Bad Hermit, bad Hermit.... First, I need to make an apology - unless my forgetfulness had me forget that I already mentioned this? Karen - I think I forgot to also thank you out here in front of everyone for the OTHER set of chimes as well? I was really struck with them (but I think I forgot to mention them because I got all mucked up in the overflowing emotions - but that's not a bad thing, I really did need a plug-puller to get the bulk of those emotions OUT - but I feel bad that it might have caused my forgetfulness in respect to the others).... Karen also included a lovely earthenware or pottery-type chime (a friend of mine is a sculptress and she'd whoop me if I didn't attempt to define between china, bisque, earthenware, ceramic, pottery, etc.) that is bell-shaped, glazed a nice - how to describe this hue? - a muted purple - not vivid, not bright, but neither is it pastel... almost an earthy yet distinct purple glaze WITH a Dragonfly raised motif on the surface. (the irony here is that awhile back one of my twins got me a dual-glass/one set inside the other - votive/tealight candleholder that is green with dragonflies - on the inside, the outside cup/holder is frosted glass - looks really neat when lit up) Part of my forgetfulness was because the moment I saw this bell-shaped chime - and duly noted what appears to be a brass "hammer" that moves to ring the bell, and is weighted with a grean ceramic leaf suspended from it - I knew instantly that it and the candleholder my daughter got me should go "together", so they both got placed in the "garden tub" (of a trailer/mobile home - not so upscale as my dream garden tub - but I'll get there!) - the candleholder went onto a cedar shelf I have in there and the dragonfly windchime I suspended from a wire "planter" that I've never lined for plants but instead mounted on the wall to suspend my favourite "relaxing" things from and put various bottles holding bath-related "stuff" in.... so each time I kick back for a hot soak (which is frequently with my screwed up back), I get to set the chime in motion and slide down into the hot water and it is suspended in just the right position where I can visually focus on it with ease and relax. I wish I could explain how "perfect" the colours are - and the tone - it's not flashy or glaring and the tone doesn't "demand" from the ears - it's just the perfect meditative piece. A little additional irony is that while I don't think I mentioned it while intro'ing myself or in my other babbling on the ongoing threads for this swap, I do "dig" dragonflies. :) It's pure coincidence that when our first Rottie passed, while I had "just the gazing globe" already ready, the first 'stand' I picked out for it was one with dragonflies and chimes suspended inside it - unfortunately it didn't fit my globe (smaller globe) and never got to be used before I discovered the stand/pedestal was too cheaply made to endure the elements here. So - across the board unconsciously - dragonflies and chimes have also been "tied into" things with the dogs... perhaps because of all the times I used to spend with them down at the creek "chasing" dragonflies of different types trying to get a good zoom/macro "perfect" picture (to no avail - I'm convinced dragonflies are a creature of this world best enjoyed as they come and go and without trying to capture them live or on film - some pix turned out okay, but just never had that brilliance that dragonflies do to the naked eye). You all have to promise me that you won't "close up shoppe" on this thread until photos are posted AND until I get Melissa's second parcel sent to her! I really want you all to see what Karen sent me - and for the same reason Melissa/HNB has not yet received her second box from me - I haven't gotten photos taken. I had been, if you will pardon the phrase, sick as a dog for awhile now. I thought I was getting over it, but I either relapsed or got a new strain or it mutated on me. I get "the crud" every year - I'm usually sick as a dog in bed every Thanksgiving since 1984- there's only been three exceptions 1) the year I had my twins - they were due in October but I had them in September and that year I got sick 2 months earlier than usual 2) the year I had my youngest (who was born just under an hour before it officially became Thanksgiving that year) I got sick in late September thru early October, and 3) the year my beloved Kerridwen passed, I started getting sick in October and had just cleared it mostly by the time she whelped ON Thanksgiving and we lost her just after midnight that night. Sooooo... suffice to say, I'm hoping that getting sick "early" with "the crud" this year isn't a portent of anything (definitely no more childbearing on my part) good or bad and just coincidence that the kids were exposed to medically confirmed stuff from a cousin/family they spent a good bit of time with combined with hubby now being "exposed to the public" with the work he's picked up (yes, he got a job! Once we get caught up it should pay the bills, but his humour is dry when he commented that he worked himself up to six-figures a year all the way back down to almost minimum-wage - mind you, the job he got, is with a man/company that knew him back when HE was in high school and some of his coworkers are from his "old friends/acquaintances" category from back in the day) and after two years of being really-really isolated from the public "germ-pool" he's no doubt bombarded with stuff we haven't had to contend with for a long time. ANYWAY, I haven't been keeping up with the messages or even my own personal email on a regular, much more daily, basis because I really have been "that sick" - like sleeping anywhere from 12, 14, 16, all the way up to 36 hours, not eating (no appetite combined with not being able to REALLY smell food, much more taste anything - it all seems the same and that doesn't do anything for building an appetite, ya know?), off/on fever, and well, I'm sure you all are familiar with one variety of another of "the crud" that just sucks the life-energy right out of you, ya know? My biggest meals have consisted of a half-cup of yellow/saffron rice with a 'jerk sauce' that has scotch bonnet peppers in it (pro-capsicum for anything sinus or bronchial) or crackers with some peanut butter (protein) and apricot preserves dabbed on for flavour, or four cubes (1"x1") of chicken sauteed in butter with tons of garlic (go garlic as a cure-all! well, it works better if you actually have more intake of it... but at least I could taste the garlic). Sad to say, I haven't even had more than a cup of tea over a period of every four days. That "blah". Sleep, sleep, and more sleep seems to be the only thing really helping to combat this strain, strains, or mutation(s) of "the crud" this year - but on the plus side - and not to gross anyone out - at least the mucous involved has remained normal in colour - no sign of infection. Again, ANYWAY, Melissa/HNB - I had every hope of having your second parcel en route to you no later than two days following your birthday, but it just didn't/hasn't turned out that way. I didn't forget your birthday. In fact, it was at the forefront of my thoughts once you told me in email while we corresponded with my other delays for just getting the first one out to you. I do hope that it was a very good day for you on some level. As for grey hairs... don't look for them. :) I saw my first WHITE hairs when I was like 27... for sure anyway, I suspect they were there at 26 but I easily overlooked them as platinum blonde at the time since they cropped up in an area on my head (top/forward but further back that "forelock" or "bangs") that at the time got a lot of sun exposure and areas like that my hair naturally sun-bleached out for the platinum blonde strands/individual hairs to mingle in with the natural mix of other shades in my 'mane'. I didn't cry when I saw them WHITE though. I actually thought it was pretty cool. To-date, I still don't get grey hairs, one by one strands just totally lose all pigment and go stark white. I keep hoping that given where most of them are showing up, maybe I'll get one or two of those really cool streaks where I'll have solid white locks on either side/towards the front and I can flaunt my white. Of course I'm utterly convinced that my white hairs are a direct result of stress... like the stress that comes on because of typical life with having/raising kids :) And the flipside is, for every stark white hair I get in front, I get an equally and totally opposite undeniably BLACK strand from the opposite area of my head (sides but towards the back or from "underneath")... Maybe I'll get to be "salt and pepper" like a Miniature Schnauzer? The only downside to the white strands is that I see a parallel with the "not feminine" whiskers emerging on my chin and the once platinum blonde, fine body hair that was once "normal" and "natural" and "not even noticed", has decided to darken over my upper lip and some of the emerging whiskers on my chin prove to be just as tough as Rottie hairs. Hrmm. Maybe I'll turn into a Rottweiler? :) For what it's worth though Melissa, whether it's a whisker, a darkening of hair where once-feminine begins to resemble a masculine mustache (I haven't yet worked up the nerve to wax it - too afraid it will grow back twice as thick, ten times as dark, and really become a self-consciousness issue for me), or some new stark white strands riddling my mane when I brush it back and put it up in a ponytail - I find I notice several to many more things around me - in the natural world - for each one of those things, that are I never noticed before that really take my breath away. I kinda stopped celebrating my own birthdays a long time back after other people (immediate family namely) pretty much forgot "it was my birthday" and then that got me into the mindset that as a mother, a wife, and a caretaker of animals in need, and plants, and all that... that my own birthdays are "just another day", BUT, I like to wish other people a happy birthday (or belated or early, depending on what all is going on in my own life at any given time) and try to, well, embrace the milestone in life... it is just a day, but at some point or another, I hope that "happy birthday!"s to other people will get them to take pause to maybe see the wonder(s) around them on any other day and perhaps even make it a habit, so that every day is special and from there every moment unique. I figure for most people it either takes really tapping into spirituality (not necessarily religion, but for some they go hand in hand), a taste of mortality or knowing one's number is about up, or simply with age, because it's never too late to start to really (and pardon the cliche) "stop and smell the roses". Space aside HNB/Melissa, the reason I sent you that windchime before the other (commercial) one (the custom one will speak for itself) wasn't so much because of the chimes - because it's sound is limited - but because of the symbolism and I really really hoped that given your colour preferences and that particular chime, you would have the opportunity to see how the mirrors and "beads" (with their different shapes and colours) would catch the (natural) light as we were right on the verge of the Autumnal Equinox (when it was sent) and I hoped that you and your family would be able to enjoy the changing lighting effects of the Sun as relected and refracted as we move into this time of the year... Spring sunlight is nice, but still smacks of Winter, Summer sunlight can be overwhelming - even if we have plants that thrive in it - but the sunlight of Autumn? And those colours... well, I hope you and your family get the chance to enjoy them and they warm your heart and souls. As to the cocoas - I couldn't resist the ones with Bunny Marshmallows! I hunted high and low for a permanent marker/sharpie because I wanted to write Hazel Nut above the "Bunny" much more blatantly. I thought your kids would enjoy those though. I was so totally "stuck" though on others - I personally *adore* the White Chocolate cocoa 99.9% caffeine free, so it's not a cocoa that will wind you up when you're trying to relax and it just feels so smooth in the mouth and going down. I didn't know if you liked DARK chocolate or not though - and I can't remember if I included a "Dark Chocolate Sensation" cocoa for you or not??? If you like Dark Chocolate and I didn't send you at least one of those, please let me know and I'll include one in box #2. I knew you liked coffee - but that doesn't necessitate liking dark chocolate. I tried, to no avail, to find a particular coffee for you that my few coffee-drinkers around here like (we don't get it often, they like coffee but don't drink it on a regular basis) - hopefully I'll find it available before box #2 goes out. The other cocoas - Let me know which ones you like and which ones you don't? BTW, do you like Raspberry/ies or the flavour at all? Was it enough teas? Were some of them totally redundant to what you've already had in the past? I just didn't know! But at the same time I didn't want to send too much or too little... sometimes it takes more than one cup to decide... like whether to have it with sweetener or milk or lemon, hot or cold... OH, and there's another tea that I debated on heavily but ended up not sending, because I didn't know if you had any gall bladder or gall stones? It's an herbal tincture ("tea") that my eldest (who is so totally not into infusions in general - he keeps things on the simple side) SWEARS by as a remedy for his version of "the crud"... but I just wasn't sure if I dared send any or not - I didn't want to make anyone sick or complicate a pre-existing condition since I wasn't copying ingredients for every single infusion/tea... I know this is probably confusing for others here since you're getting "mixed swap boxes"... I did get some "root" plants in there though, even if they weren't bulbs per se. Provided there is room, I do intend to send you some more (for that mostly shade/2 hours-of-sun area) that was talked about in email. If that Purple Obedient Plant doesn't take for you - please let me know and I will do a better dig for you. It's mixed in with a Rice Paper Plant that was one of only six to survive for me - but didn't thrive - so I will be digging that RPP for transplant into a container for the winter anyway and when I do that, I will have better access to the Purple Obedient Plant's rootstock, i.e. being able to get to more substantial rootstock to send to you. Well, it looks like I have written a lot - but "not much" again... so I'm going to get this posted and try to use what wee bit of energy I've got left (wanes as fast as the sun in late afternoon here these days) to try and do a little domestic task I set for myself today.... if I can keep these two new-to-us cats out of my business. Thankfully the female of the two that are residing in our room, her kittens aren't old enough to be out wandering and getting into things yet. The mama-cat is a real lover (and the people told us she was totally NOT a housecat - this mama-cat has excellent indoor/household manners! And green eyes - just noticed that for-sure with good northern light to check by - green, not yellow or gold, but green eyes... cool, thought it was artificial lighting misrepresenting her eye colour before) and the other one... he's, we estimate, coming up on 6 months old and has a penchant for the laptop - he quickly discovered (and is quite proficient) at using the "pad" on the laptop in lieu of a mouse - complete with scrolling up and down... he thinks this laptop I'm borrowing is his personal toy and when not a toy, his bottom-heat spot for sitting or sleeping... Hermit - who has confused herself

LIFER HERE!!!! I was a bit nervous about my weigh in. At my CURVES pre weigh in I was up~~WW's scales weigh less but I still had gained 1.5 pounds on the WW's scales as compared to last Friday. BUT it was still less than my goal weight so I will not beat myself up for that!! I went into this just wanting to get anywhere under 150, so 143.5 is not bad!! I did not get another charm for my key chain, they give you a lifer memebership card:( I wanted a charm LOL!! But, my WW's leader gave me flowers:) I was so surprised and a very nice framed quote to help you stay on task:) She really is a sweatheart! I know she has to pay for them herself, so that makes it extra special. She had me come up and tell everyone what I liked about the plan and what I did that helped me make it work:) I do Core and she had me talk about why I chose that since most folks do not do it. I thought I was done and she said NO there is one more thing you did that worked best for you?? I could not think of it and the other gals were trying to help me think too:) Finally she says 'you never missed a meeting' YES!! That is true and it did help alot! She wanted the others to know how important that is:) As I was leaving I went to chat with the receptionist (a man who has lost 66lbs) he told me I should apply for a job with WW's, the leader talked to me about that too~~~I would maybe do the weigh ins (receptionist). But, never a leader you have to know too much:) I wonder how much they pay and how often you do it? I already have a 10-2 job during the school year do I want more?? Not really but then I thought maybe that would be good for me to help keep my weight off. What do you think?? It was 107 here yesterday and is going to be hotter today how can that be?????? WC what is it like up in your area??? I am going to be in Frisco in a couple of weeks and up in Santa Cruz also. Is it going to be cooler for me?? I want it alot cooler???? WC have you ever been to Half Moon Bay?? I am reading a book that part of it takes place there?? I think I will have my DH drive through it just so I can say I was there:)

gibby3000 - I lost weight because I was basically scared into it. I do run 3 times a week and go to the gym 2 times a week but I was doing that while I was carrying the extra weight. My DH and I were renewing our life insurance in Jan of 2009 and because of our ages at the time (56) we had to have a little check-up by the public health nurse. She dropped by the house and was doing our weight, blood pressure, blood tests and heart monitor. I knew I was carrying extra weight but I didn't know how much. Anyway, she weighed me (I didn't look at the number) and then took my blood pressure and she noted that it was quite high. I didn't know why. I thought to myself - I exercise, and I think I eat properly. But whatever. She took again at the end and it was still high and she commented that it shouldn't be that high. So then I looked at my weight and just about fell out of my chair. I was shocked at what I weighed which was about as much as a man. So I got on the internet and just started researching healthy eating, checked my BMI, looked at calorie counting, looked at what fat is and how many calories are in a pound, etc. What I realized is that I can't and wasn't prepared to exercise anymore so I had to look at my food intake. I don't eat chips, cheezies or any type of junk food (dark chocolate is definitely an issue and continues to be so) but what I was doing was just eating too much food during the day. I was exercising and so used that as an excuse to eat but that attitude does catch up with you eventually. I found out through research that 1 pound has 3500 calories in it and so if I want to lose a pound a week I have to drop 500 calories a day. So, no more mid-morning snack, no more eating dinner leftovers for lunch and no more cheese and crackers in the afternoon. I started eating a sensible, prepared for me by me lunch. Some fruit, some protein and a carbohydrate. I do get hungry mid-afternoon and so I have applesauce with cinnamon. I do prepare sensible dinners but now I don't have seconds. And nothing after dinner and that was the hardest thing to let go of. It took 9 months to lose 42 pounds and I feel so much better and that is what keeps me motivated to keep it off. My running is better, my walking is easier, bending to get things is easier - I just feel so much better and that is the incentive to keep it off. The changes that I made were ones that I knew I could maintain over the long haul. I didn't give up the cream for my coffee because I knew I couldn't give it up for the long term. \\ I think that it's important to only make those changes that you can maintain for the rest of your life and not miss. If you can't give up that cookie at night - cut back someplace else but still count it in your calories, if you can't cut back sugar in your coffee for ever then cut back where you can and not miss it. Eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight shouldn't be or feel like punishment for life. A couple of people have commented about how they blew it one week or were "bad" over the weekend. During this process I gave myself permission for the occasional lapse. I knew it was going to happen because I'm not perfect, I'm not a robot and I'm trying to break a 25 year eating habit. You don't do that without a misstep along the way. Now, I have given myself a 5 pound leeway for those times when I'm away or we have a busy couple of weeks of entertaining. I do weigh myself everyday and do start to regroup if I put on 3 pounds. I don;t beat myself up if that happens because now I have the tools to deal with it. This is just my opinion but I don't believe in these fad diets because they are too hard to maintain as a long-term lifestyle. (I'm not talking about diets relating to gluten allergies or diabetes, etc) Like I said - my opinion.

Greenhaven, yes I should really hold myself back from insanity when discussing lighting with my husband! Those are pretty track lights that you posted. Robotropolis - I thought track lighting is rigid track, while monorail is flexible curvy track? But yes, same concept. Thank you very much for the Canadian lighting online store - I will totally check that. So tricky finding Canadian sources sometimes. I do like the idea of wall-mounted articulated sconces as an alternative to ceiling-mounted lighting, at least on the long part of the perimeter "L". I may have some open shelving on the wall on either side of the range - TBD. Dh knows there are recessed lights designed to come in contact with insulation - but the boxes that go into the ceiling are apparently *huge*. So each one would require cutting a big hole and then a lot drywall repairing. We will hire out the drywall repairs, but don't want to incur unnecessary expense there. I'll definitely try out an LED E26 that you've recommended. EAM44, there *were* upper cabinets on either side of the window before. I agree the window size/proportions really leave a lot to be desired. I *adore* your inspiration photo. Unfortunately, this is an exterior load-bearing wall, with a walkway outside (fire regulations), in a condo building, with a moisture envelope. I've learned the hard way that standard solutions for openings in load bearing walls don't work in this building because replacement vertical studs can't be tied into joists in a structurally/seismically acceptable way due to difficulty accessing the locations where those tie-ins would have to happen. I'm going to add curtains and hope that that visually widens the window a bit. Here's a very crude mockup (no counters, fronts, curtain rod, etc.): Edb2n, I think a small lamp or two on the counter might end up being a good solution for me. Dh will complain about it most likely, but I hope he can compromise a bit there.