Thursday writers.

[Cowinkie]

Morning y'all...

Harriet I had to laugh at HRH's comment ...I know from personal experience when these types of situations happen, they're not funny...but I really admire your dh's sense of humor and how well he is taking care of YOU....

Harmony...I'm with you. I don't care much for Dickens, Shakespear or Mark Twain for that matter. It's not that I dislike the stories, I just can't read the dialogue and make sense of it. And I think that's why many kids don't like reading them either.

Twins...I hate it when I'm trying to concentrate on something important and the noise from others distract me. Last year I had to share my office with 3 other teachers. Most all of our work was done on computers that had to be placed all together because of the wiring. It was a nightmare for me. Plus there were always people coming in and out of the room and the interruptions were driving me postal too. I had to use ear plugs too. Sometimes that worked, but to ensure no one would interupt me, I would tape a red index card on top of my computer. That meant....Leave Me Alone....I refused to feel bad about doing that because sometimes it was the only way I could get my work done.

Helia...The summer before I went to high school, I would set my hair with jello...I used raspberry cause my hair was brown/red. That was in 1964

I haven't been sleeping very well and it is really wrecking my mornings. I am cutting back on my sleep meds because I want to see if I can make it through the night on my own. I figured these next few weeks would be tough and it looks like I was right.

My new glasses are in so I need to pick them up....doggies are almost out of food too. Kathryn, I loved your idea about Sadie...wish I had thought about it...however Willis would have been the better option. He is a natural digger and a mud-puppie at that

I never get here early enough to start us off, but I came across this quate today and love it.
You never know how strong your are until being strong is the only choice you have... ~Bob Marley

[Lilac]

Okay, it didn't take long for you to be proved right.

Lynlee, thank you for all the quotes.

(((Harriet)))

My idea of a perfect equation. Flossing twice aday plus brushing twice aday = xrays, cleaning and consult with dentist in under 25 minutes. I had a younger gal do my cleaning and I was apprehensive because the same 3 ladies have rotated doing my teeth for at least 15 years. I think that one other time, I had a younger gal. Just realized, I don't even like change when it comes to dental assistants, but todays gal did great. I love how great my mouth feels after cleaning.

Since my dental appt. was so quick, I ran 2 errands that I won't have to mess with tomorrow.

It is windy today. They are predicting rain for Saturday and we need it, desperately.

Last night I was searching thru my billfold to find my next hair appt card and the phone rang. I answered but didn't recognize the number. I must have not been listening because I told the male caller he had the wrong number. He asked if I was sure. So I said who are you calling? He answered The Lilacs. Well this is The Lilacs and he said this is dgs18 and I have your tickets for the church Sweetheart dinner. I felt like an idiot. He brought the tickets and I paid him, so that he could turn in his money last night.

By growing out my hair, she wanted me to wait 6 weeks instead of the usual 4. It has been 4 and I feel like a shaggy dog. I rescheduled and will be getting it cut next Wed.,a week early and I won't have to go to the Sweetheart dinner looking like I need a haircut. The Sweetheart dinner is a fund raiser for the bible bowl kids. The meal is wonderful and they have an auction. This will be dgs18s last time to participate.

Guess I better have some lunch.

[Ivy]

Hello Villagers!

(((Harriet))), It sounds so hard. And challenging.

My DH's Nana had lived out her last 3 or so years on a special locked Alzheimer's patients' ward. The nurses said she was their happiest patient ever and the nurses loved coming to work, knowing they'd be smiling. When she was living alone, she'd put things in the microwave and set them for 300 minutes, etc... It was so sad to see her slip away from us. I was given many of her things, when she had to move out-of-state, nearer to her DD. I cherish those things.

We're having concern over dgd and she has bad apnea, but she's gaining weight and is growing. I cried 3 times yesterday, not knowing why, so called Ddil/Dson last night. Then, I knew why I'd been upset. I don't know if anyone understand this or if it's odd or just "too weird". But when I got that very first email, "It's a girl!" after 7 grandsons, and I saw her ultrasound photo in my inbox, I felt an uncanny, but nice psychic connection to my dgd. Is that odd or strange? Or is it natural? I just don't know, as it's never happened with my 1st grson even. He was very special, he was my 1st and I've always felt a closeness to him, but now that he's 16 and growing up, he is his own person and the baby's just starting out. Her being a girl and I'm a woman, might have something to do with it, too. I love all my grandchildren, adore them, really, but just feel this psychic connection to the baby. She has my middle name, too.

Thursday Writers is a good opening. After I finish a book, I'm near the end on, perhaps I can do some writing or read somebody's writing, other than myself. It might take my mind off "things".

It's a beautiful sunny day here!

Waving hello to you All!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harriet's right, the first Adler quote was great for our family. I also liked the construct vs create quote because it really does describe the difference.

Dh and I are home after a long morning at the hospital (the specialist was 56 minutes late for her first appointment of the day and we had to be there 30 minutes before the appointment so it was a very long wait, but thankfully, I had my laptop.) After that, I had two banking tasks and we went out for lunch. Today was the last day of the grocery flyers for this week so I brought those too and scanned through them, deciding we needed nothing. Next week's flyers (sale starts tomorrow) have started to arrive and I'm making a list from those.

Picked up the mail and the church kettles on the way home. The kettles are being descaled as I type. They were so gross, I took 'before' pictures. I'm the main tea drinker at church so I do the descaling from time to time since everyone is great about making me tea at coffee hour.

Now to draw up a plan for today. We left the house at 9 so although I s2s and exercised, unloaded the dishwasher and tidied our room, I missed devotions and SAD lite, plus a lot of other stuff.

[helia]

That is a great quote, cowinkie. Red jello, huh. .. . .

((LO and OK))

((Harriet)) Yes, HRH is a gem and so are you for your fastidious care of your ddad.

I like the construct v. create quote too. I don't remember what the first one is so I'll have to go look that up.

Congrats on the great check up, Lilac! I do everything in your equation too -- except I usually floss only once a day, unless I have something stuck in my teeth after dinner. If I can't brush it out, I will floss. i am religious about flossing and going to the dentist every 6 months.

2 Bible studies is a lot, Harmony. I'm keeping away from them at the moment b/c I tend to have my entire life immersed in church activities, and I'm not sure that is what is best for me; there's only one women's study at my church I would consider attending b/c the woman who leads it is an awesome leader, and she uses materials that I consider really good - and she does a lot of extra research herself. I used to go to that Wed. morning study before I had Hebrew class on Wednesdays. The leader is the same woman who is the teacher of the 5th/6th graders here. I think they're doing a Tim Keller study now, and I really like his materials and books that I've seen so far.

You know, I didn't like Shakespeare when I first had to read him in 7th/8th grade (2 academic years done in one "subfreshman" year at my high school). We also had to read Plato (The Republic) and Aristotle (Poetics) in 10th grade, and they were pure drudgery for me. However, by my Sr. year of high school, I LOVED Shakespeare and even chose to taken an elective Shakespeare Lit class when I was at the University. I really enjoyed that class too. I wonder if sometimes kids are exposed to things when they're not ready, and then they get turned off?

--Though, I wouldn't pick up Shakespeare to read for fun necessarily right now. That is even more true with Flannery O'Connor, a writer whom I really like and respect; I wouldn't pick her up and read her for fun either. WEll, actually a lot of her stories are NOT so fun, especially if read at face value - which one shouldn't do with her writings. . . . .

Done:
x moms group
x library
x lunch

Next:
-finish a.m. routine
-get chicken going for dinner tonight
-finish the driveway

The sun is trying to peek out of the clouds here, and every once in a while she (the sun seems feminine to me )succeeds. We are supposed to get some snow and maybe freezing rain tonight. Depending on how much falls and the freezing rain, I suppose kids may have a snow day tomorrow. . .2-4 inches is predicted. I don't think 2 inches will do anything. 4 may or may not, depending on the timing, etc. . . . It seems pretty iffy to me.

[Nancy]

K in C at Woman's Bible study one time I discovered that the coffee pots the pumper kind were in dire need of some cleaning they were so bad that they just replaced them!

Mid morning chicken chores done dgd and I let them out she gathered eggs and I put out fresh water for them.

I have a plan for lunch now.
I am frustrated at how much time this 40 days thing our church is doing is taking up and I'm not even a leader!

Dgson will be here after school today later on.
Dgd & I mixed up some cookie dough for next week it's in the freezer now.
I boiled eggs for lunches.

[ellyphant]

Hello, friends! I do enjoy the Dickens quotes! Many of his writings were published in weekly newspaper installments, so he was paid by the word. That may be why he was so "wordy"!

Gave myself the gift of 3 whole days off the computer. Got so much done...little nit picky things that were bothering me. Used wood putty to fill holes in kitchen cabinets. Used spackling and touched up paint in dining area. Painted wooden magazine holder, picture frame, lamp, and light fixture. Replaced about 5 spotlights with energy saver bulbs. Read a book.
Redesigned the curtains in one room by removing the tab tops. Removed sticky residue and tape from 2 doors where previous owner's teen had hung lots of posters. Going to take computer breaks more often! Have been unsubscribing to e-mails, too, so I save myself the trouble of deleting lots of them.

Went to library and grocery store today. We are ready for our snow tomorrow--only expecting a couple of inches. Glad we are not in New England anymore!

Bye for now...

[Emptynester]

Just paid off the contractor. The remodel job wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought. Not to say that my checking account is very healthy right now.

The blinds are 1/8 of an inch too wide. Contractor is going to bring his cutting tool for us tomorrow to cut it down. We will cut about 1/4 inch on each side to make it fit correctly. The kitchen window will have to be a bit more.

I was able to boot up DH's computer after taking advice from friend. I took the battery out and then turned it on. Booted in Safe Mode and then turned it off and booted as usual. Works fine. I've loaded AVG on it now and run one scan. It found 20 problems. I will run it again just to make sure.

The Chiro appointment was very thorough. I'm feeling it today so haven't done much. My rice sock has felt good on my neck.

Going back to my chair and check for light leaks in my eyelids.

[Ivy]

Lynlee, I forgot to tell you how the opening day's quotes were awesome. I loved the one by Alfred Adler, "The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well." It is SO TRUE and sometimes, when you get to know someone way too well, you regret it.

It's such a beautiful sunny day here, it's 12:45 p.m. and the forecast is for rain, but "what" rain? Maybe later?

Kathryn, I don't know what kettles are, which you're descaling. At first, I thought perhaps they were offering plates and kettles was a Canadian term. But now I'm thinking, since you mention tea at coffee hour, they must be tea kettles. I KNOW what tea kettles are. But I didn't know they needed descaling, nor do I know what descaling means. Is it scouring them to make them shiny and new again. I have tea pots, which are pottery and china, but they don't have scales on them. I suppose metal kettles can get scaly.

Also, Kathryn, I notice how you write a lot of sermons. Are you an Anglican Priest in Canada? Do you do a sermon every Sunday or are you writing Sermons for your DH? We're Episcopalian and have a female priest. I think it's wonderful to see a female priest or pastor (from other denominations).

Lilac, Do your hygienists chat along while they clean your teeth? Mine chats, then stops, but sometimes I touch her arm, and chat something back to her, so she talks while I sit there, which calms me more. I dislike hands in my mouth. Makes me nervous. Do you get nervous? I had a bad experience with our dentist as a child, for years. He was rough and although my current dentist is very gentle, I still get anxious before I go.

I, too, get antsy when somebody new is going to be inside my mouth. I think it's normal. Now my dentist has a University dental student working 1 day a week for him, so I might get the young man sometimes. I recall seeing him as a child of about 12, when his father owned the practice. I don't feel "too scared" if I should get him because his Dfather used to be my dentist. When I have the pallet biopsy, I was quite scared to have a new oral surgeon in my mouth, but it turned out okay.

Lilac, The Sweetheart dinner sounds nice. It's nice you'll have your hair done for it.

Cowinkie, Your red index card on your computer was a good idea.

I hope you love your new glasses, too. Do you have a hard time getting used to them? I do, sometimes.

Harmony, 2 Bible Studies at 1 time sounds challenging.

Dee, Sorry you have a cold, but it's nice you took a nap.

The new shelves sound nice.

Our DDIL sent me a photo of our 1-month dgd last night, too! Isn't it amazing how it seems little ones change so much in such a short amount of time? Yes, time flies with little ones. They grow up so fast.

I've never heard of a "Daniel Fast". Is it a Biblical fast, honoring Daniel? I hope I'm not embarrassing myself, but it sounds like that to me.

Was wondering, Villagers, When Ash Wednesday comes here to the Village, do Villagers share their Lent things they are adding or are giving up for Lent? Is it listed on the J & C thread? Or do you have a special Lent thread? I wasn't with you last Lent, so I don't know. But I looked at my Calendar and saw how Lent begins next Wed. I was so surprised. When I've given up sugar in the past, I blow it about my 5th day in. I'm thinking about adding something this year, instead of depriving myself. My most enjoyable Lent, one year, was to do a good deed for someone each day. It was so rewarding, I actually kept it and I learned so much because I ended up doing more than 1 thing, people are so grateful for the simplest of things, and it made me happy.

I finished reading my book, "Boundaries- Where You End & I Begin," by Katherine Anne, M. A. and looked through baby girl newborn - 3 month sizes patterns. I found some dresses, 1 top, and 1 diaper cover, which are all cute. Crocheting for Megan helps to calm myself and it's relaxing.

Sorry this got long. I've been ill this today, but feel better now, so I rambled too long. Have a nice later afternoon and evening. Waving to All!

[helia]

I enjoy reading your chatty posts, Ivy. Your dgd is 1 month already?! I missed it -- did someone mention a Daniel fast?? I've never done that but I think it means eating no meat and wine as Daniel did at first; only veggies and water, one web site says. I don't remember if in the past we have had a formal thread for things we give up (or add) for Lent, those of us who do that.

I spun my wheels for a while here; I don't think I will make it to the gym after all today. I might try an exercise video though.

I have cleaned the kitchen, run the dw (we didn't run it last night b/c there weren't many dishes since we didn't eat dinner together at home), scraped the slush off a small portion of the driveway (I can't in good conscience call that activity shoveling), cooked the chicken, cut up carrots, red pepper, and tomato for the recipe, welcomed dgirls home, and put away a few random items on the island. I still need to dice an onion and chop up some fresh cilantro and parsley to have everything prepped to start cooking. Oh, and finish taking the chicken off the bone. And make rice.

We got up to 39/40 today, and the snow is melting. We'll see what transpires tonight. . .

Next:
-make my bed
-finish taking chicken off the bone
-finish dicing veggies
-start the rice cooker
-make a pan of cornbread
-spiff main bathroom