Good early morning all,

I am getting ready to go out and ride and Patti beat me to getting us started for the week!

Donna, welcome back. I hope you will find comfort in sharing with us here when you feel the need.

Sorry about your back Patti, I hope it feels better soon.

My whole body hurts from my accident and all the yard work we did this weekend! DH calls me a broken down old horsewoman! LOL I guess he's right.

The weather was beautiful here - crisp and clear and my ride will be spectacular. I will check in later.

Tally ho.

Donna Welcome Back. ((hugs))

Suzanne - DH and I loved the pics of the foxes. How cute!!!! Was it their parents who got your chickens???

Patti - Sorry about your back.....I have heard that it is possible to throw your back out...sneezing....so you may never figure it out.

DH and I had a good busy weekend. Friday we drove to Orlando to go to a Pfaltzgraph outlet store (my DH is worse than I when shopping) and stayed at a Hilton Homewood Suites. It was awesome! Walked around quite a bit and then on Saturday we drove to Cocoa Beach to attend DH's cousin's destination wedding at a resort right on the beach. You could not hear the ceremony cause the waves were so loud, but it sure was beautiful. Plus it was nice to see DH's relatives. They all flew down from Ohio to attend. Drove back to the west coast on Sunday and we just vegged out yesterday. We did have a realtor come out. We are going to list the house since we have not had any luck trying to sell on our own. Then it was back to work today.

Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend.
Take Care!!!
Lynn

Good morning!

Where the heck is everyone?

Lynn, I do not believe it was a fox that made the attack on my last flock. It was something far more insidious. Fox will pluck a chicken here or there if the opportunity arises but they do just blantantly kill and leave it uneaten. It's an uneasy allicance with this fox family but I feel that it's important to be a good steward of my piece of land and provide all the habitat I can for wildlife. I have an ideal piece of land that supports alot of wildlife and it's good because human kind is encroaching on wild things more and more these days. Okay.........enough of that!

Come on ladies and gent, please check in.

Good WEDNESDAY morning!

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I have a blister from all the raking I did in our back and front yards. Must admit the place looks good, and my veggies are growing without the nasty critters eating them! I showed more than one rabbit and chipmunk that grill again as a warning! LMAO!!!! (come on, Suzanne, I know you want to laugh!)

[[[[[Patti]]]]]]]]], hope your back is better today. When I lived in the condo, there was a gal who was power walking. She sneezed and fell to the ground. Someone called an ambulance for her....her back was in bad shape for the entire summer. Just from a sneeze and the way her body was positioned during that walk. Geez, take care of yourself sister!

Good to see you back again, Donna. Feel free to vent and share all you want. We're here for ya.

Marci, I'm taking DH for a medical procedure tomorrow afternoon which should last a couple of hours. I was thinking about how great it would be to have that new Stephanie Plum book with me. Time passes quickly when you're reading that. I've decided to run out to the library at lunch time and pick up a Goldy Bear novel for my adventure. It's either that or leave the surgical center and go shopping!! It's cheaper to read.

Raeanne, did you get out on the boat last weekend? I was thinking about what great weather you had up there for that activity. While walking around our lake, we saw so many kayaks and canoes in use. I told DH I wanted to buy a paddle boat (maybe one that looks like a swan!) and he gave me his "you're nuts" look! LOL!

OK, gotta get back to work.
Take care, eat healthfully, and NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!
DeeMarie

MIA's---John, Maddie, Jen, Amy, Gretchen, Besh, BJ, Zig. We want to hear from you!

Patti - I am right with you girl - and I wish I weren't! LOL I also did something to my back (I think it was all the coughing) and I am in misery. It went from a nagging pain, to a dull ache, to an "I can't get off the couch pain" rather quickly. I am finally able to move around better today, thanks to some pain pills, ice, the heating pad and some icy/hot patches. I also am recovering from bronchitis and it hurts SO MUCH to cough. But thankfully the cough is slowing down and thankfully DH is here to help me get moving in the morning.

My one friend said she is going to quit calling because everytime she calls, something else has gone wrong. First it was a tickle in my throat, then a cough, then bronchitis, then my back. I told her next time she called I would be in the hospital in traction! LOL I also told her if I didn't laugh, I would surely cry.

Dee - I went to the library on Saturday, while I could still drive, and picked up 6 books. But I can't sit still for very long to read them. One of them is a book on CD and I am considering finding batteries for my portable CD player and walking aroung my yard while I listen to the book. Walking is about the only thing that doesn't hurt!

((Donna)) - So glad to see you back and posting. You know we are here for you.

NHSuzanne - I am going to grab one of the fox pictures for the album. They are so cute, but I understand your uneasy alliance with them. This is not the same, but I sat on my porch this morning and watched the ants crossing back and forth carrying things twice their size. I told DH I was fascinated with their industriousness, while wanting to step on them at the same time. I can't help but wonder where their "nest" is and hope it isn't somewhere they can get in the house. But I kept my feet still and let them do their work unharmed. That is my concession to Mother Nature for the day. That and feeding the bunnies. I made DH pick the strawberries today and something had eaten most of the ones we "let go for one more day". Those were prime berries and I hope whatever (I am assuming it was bunnies) ate them, enjoyed them! LOL

I have to move before my back locks up.

Later,
Marci

I am still recovering from my weekend. DD#2 came home and then my brother, his wife and 3 kids arrived. You have to keep their little guy busy or else he gets into trouble LOL. So I am tired and my house has never been more lived in.

Dee - yes we got out on the boat every day this past weekend. Today is another perfect day and we are heading out asap. I already packed up a lot of fruit and cheese for the trip. Now I just need to ditch work. I can just picture you in the swan paddle boat - DH not so much LOL.

Suzanne - A red fox has been visiting my yard for the past week or so. I know they are hunting for their kits. I just hope I get the pleasure of seeing them. We had a family of grays last year.

Marci - I am so sorry to hear about your bronchitis and back issues. What a way to start your summer.

Patti - (((Hugs))) you can't seem to catch a break. I am sending positive vibes your way. Thanks for the Tikanis update - next time tell her we miss her.

Lynn - do you have pfaltzgraf dishes? I have a yellow and blue pattern set, can't remember the name - maybe Summer Breeze. We have an outlet near us - it looks like I will never get rid of them as I keep adding to the set.

Donna - how was your weekend? I hope things went well for you (((hugs))).

Enjoy your day.

The last thing a blade of grass sees!

Good MORNING Suzanne!

;-)

Good MORNING Dee! You and me again?

I got email from brother John. He said he is doing fairly well and lurking when he can. Has computer issues at work logging on or something like that. Anyway, he starts a new job on Monday but did not say what he will doing. Promises to check in when he can.

Great news about John! Hope this is a job with better hours and one that he enjoys. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Good news about John & glad that someone has heard from him.

I'm pretty much healed. Just have to let the blisters heal. Most are dried up. The biggest problem is the part that burst from my engagement ring. We think that we are away from the "infection" part though! I do feel pretty good. Cannot sit still too long.

Marci~I'm terribly sorry to hear about your back.

NH Suzanne~What a wonderful picture as usual, Sis! Love it! I heard on tv this week that the red foxes keep away the rattlesnakes. I don't know if you have them in your neck of the woods or not but if so...I was asking Dave if we could get one to take to TX with us. LMAO

Dee~How is DH? I hope that he is doing all right.

Raeanne~It is about 30 days until I get to kiss that little belly & those little cheeks & I can hardly wait. DS says that I may change my mind. LOL Apparently, Ms. Priss has decided that she is the ONLY baby in the world. She was crying tonight when I called, (she is already 9 months old, can you believe it?) He said that he came home from playing basketball & Mom handed her to him & said she needed some "me" time & off she went. He hadn't eaten so he was eating & he had put Aubrey down to play by herself. She was not happy about that. LOL She doesn't ride in the car well either. We wanted to take her to Dave's parents 50th wedding anniversary but she would cry for 5 to 6 hours & we couldn't bear it so I hope this phase passes.

Lynn~You were so close to us you could have spit & hit us. Not really but almost. Hope you can sell your home. My sister is trying to sell hers in Dallas too.

Donna~Come out when you feel like it.

Hi to all that I have missed. Come see us lurkers & MIAs. Be good to yourselves b/c you deserve it. Patti :)

Rabbit! Rabbit! =')

Rabbit! Rabbit! =")

Good Friday morning all,

Patti, glad you are healing and feeling better. It's good to hear from you.

Rabbit, rabbit back!

Speaking of foxes - I have had something digging under my barn in a rather substantial way. I can never find tracks to tell me what it might be and I thought perhaps a woodchuck although an odd location for it. This morning I caught a glimpse of something going back into the hole with a BLONDE TAIL!!!!!!! I waited quietly around the corner to see if it would come back out and it did. You may have guessed by now that it's a FOX. I don't know what to do. This fox actually looks like one of the kits that I have been watching all spring. I wonder if it's a young male setting up a new territory. I have to find out how to get him out of there and move on. I will need to call the fish and game people to see if they have any ideas! I love the fox but not under my barn. My poor cats are being held prisoner as it is! Oh boy - the fun never ends! These are not bad problems to have.

QOD: Where is everyone??? And What are your plans for the weekend?

Suzanne - I love the caption you gave that photo. Thanks for updating us on John. I hope he is much happier at his new job and the hours are to his liking. I emailed the president of our wildcare group to see if she had any suggestions for you with regards to the young fox.

As I realized it was rabbit, rabbit day - I figured Patti or Suzanne had already posted.

Patti - good news about how you are healing. Burns are so nasty. Hopefully when you get out to see DGD the crying phase will have stopped. But with you there she will have nothing to cry about because you will be constantly playing with her LOL.

Dee - you weren't very chatty yesterday - are things busy at work?

QOD - no big plans, we have friends visiting from FL and will try to get them out on the lake with us. All the agents are doing open houses on Sunday, so I need to (wo)man the office. I really don't like giving up my Sunday - but it doesn't happen often.

Raeanne, I have researching the web for an hour now with no real help. I hope your president has some suggestions. If it's a young male setting up a new territory I can deal with that and just fill in the holes and force him out but I wondered if it's young vixen giving birth? I keep reading they only use the dens for birthing not living in. Email me if you find something out.

NH Suzanne~What an interesting life you lead! I think that I would really like that kind of life. Thanks BTW. I got my official AI clapper today which Dave appreciates as well b/c I clap too loud for him. oops It is too cute.

For everyone, NH Suzanne sent me an official AI clapper that is shaped like a water pistol. That suits a Texan well too. Ah, ha. LMAO

Raeanne~I wasn't supposed to put it on there twice--the 1st time I was told that it didn't go thru. Hmmm... You are right about DGD. She won't have to worry about playing by herself while DGM is around. And, DGP will want his time too. He is as ga-ga as I am. It is truly funny.

QOD~We are finally supposed to get some rain this weekend so I think that we will probably watch some movies. We have a couple of new recipes that we are going to try out. They look really good & simple. Dave's b'day is this month & then there is Father's Day so I am going to try to take him over to watch the space shuttle take off. That is what we decided that we wanted to do for fun. It will get us out of the house. I go to see the cardiologist on Monday. I am not having problems so I don't expect it to be a big deal. Be good to yourselves b/c you deserve it. Patti :)

Happy Saturday!!!!

QOD: It is raining today, which is great! We certainly need it. I did some grocery shopping this morning and will watch movies...just like Patti!!!!!

Patti - I thought you lived in the Tampa area for some reason not Orlando. I still think we should meet sometime!!

Raeanne - Yes on the dishes, we have the Naturewood pattern. I wish we did have an pfalgraph outlet by me. However, one of the pasta bowls is kinda obviously flawed which I did not notice while in the store. The pattern seems faded and not vibrant like the rest. Oh well...no big deal. Who sees it with the food in it anyway..LOL!

Suzanne - you have the best pictures!!!!! Your property sounds wonderful!!!

Hello to everyone else too!!!!! Have a great rest of the day!!!!

Lynn

Marci - I'm sorry to hear about your back, too. As one who has been bed ridden for a week at a time with back pain, I can truly empathise. I remember one time years ago, when I had to use a crutch for a couple of weeks, too. I hope it gets better quickly and soon.

Patti - so sorry to hear about your burns, too, but glad you are on the mend, and sounds good about the new baby. My son and granddaughters might come again to visit this summer. It's a long trip from Wisconsin to Hawaii, and not that cheap either. At least they have a place to stay.

Suzanne - I'll bet the fox is pretty :) and I'll be watching to see what happens. I enjoyed the photo, too.

QOD: Plans? lol. I've been playing in Second Life, and having lots of fun. You can build things in SL, and can own land and have a home, but you have to pay for the land. Just playing is free. Has anyone else here got into the virtual reality worlds yet? Still play Myst Online - Uru, too. Working on my art as always, and other goals. Also finishing "The Secret" on DVD.

I've started a new eating plan, and hoping it will work. My illnesses and ulcer make restricting eating harder. I'm trying to stay under 1500 calories a day, and under 75 carbs with at least 25 fiber. Of course, healthy foods. My body likes it better when I have a few carbs each time I eat. When I have too few carbs, my heart gets irregular, even if I get enough potassium. My garden is doing well, too. I have lots of spinach and lettuce, as well as zinneas and a couple of new climbing rose bushes. I think I mentioned those last time I posted, lol.

It's hurricane season again. Hopefully it will be a safe one for everyone.

Take care, stay safe, eat healthy, and never give up. :)
- Amy

I just re-read things, and Patti, I see you hurt your back, too. I've never got burned by a hot pad, but I don't like pain anymore. :( I used to be pretty good about it. [[[HUGS]]] for everyone who wants one.

Good Morning Everyone!

This is the first day that I have had to sit at my computer. Nobody is home and it is a little on the cold side and overcast, so I am not feeling too guilty about being indoors, although it is a great day for gardening!

I have been so busy these last few weeks. DS & DIL were here last weekend for an extra long weekend. It was great and once again, I hated to say goodbye. We will be taking a trip to VA sometime this summer. :-) Yesterday was younger DS Confirmation. We had a little party here afterwards and my Mom stayed over so it was a little busy. I am so happy that CCD is over for him. For those of you that are Catholic, I know that you can relate to this.

Patti, I hope that you are on the mend. I think that now that you have the "Official American Idol" clapper, you definitely are the "Official American Idol Queen"!

Speaking of Queens, my mom and I watched the movie Queen last night. Did anyone else see it? We both slept through part of it. I think it was well done, but she is such a bore she put me right to sleep! I am going to try and rewatch some of it tonight.

Amy, good to see you post. I rented "The Secret" from the library and never got to watch it so I put my name back on the reserve list. What do you think of it?

Marci, I hope that you are feeling better. When does school get out? We don't get out until the 21st. It seems like forever!

Suzanne, loved the picture. My great niece (my sisters granddaughter) horse just qualified for a show in KY. I think she is going. She is only 10! I have been thinking of you lately because we have these 2 beautiful swans that come back in live in our pond every year. Every year that have a litter, batch, clutch, whatever you call it, of babies. Every year a few get killed, mamed or whatever awful fate takes them, but this year has been the saddest. They started out with 7 babies and now are down to 1. I am so sad for them. I don't know what got them. DH thinks either a snapping turtle, coyote or fox. It breaks my heart. How are you healing? What a terrible ordeal for you. I'm very happy that it was not more serious.

Hi Lynn! I have the Pfaltzgraff Folk Art pattern that I am going to start selling on eBay. I still love them, but don't use them since I started collecting Fiestaware. I am sure you are enjoying the rain in FL.

Raeanne, thinking of you today being at work. I hope that the weather is bad, LOL.

Speaking of bad weather, there were some terrible storms that went through here last night. We were not affected, but my sister had a tornado (A TORNADO, not too common in Massachusetts) touch down 6 houses away from her. I don't think any real serious damage other that trees and decks, but serious enough. Alot of people have horses in her neighborhood, so I have not heard anything about that yet. She is so fortunate that it didn't hit her property as she has several of her own horses, and boards many others.

Dee, we are going to plant some veggies this afternoon. DH is out fishing right now, and probably freezing! I think I will make an announcement to all the critters around that we have a grill right on the back deck, and know how to use it!!! I laughed when I read what you posted, but I am not above trying it!

John, congratulations on the job. Please tell us more!

Donna, I'm thinking of you and hope that you are feeling ok.

Enjoy the rest of the day!

Love, Besh

PS - I bumped into my old WW leader the other day at the grocery store. Her first comment to me was "Where have you been?". I am going to her meeting on Tuesday. Never fails, whenever I stop going to WW, I bump into my leader and she lures me right back. It is nice that she offers that service. LOL

Besh & amylynne - Good to hear from you both!

Besh - I was done with school as of the 25th of May. I didn't get off to a very good start though, with my back and the bronchitis, but I am on the mend now and anxious to start enjoying the summer. But the air quality is so bad here right now, that my allergies are forcing me to stay indoors. So I am reading, doing light cleaning and finishing a quilt that I started yeras ago. I just can't sit for too long or my back siezes up, so I am going from project to project like a lost soul! LOL Glad you got to visit with DS & DIL. I am already in tears about my DD moving to LA. She will be home around the 14th of this month and is leaving for LA around the 22nd. Then I will truly have an empty nest.
I thought the same thing about the Queen. It was hyped as such a good movie, and although Helen Mirren did an excellent job, I just wasn't impressed with the movie over all. I told someone just what you said, that I thought it was boring and slow.
Are you reading anything good?

Amylynne - So good to hear that you are still persuing your art work. Have you updated your website (if you still have a website) so we can see any of your latest work?

John - Hope the new job is just what you were looking for! You deserve something positive to happen. Come back and post. We miss your sense of humor.

Lynn - What good movies did you watch. I just saw Catch and Release (so-so in my opinion), Venus (just OK), Little Children (disturbing), Freedom Writers (very good!) and Dreamgirls (good, but not great). Move over Roger Ebert and Leonard Maltin, here I come! LOL By the way, this was over the last month, not the last week! LOL

DeeMarie - What book did you decide to take to DH's appt. And how is DH?

NHSuzanne - Any pictures of the newest chicks? And was that Sweet Pea in the grass picture? I was going to put it in the album too and wanted to label it right.

Raeanne - Hope you aren't working too hard on your "day off"!

Hey to everyone I missed. Gotta get out of this chair!
Marci

Besh/Marci - I just ordered a bunch of books: "A Thousand Splendid Suns", "I Love You Beth Cooper", "On Chesil Beach", & "The Red Tent". I still haven't read "The Kite Runner", but it is the next one in my to be read pile.

Marci - It will be a big adjustment when DD moves, but just like everything else, it does get better. Glad you are feeling better. Take it easy.

Besh - we missed you, glad to have you back here. I love Fiestaware, is your's vintage or new.

Lynn - I love the Naturewood pattern too.

Amy - thanks for checking in. I have never played a virtual game before, sounds like they can become addicting. I will send positive thoughts for a hurricane free season for you. Miss you!

I have finished working, but am waiting for some realtors to come back. I actually got a lot of work done here with everyone out.

It's good to see so many people checking in over the weekend.

Hi, I was thrilled when I saw so many posts. Yesterday when I checked, no one had posted so I left.

Hi Amy! What a pleasure to see you posting. I cannot keep the weight off. It really gets to me. Dave keeps telling me that it is the medication. I want to believe him but...I haven't ever started the virtual reality games b/c I have a friend who played one. She was really addicted. There were some things that happened that have made a lot of people sad. She will always be my friend though.

Lynn~We live between Tampa & Vero Beach but that is almost directly under Orlando. We use the Orlando airport all of the time. Except that we have sworn off of flying so I don't know what will happen.

Besh~Maybe we can pass around the official clapper like the ornament that gets passed around! LOL I don't know if I can part with this or not though or even if Dave will let me. He is pretty attached to it. We are both a couple of kids at heart. The first Christmas we were together I bought him a keychain water pistol & I got one of the biggest ones I could find & then we proceeded to have a water gun fight! Ha! Ha!

Marci~We watched, "Music & Lyrics", which I liked. For some reason I cannot get the song out of my head & it was the first movie that we watched & it was last weekend! LMAO Then, "Children of Men", has anyone seen it? I don't know about that one. We have seen "The Queen" & I liked it but I was really so ? (I don't know the word to use), with Diana. We were about the same age & married about the same time. She had 2 sons, I had 2 DSs. I can remember where I was when I heard that she was dead. Dave came in & told me. He was always telling me jokes & I asked him if it was a joke & he told me no. I was mortified, I guess. Maybe I was just too invested in her. I've read a lot of the books.

Raeanne~"A Thousand Splendid Suns" came in on Friday & Dave asked me if I ordered it. I told him that I had. I ordered the newest one that Oprah is pushing, "The Road". Has anyone read that one?

I heard from Milkdud. Her DH got a new job in Houston & they are soon to be moving. She is with her DGD & DS down there right now. She is very happy. I asked her to come back & post with us.

Be good to yourselves b/c you deserve it. Patti :)