and said "Quick! Go put this way, way under the tree so I'm not tempted!!" So we'll see how long THAT lasts!! I'm off to the PTA fundraiser pick-up (in the pouring rain)... it's cookie dough & cinnamon buns, etc... have to carry out the boxes to people's cars... oh what fun... I'm making ds come with me! I am evil. See what fun you can have w/your kids, Laura? Make it a great eve, Vi's!

((JANIE!!)) AND ((LAURA)) -- I'm guessing it's a... BOY! Jen, your kitchen sounds like it is going to be gorgeous!! Kat... prayers for Gary!! Crohn's is nasty!! TracyK... snow in Tx! Woot! We're supposed to get a bit tomorrow, which means everyone will be crazy on the roads, etc. The joke here is that when the weatherman says the word "snow", folks run to the grocery stores shouting "Bread! Milk! Toilet paper!" as if they can't possibly go a day without these items! Too funny. Am having coffee @ SB w/a friend this morning (a different friend than the vineyard one)... then back home & continuing with my low-key way of life (oh by the way, I made it thru the day, Terri, nanny nanny) (but can I do 2 in a row??). Oh, my neighbor w/liver cancer/failure went into the hospice house yesterday. So SAD! Make it a good one, everyone!

Terri: "Wanna bet??!" (That's what my ds says all the time. We have learned NOT to bet w/him as he somehow always wins, even when we're POSITIVE we'll win. So funny.) And FYI, funny lady... I am taking today at a very enjoyably slow pace... I even have the "classical Christmas" station on w/the beautifully hypnotic choirs and orchestras and tenors performing simply gorgeous arrangements... it is SO very calming & also the perfect way to ease into the season while baking at a leisurely pace... aaahhhhh... no stress here! :whistle: TracyKS: I was going to say "Be careful of those crazy folks off the Internet!" :tt1: TracyK: 41??? Hmmmmm... Pam: Happy pills = antidepressants... mmmmm! :tt1: Time to go do something else slowly & with purpose... just to bug Terri some more! Tee Hee!

You're doing great, TracyKS!! :tt1:

Good Morn, Vi's~~ Rainy day here... but warm! Go figure. Just little this & that's to do today... I always feel so adrift w/out deadlines!... I lose all sense of urgency and tend to not get much done... guess that's good every now & then, huh?? Just the regular stuff, clean a bit, errands, decorate a bit, bake a bit (the first batch of the Holiday Pumpkin Breads... this year I think I have 40 to give...), maybe wrap a little? Nothing HAS to happen so I'll take it at a slower pace... Yes, you read that correctly, Terri! :tt1: Make it a great day, Vi's!

TracyK -- Yay for you!! I think that that attitude & confidence is what we need to strive for, not a number on a scale! You go girl!! I am proud of you! Judy -- What a winter wonderland! It looks beautiful, magical! Laura -- Any way you slice it, I think naming another human being is the hardest thing to do... DD CLAIRE and I went to the Y... she begged me to go so I gave in & went... how pitiful is it that my 10yo dd has to beg me to go be healthful? yep, pretty pitiful. Anyhoo, it turns out that because she's 10, she can't do anything in the fitness room... you have to be 11. That sux. So we walked around the track for 20 mins... she is SO much like me w/the eating & the not liking to exercise that I don't want to quash her interest in the Y... we'll have to look into what kid classes they have starting in Jan & get her signed up for a couple. I told her that for her 11th b'day next year we'd come & work out on the treadmills first thing! Off to eat something, work on the tree (it went up on Sunday & we're still decorating it... we are very s-l-o-w this year) & knit a bit. Enjoy your evenings!

The doc visit didn't go as badly as I thought it might... maybe SHE's on happy pills??... I did tell her about my hip & she thinks it's probably arthritis or sciatic nerve... she sent me for x-rays + blood work... the whole thing took nearly 2 hours! After that I did a little shopping for my Sis... she can't find the Guitar Hero World Tour bundle for XBox 360 near her... I found it @ the 2nd place I went so nabbed it for her... now I need to get it to her so I can get my $200 back & spend it on my own gifts to give!! Laura... I'm sure it won't come as a surprise that I'm partial to "Claire", as that's my dd's name... but I'll tell you this little tale... when I was pg w/her, a woman I worked with sometimes (so I didn't know her real well) asked me what names we were thinking of, & I told her "Claire" and she said "oh I've been told that Claire's are all "spirited" "fiesty" girls"... that didn't deter me... but it HAS proven true! So be warned! My Claire is also kind, caring of animals and people, smart as a whip, has a photographic memory, is a bit clutsy, dramatic, beautiful, creative... I wouldn't trade her for the world!

Hey girlies... I'm off to my general doc's today & she's not going to be happy because I haven't lost anything since the last time I saw her 3 months ago... oh well... at least I haven't gained! I'm going to tell her about my hip, too, even tho it's not bothering me today... but when it does... owie! I did something fun & spontaneous & so not like the usual "me" yesterday -- especially for a Monday! -- & I liked it! Every other week I meet my one friend for coffee & a talk (the one whose hubby left her a year ago on her b'day)... anywho... she couldn't meet this week because she's helping out at this place but she said Mondays were really dead so could I come & hang out w/her there? So I did! "WHERE?" you ask? -- This adorable, quaint little vineyard in the Virginia hill country! She's covering while the regular tasting room manager is on vaca. So we sat by the roaring fire, tasted a bunch of wines, nibbled on warm crusty french bread & cheese, and talked & talked! Now THAT is what I call a GOOD MONDAY! And I felt only a little guilty about not staying home & doing my chores. But y'know what? They're all still here, so I can get to them today! The kids & I are going to go to the Y after school today & work out! Now that soccer is over, and the musical is over, we have many more of our afternoons & evenings to ourselves now through the end of Feb, so that's what we want to do with them! What else? Oh yeah -- Janie! When I was going through the pre-op exams to get the band, after my first endoscopy the results came back that I had that barrett's esophagus thing and the surgeon said that I couldn't get the band if I in fact had it. So he re-did the exam the very next day, put a stat on the results, & they came back negative, thank goodness. It's a thing where the stomach cells grow up into the esophagus. I don't know what happens if you get it AFTER you have the band. But my surgeon also said that it's an easy misdiagnosis if any stomach cells accidently are brought up into the esophagus during the test, so I'd recommend a second test if that's what they say you have. Wow I'm chatty this morning! Make it a great one, Vi's!

Good morning, again~~ I puttered around on the computer, then snuggled on the couch & watched the cartoon "Grinch" then snoozed for a couple more hours... and then woke up to --guess what? -- Mo the cat making his "i've been stepped on" squeal which means that HE IS CONSTIPATED AGAIN!!! :sad_smile::eek::tongue: I am going to give him his liquid butt medicine EVERY HOUR today... I HAVE been giving it to him every day... stupid, stupid cat. I told the kids that I'd have to call the vet tomorrow & so someone wasn't going to be getting one of their xmas gifts & dd immediately said, "DS"! ha ha

Ugh! It is 4:11 AM and here I am, sitting in the dark on the computer w/a kitty on my lap. For some unknown reason I awoke at 3:15 after just 4 hours of sleep. DH is snoring like a jackhammer. My mind is "on". Here I am. I hope that you all are having sweet dreams right now!!

Good Sat Morn, Vi's!~~ Got home around 9:30 after dd's performance... soooo cute! & fun! We leave again @ Noon for 2 performances today... + dh's "Peace on Earth" art show exhibit opens tonight... DH & I went through money in vs. money out (bills, gas, oh, you know, food!) for now - end of year... ugh... who else HATES THAT!!! Trying to figure out how to finish up Christmas shopping, etc. w/least noticeable impact to our bottom line... it always gets me so worked up... I hate money!! <end of rant> BESIDES THAT... have a good day, everyone! I am going to revel in the simple (FREE) blessings that today brings...

Ditto ditto, Terri!! You look fabu in the pic... but to me it kinda doesn't look like you?? The other one... from Gruene... now THAT looked like you!! See, I obviously need to physically, actually, really SEE each of you more than once a year to keep up with how AMAZINGLY BE-A-U-TIFUL you are!!!!! MMMMM... maragaritas!... MMMM MMMM Gruene margaritas & the magic bartender Terri (remember the batch that I *tried* to make?? bleh!) Good times!!! Am working the concessions @ the 7pm performance of "Annie" tonight... so will see you all tomorrow! Smooches!

TGIF, Vi's!~~ It's Friday! Yay! I am feeling better now... it was really odd... my tummy was all "bubbly" yesterday, too... but no more, uh, explosions... now I feel fine. Weird. Perspective check: Last night after PTA I visited my neighbor w/the liver cancer & the moments to live (it's been 2 weeks since she's come home from the hospital)... I've been over there a lot, + coordinating their meals... but last night was the worst yet... she is so jaundiced and was so tired & in & out of knowing what was going on and "fuzzy" w/facts, following the conversations, etc... then when I was leaving I gave her a hug and she started crying and saying that all she wanted was more time & how her son wasn't going to remember her... it broke my heart... up 'til then it's been more a "celebration" of her and she's been sort of "holding court" and enjoying everyone around her and regaling us with stories and just re-living + making memories... It truly puts life in perspective and gives the old "don't sweat the small stuff... it's all small stuff" striking relevance to what is important... family... friends... memories... and love. Sorry to bum you guys out... I'm just in a sad place w/this...

((Jenn)) That just sux. I am so sorry for you. This is why, even though my right hip has been hurting so badly lately that after limping like some 100-yo crone all day, some nights I take one of the oxycontins left over from my surgery (I actually cry out in my sleep from the pain when I move, & then it wakes me up), I dread telling my doc about it because then it'll be an endless stream of tests & poking & proding to tell me it's just part of getting older! Ugh!!

Hey girlies... Got a good start on the shopping yesterday, then took ds to the ortho, then came home and suddenly my stomach was jumping all around and then at about 6pm I went upstairs to my bedroom where I preceded to get violently ill from both ends! :cursing: Except that I've never had to throw up since getting banded, and I discovered that NOTHING would come out, so it was more like really hard dry heaves & tons of PB-type saliva... ugh!... this lasted 'til about 9pm & then I crashed in bed & woke up @ 5:30 this morning... but now my tummy is all rumbly/tumbly again and I'm nervous as I have a lot to do today outside the house! No one else here is ill... I did purchase a salad while shopping... maybe that did it? I honestly have no idea... again I say "ugh!" Have to get in the shower & hustle it up as I need to have dd to the HS by 7:45am for her all-day play practice... neither of us is thrilled by this early-morning thing! Make it a great day, Vi's!

Judy!! Al Roker said it was snowing in "Alpena, Michigan" this morning & showed it on the map and I said out loud: "Hi Judy!" Didja hear me?

Good Morn, Vi's~~ Am going to start Xmas shopping today... Target & Kohl's are on the list... am trying to use only cash, so need to do this in fits & spurts when I get a check, which come in fits & spurts (that's the worst thing about freelancing, the irregular pay)... I may place some online orders as well, so they have time to get here (altho it's really not the holiday season if I'm not waiting for something to arrive at the last minute -- it adds that extra special panic-y feeling to the festivities, lol!) Between that and an orthodontist appointment for ds & dd's last evening "Annie" rehearsal, + some PTA duties, will keep me out of trouble today. Make it a great one!

Are you kidding me, Laura? Don't apologize to me for your language... IMHO it's not strong enough!! I think you're beyond worrying about anybody's feelings... your BIL sold your sis drugs & now she's using again... you are pregnant and will be bringing a precious new life into the world... your priority is to call a spade a spade & let them know this is NOT ok and then keep them the hell away from your babe. How do you live with the drama? -- Just stop playing along! I know you can do it, Laura... you're not wishy washy... you often sound like the ONLY one in EITHER family with a brain!! Use it, girl!! Sorry for the rant, but it's just MHO... I have no patience or tolerance for such nonsense...

Yay Pam's back... all is right w/the world.

"globule" and "gullet"... 2 words you don't see everyday! Judy, love the pics of your winter wonderland... at first I thought you shot them in B&W, but then realized that's just how it all looks up there! Sorry about your tree... but glad to be there for the changing of the flag! Terri: yes. A boring day here... yes, that's what I said... boring... even snuck in about an hour's nap... shhhh, don't tell anyone!