Good Friday morning all!!! Crunch,crunch, crunch......really enjoying my celery. Thanks! Thanks for the accolades! I hope I didn't jinx myself for posting it here since I have at least 10Lbs to go.... I have 4 5LB bags of sugar on my counter to remind me of how much I have lost.......... Marci, I had no idea this child was so bad that she needed intervention. Wow, sorry you have had to deal with that but I am glad it's you because she might not get the care she needs otherwise. I hope things go well and I hope you get some rest this weekend. Losing sleep over it is not good for you. Are you able to do some yoga to help you unwind in the evening? Just a few minutes of breathing exercises and a few relaxing postures may help you sleep better. Try these breathing exercises: 2-to-1 breathing This breathing pattern relaxes the body by subtly stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby inducing a state of relaxation. As you lie in bed, gently slow down the rate of exhalation until you exhale for twice as long as you inhale. You can coax a longer exhalation by contracting the abdomen slightly. Dont try to fill or empty or empty the lungs completely you are simply changing the rhythm of your breath. In the beginning it may help to count to six on the exhalation and three on the inhalation, or four on the exhalation and two on the inhalation (or any other 2-to 1 ratio you find comfortable). Focus on the smoothness and evenness of your breath, gradually eliminating any jerks and pauses. Counting Breaths Using the effortless 2-to-1 pattern described above, lie in bed and pay close attention to you breath. It should flow smoothly, evenly, and continuously. When the pattern is well established, take: * 8 breaths lying on your back * 16 breaths lying on your right side * 32 breaths lying on your left side Very few people complete this exercise. Sweet dreams! Try the 8 poses in the link below. I do the child's pose each night and it helps immensely. Raeanne, I know I can't do anything about it. Ommmmmmmmm but I want to find a comfortable place with her. I know it will all work out just the way it's supposed to! Beside, alot can happen in 9 months!! Maddie, you should try those breathing exercises and yoga poses too Sister! Night sounds very like very painful reading to me. Let us know how it is. I am glad you are writing the note.......it will help you go through the grieving process. BJ, thanks for your words of support. You sisters are all great! Besh, I know, I AM such a loser! Have you watched the Biggest Loser? IT's a great show. Today I am leaving at noon to go to the ride/drive that I host in my town of Hancock, NH for my driving club. It's going to be a splendid weekend which is great. Unfortunately, due to drought, the foliage is mediocre at best right now. Plus we haven't had a hard frost yet which is an essential ingredient to fall color. Sweet Pea will be styling as her cart is back from repair and actually looks brand new! It's much lighter than the old cart which we've had to use so she will be very happy with the lighter load. If I don't get a chance to check in again............I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend.

NHSuzanne~ (((((((((HUGS and DOUBLE HUGS)))))) Ouch! That kind of situation hurts! Even tho' they may not have meant any harm! The first thing that came to my mind was the same thing Raeanne wrote. We have a group of 4 gal pals here and when we do something in groups of 2 or 3, we rarely share- it spares hurt feelings. Sometimes I'm the one left out, but we still love each other. It just works out that way. The second thing I thought was: Have you offered to sell Casey to Linda with a payment schedule? If you're going to consider selling Casey or get another rider if Linda stops riding her, why not work out a deal? Obviously, Linda cares a great deal for Casey and has had a year-long relationship that's good for you, her, and the mare. Linda seems to be acting as though she wants her "own" horse; a reasonable deal that you may be able to facilitate if it can be worked out in a memorialized agreement. The other, third thing I hate to mention, but will stick my neck out here anyway. Maybe the 'other' gal pal has a less strong connection with animals than yours and Linda can look at the horse and get a feel for it better by herself. You are very good with animals and sometimes, I'm certain, they are rather drawn to you. Linda may feel like she needs to be alone with the horse to see if she gets the right fit going. Who knows? But it's another idea. Why not buzz Linda and talk to her about it over a tea? It'd be worth it to clear the air before the road trip. She may feel trapped if you decide to wait until the car ride to bring it up. Again, ((((HUGS)))) and I hope the answer comes to you. Tikanas, I am going to STARCH your UNDERWEAR if you send me any laundry! :) Raeanne~ Your costume sounds like --- wild, man! Have fun! Besh~ Thinking of you! My kids are going to be: 16 y.o. - Goth fairy (don't ask!) 14 y.o. - The scantiest dressed witch I've ever seen. 8 y.o. - Red web witch. Very cute! 6 y.o. - a piece of candy corn! Me - A line from Top Gun. DH: Probably nothing - he hasn't got the spirit yet this year. Too much work, not enough play, I'm sure....lol. All for now. My clay mask went to the kiln today, so I'll see it next week. I am starting on a terra cotta sculpture of a very muscle-bound man in a kneeling position at a prayer bench-naked and crying. I don't know why I'm doing this particular sculpture, but that's what happened when I started fashioning the clay. Everyone in the class thinks I'm wiggy or something. Ah, well, what else is new? Maddie~ Hope you are causing trouble where ever you go! Amy~ SO glad you checked in and that life is comsuming you! Feast or famine, eh?

Hi golis! Well, alrighty, then. The police were over there all night last night and well into the afternoon. Let me explain how the apts are set up: they are like ranch houses that are connected to each other, sorta like a duplex. The immediate next door neighbors were friendly with the lady--I've seen them going back and forth to each other's place, so that makes the next chapter even more bizarre. We get home about 6PM tonight, and so help me; my hand up, the murdered lady's immediate next door neighbors were having a loud racous party out in the common area, in front of the victims' apt ***WITH*** the police tape still up, the crime scene techs still running around, the coroner's office there, and several officers present. I thought I had completely lost my mind, but I have 2 fully sober witnesses to it, or even **I** wouldn't have believed it, and I'm standing there with my jaw on my chest. O.M.G. WTF is wrong with peeps now days? There's evidence/biohazard bags all over the place, and the kids are playing within several feet of them. A bloody mattress is (was) standing in the patio area, and peeps are eating and playing cards nearby. I am truly stunned. Where is that deserted island????????? (2 local TV channels tried to interview me, but I wouldn't, and we're supposed to go down to the police station and give a statement) (OH--I almost forgot--I was talking to my next door lady, and she was home on Tues, with her windows open, and she told me that she heard **everything**, but thought it was a screaming match between a couple. She didn't call the police, but did get suspicious when she saw the grandson taking out armloads of 'stuff'. She was bawling this morning b/c she told me that she will forever hear the screams and think that if she had called the police, one of them might have lived. Bless her heart--she's a good lady, and I feel so sorry for her--what a thing to live with.)

My Purple Martins should be here in Larimore the very last days of April or the first week in May. I will have the gourds up and filled with clean pre-nests by April 15. I seal off the openings with duct tape until the day they arrive. I set out nectar feeders on April 15, too. I won't have any humming birds, but I use the large oriole feeders with large feeding ports so the orioles, woodpeckers, finches, etc. can all enjoy the nectar. And, just in case there's an early bird hummer, he'll have some food, too!