Hi Guys,

HAPPY BELATED B-DAY BESH! I hope you had a great one! It was so, so great to meet you while I was back east a few years ago! I want to do the coastal drive AGAIN and see you all!

Sorry I haven't been around too much. DH is taking the Bar Exam for the next 3 days and the week leading up to it has been a lit---tle tense, if you know what I mean. As well, I'm still taking courses for 3 more weeks, then I get MY summer break!

On top of it all, a local Kirkland family was murdered here and then their house was set on fire to cover up teh crime. A mom, her sister, and her 2 little boys, ages 5 & 3. The father was serving in Iraq and was called back for the funerals. Unfortunately, my oldest DD knew the little 3 y.o. (Andrew) and was very close to him. He was her charge in the preschool she worked in during last year. It's all such a mystery as to why some guy would do this. The suspect says he blacked out and doesn't remember the crime.

Anyway, things are busy as usual. I got a couple of bids on refinishing my deck and it was too rich for me, so I'm doing it myself. Did half last night---will finish today. Then tomorrow (Wed), I'll go with my 18 y.o. and get a food handler's permit. She wants me to go with her, so I'm just going to sit through the presentation and so the test too, as long as I'm there---might as well.

Friday, my calendar is blank. That is so weird! I can't remember the last time I had a blank page! I'm not planning on doing ANYTHING! Maybe I'll just stare at the wall for the whole day.

All for now. I gotta read and catch up!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kirkland Fire Victims

Good TUESDAY afternoon!

Love the emphasis on 'Daily" BJ.

QOD: Tell us something GOOD that happened to you this week.

I'll start -- visited my doctor yesterday. Since my last appointment in early June, my blood pressure has come down considerably and consistently....we are talking 119/74 range. Unheard of for me, as in the doc's office I used to read at 140/90 with loads of meds in me.

The change occured with a suggestion from me for a slight medicine adjustment! I asked if we could discuss another adjustment because sometimes those readings get quite low and I think I can handle taking a smaller dose of yet another med (like from 240mg/day to 120mg/day). I'm on quite a lot so think this could work again. Oh yes, I'm 3.5 pounds lighter than the last visit.

OK, someone else's turn.......tell us something good that happened to you!

Take care, eat healthfully, and NEVER NEVER GIVE UP!
DeeMarie

BJ - how awful and what a harsh reality for your daughter to have to experience. Enjoy your Friday - you deserve it. I will send DH some good vibes.

Dee - WTG, you have been a great roll lately - keep up the good work.

QOD - I have continued to lose weight by making healthy choices - so I am down 6lbs since 7/5. I bought myself a pair of new lime green sneakers today (doesn't everyone need a pair?) LOL.

We had a wonderful day out on the lake yesterday afternoon and then went to a lobster festival on the waterfront. It was fantastic, delicious, relaxing, fun ....

Enjoy

Hey Maddie - did you start that new job? Is that why we haven't heard from you? I warned you that I didn't want your new job to interfere with posting here.

Hi! Have you missed me? We have had terrible server problems for the last couple of weeks, and I got so frustrated that I just about stopped trying to get online - until tonight!

QOD: I may have suggested the very name that my son and DIL will name their next daughter due in October! I had this dream last night about telling my DIL the name, and she smiled so sweetly in the dream. Tonight when I mentioned it in passing to my son on the phone, he repeated it out loud, then he told me that his wife smiled hugely and said that she really liked that name! :)

Dee, glad to hear that your BP is better. I love it when a doctor works with you.

BJ, it sounds like you deserve a day of nothingness!

Raeanne, congrats on continuing to lose! I've been slipping badly. I've got to get back on track again.

Well, before I lose my connection again, I'll end this now. Take care!

Good morning all,

Besh happy, happy belated birthday. I hope it was wonderful and wish you the very best this year! Sorry I missed all the festivities.

BJ, so sorry about the tragedy in your town. There are so many senseless things like this everywhere. Where you least expect it too. I hope you have yourself a relaxing Friday and use the time on YOU, not the deck, YOU!!

Raeanne, congrats on your perserverance! I am glad you are getting results and rewarding yourself! You must be styling in those sneakers!! Do they go well with the clam diggers? and, did you wear the clam diggers to the lobster fest?

Maddie, Raeanne is right you better not let this new job interfere with coming here! Check in.

Dee, great news on your BP. You must feel great about that.

Milk Dud, great to hear from you. So, what's the name you suggested?? I love dreams like that.

My weekend camping was fabulous. I had such a good time. We rode through a state forest trail system that had the most marvelous footing of soft pine and grass and it was gentle terrain with no great steep slopes and rocks to climb. Riding was effortless and we could have ridden forever without doing the same trails twice. We managed to get 3 1/2 - 4 hours riding in each day before the afternoon thunder storms. My girlfriend from Vermont was able to join us to ride Casey. She just returned from Tuscany where she got married and shared her great wedding week stories. It's been a while since I have seen her so it was great to connect.

So there we were, four girlfriends and four gorgeous Morgan mares who all get along famously. We had these great road races each day as the roadway leading back to our camp was a flat, wide 1/4 mile +/- raceway which we donned The Morgan Speedway. We played a game that we would all trot and anyone who broke the gait lost! It was great fun seeing these Morgans get their motors running and these great big road trots that they are so famous for. I wish you all could see what I mean when I say they are motoring. Their front ends are big and rolling while they are running the big motors from behind. Oh, it was so much fun! We rarely get places like that to just stretch out and trot on with good footing! A great time was had by all in spite of the heat and rain!

My little donkey Tillie has been injured, (again), somehow and has a bad infection in her front leg. I mean a nasty infection. I have been soaking her leg and she has not been a good patient because she is in pain. Sigh........I hope I can get this thing under control. I have no idea how she got hurt, I can only imagine. If she isn't showing improvement soon I will have to call the vet.

QOD: The week is young and lots of great things have happened this week but I have to say that the best thing that has happened so far is that I am still seeing the doe and her two babies each morning and evening. It feels like they live here! I will be sad when...

BJ, we posted at the same time yesterday. So sorry to hear about that sadness in your town. My prayers go out to the victims and their friends and family. Also holding extra good thoughts for DH (and you!) during this tense time. :0)

Suzanne, did I tell you that DH and I finally decided to take a long weekend to visit a dear long-time friend in Tennessee? She owns horses! Can you just picture me? haha She was my sorority sister, but DH grew up together with her in the same neighborhood. Should be lots of fun; she went to college down there and never returned...has been bugging me for over 30 years to go visit. The pictures should be priceless!

Gotta run...finishing my mid-year performance review. blah, blah, blah.....lol!

Hey,

Thanks BJ and Suzanne. I seem to have the birthday does not end! Not that there is anything wrong with that (to quote Jerry Seinfeld)! DH went to Cape Cod this past weekend. We did some celebrating in Provincetown. We had a blast. Some shopping, eating drinking, what else are you supposed to do on your birthday? The towns were actually quiet. Everyone that we spoke with said it was such an off year, due to gas prices. There were some places charging $3.15 a gallon for regular. Yikes. Around here the highest I have paid is $3.02. Such a downer.

DH has to get a CT scan. He went to the Dr. yesterday because he has been having some jaw pain. She thinks he is clenching and prescribed Advil. She also noticed on the opposite side that his neck is swollen and now wants to get his thyroid checked out. He has had no other symptoms or discomfort with that. Does anyone have any similar experiences with something like this? I did my little online research, which is sooooooo bad because ofcourse I think he has everything listed. He is scheduled to go next week, so we should have some answers soon.

Suzanne, sounds like you had a great weekend. Sorry about your goat. I'm sure he is in good hands!

BJ, a day with nothing to do? How awesome. Instead of staining your deck, try just sitting on it, maybe with a bottle of sunscreen and a good book!!! Enjoy. What a tragic story. So senseless.

Mildud, I'm glad that you checked in. I hope your computer problems get fixed soon. Ain't technology grand??

Raeanne, I have had lobsters and steamers twice in last 4 days!! Sounds like you had a great weekend. We are headed for the boat today to do some fishing.

Be good!

Love, Besh

Like Suzanne I have another Good Thing to report- my gray fox that was stalking the bird feeder gifted me with a sighting of her 2 kits. They are adorable and so quick. I hope to see them again soon.

Milkdud - I was just going to go back into last weeks post to see when you posted last - thanks for letting us know you are okay. Now get back on track and come back with a good report. Are you still using the pool?

Suzanne - how beautiful your weekend sounded. You paint a beautiful picture for us. I will send some positive thoughts out to Tillie. Yes, I did wear clamdiggers -that is pretty much my entire summer wardrobe aside from my bermuda shorts LOL.

Dee - good luck on your report.

Enjoy your day!

Since I posted late, for me, last night, I totally forgot to wish Besh a belated happy birthday! So, happy birthday, Besh, and I'm glad that it's going on and on!

I'm still working out in the pool daily. It's finally cooled off some here, so the water is delightful once again. When we were having 107 temps, the water was like tepid bath water and not refreshing.

I dreamed of the name Alisa, and that's the one name my kids hadn't thought of for some reason. But they loved it last night. So who knows? :)

Just had to pop in for a minute since I could actually get online at this time of day for a change! Take care.

Oh Dee, I would LOVE to have a photo of you with a horse. Please, please, please! I wonder if she has Tennessee Walkers............you must find out! When are you going? I want to find out how much time I have to bug you!! LOL

Raeanne, what a gift indeed. I have only seen a gray fox a few times and one with kits would be a true joy. Do you remember my sharing the gray fox and my goats sitting staring at each other in the back yard? It was really something. I hope she visits soon. Thanks for the Tillie well wishes, it's a bad one and I hope it's alright.

I am tired can't wait to go home today and play donkey nurse!

Besh, I don't remember if I posted to your birthday, so if I didn't, Happy (belated) Birthday. :)

Ironically in relation to the QOD,I came here for moral support. Hope I still can. :)

Good things first - Hurricane Daniel that was headed for the islands downgraded to a tropical storm.
- I got two new home helpers
- My DSL modem, which was broken for a week, got replaced today
- my granddaughter flew to Austria for a month with a girl her age who stayed with her in Wisconsin for a month. She says that Austria is a beautiful country. I'm glad for her that she gets the experience.

Some of you remember, I imagine, that relationship I started with the depressed guy in December of 2003. So it will be three years this December. He started counseling several months ago, which is great, but his feelings have been getting out of hand. We started fighting in April, and I can't seem to get out of the fighting now. Many nights, I end up crying and shaking, and really feeling desperately upset, feeling like I failed him, or said stupid things again. I know intellectually that it is just the situation, and I need to back off now, but I'm feeling quite bad about myself. So I thought I might come here for encouragement. I told him four times last week that I need to take a break, and he didn't want to. He is defining things in negative ways, and really fighting to defend the negativity. I wrote him about that, and he read it and signed off without replying. It's hard for me to take. I understand the situation, and understand that I need to back off, but any comfort you might have for me will be well received, as this hurts a lot, after all the good and loving things that have gone between us over two and a half years. He won't even reciprocate now when I thank him for the time, though he still says I'm a sweet woman, lol. I just feel like I betray him over and over, and that has to be a mistake, right? If he is getting me that off balance, I need to step away for awhile, whether he takes that badly or not.

NHSuzanne - I'll be thinking good thoughts for your donkey.

I'm back again. He came back and sent me a message - somewhat angry and indirectly accusing, but I'm glad he didn't leave. Guess he needed to take time to cool off. I'm not that bad of a person, really, nor insensitive, though I know some people have thought so.

I dreamt about Robin Williams last night, but don't remember the dream.

Hi again,

I've calmed down now, and would probably take that off if I could, but I've been getting upset lately, and couldn't think of anywhere else to vent. Thanks for listening and all, and don't worry about it. It's just taking some adjustment.

Good Morning,

Amy I'm glad that you had a place to come and vent. I may be overstepping my bounds here and I know very little about the relationship that you have with your friend, only what you have talked about in the past, but I think you should take a break from him. If he is being that negative and it is making you that angry, you need to think about what it is doing to you mentally and physically. It sounds like he is using you for a punching bag and playing some mind games with you. I'm sorry, but it is not worth it. I know how kind and loving you are and you have much too much to offer to others that will reciprocate and appreciate you. That is it, no more lecture. Do come here when you need to be with people who love and respect you. (((HUGS)))

Love, Besh

Checking and coming up for a bit of air-

DS's wedding was beautiful. I will have pictures posted at a site hopefully in a week or two. BESH, prepare..I was exhausted after the wedding. I lost weight because I never had time to sit still.

BJ I am off to Seattle on Sunday and may be there until the following Sunday. Will you have time for at least coffee? I am not sure what the schedule of games will be but if we can exchange phone numbers to see if we can arrange a "meeting"!

My DD is having surgery on Aug. 18th to repair her belly button. I think I wrote about her belly button leaking but we were not sure why. Low and behold it is a urachal cyst and it needs to be sealed off. It is out patient surgery but the down time after is 2 weeks of no hard core sports. This DD of mine is a jock and will be in the midst of Volleyball season. I will be tying her down.

Can you believe that summer is almost over and that August is around the corner? I haven't had a minute to rest...We are also remodeling our kitchen. I don't know what I was thinking when I added this to my over flowing plate.

I know that I am a total slacker here at SS-I read all the time, just never had time to put my thoughts down. I will try to do it in Seattle since I will have time between games for my DD.

Happy WEDNESDAY!

Amy, I agree with Besh. You are allowing him to make you feel sad. Don't pick up all his rocks and put them into your pockets...they will weigh you down. You can have a look at them, but give them back!!! ;-) Stay well and keep checking in with us.

I had at least 2 projects that I thought I might get finished today; however, I've been sidetracked by project managers who should know better! grrrrr Looking forward to my Yogilates class tonight.

Make today count!
Where is Maddie?
DeeMarie

Gretchen - How nice to hear from you. Glad to hear you survived the wedding. Please do try to stop in more often, even if it is only to say hi!

Amy - Dee put it so nicely. You are letting yourself take on his pain and it is pulling you down. I think you need to step back and get a different perspective on things. He sounds demanding and needy right now, and if you are not ready for that, you need to be honest and firm with him.

Dee - It's Thursday sweetie! LOL Did you work right thru Wednesday and lose track of time? Me thinks you need a break. A "Twelve Sharp" break!

QOD - I had a colonoscopy yesterday, a follow up to my having had pre-cancerous polyps removed three years ago. The good news is that I am POLYP FREE this time. I don't have to go back for 5 years now.

Not much new going on here. DD is coming home this weekend to see my niece, who is flying in from Texas for a visit. Then I have my annual early childhood conference next week, so I guess I have to think about preschool starting again. August is going to fly by. :~(

Later,
Marci
(Stuck on 110 miles because my legs have been bothering me. DH thinks it is shin splints.)

Thanks, I knew you guys would help. The odd thing is, I know better. I feel like I got pulled in in a way I didn't expect. Besh, your comment about the anger was helpful. If I sounded angry to you, then I'm sure I did to him, too, and I wasn't really angry, just feeling desperate and scared and hurt and sad. I thought if I'm not as angry as I sound, he probably isn't either, and that helped to think of that. Email is hard, too, or private messaging, as there are only the words, and they almost always sound harsher than they are meant or felt by the other person.

Dee, your metaphor helps,too. I used to have an guided visualization audiotape where I was guided through giving up carrying around my own rocks. Now here I am picking up someone elses, and they are some rocks, believe me! To look at them and give them back is a good way to think of it. Actually, maybe I'll look at them and ask him if he wants to give them to the angels to carry away for us. In any case, I don't have to drag them around.

I hate losing people I love, we all do, and things got hard recently. He feels so trapped. But I was thinking it's not like he is harassing or threatening me, so I don't think I should have to get away from him if I can just get my own feelings back under control.

Marci, that's great about your colonoscopy results. I'm happy for you that you don't have to go through anything difficult there.

We had the remains of Tropical Storm Daniel pass by here today, but it was refreshing, nothing damaging.

Did I tell you I had mice? About three months ago, two or three came in and I didn't want to kill them. After procrastinating and watching one litter be born, I had my home helper buy me a live trap, but it turned out to be a rat trap, and they just climbed out through the holes. I ordered a Havahart live mouse trap from the net and just got it a couple of days ago. So far, I have relocated 16 mice to a field several blocks away, and there are still about 5 to go. Those things breed like crazy. They look like pet mice though - not just gray, but some white, one kind of a silver cream, some black and white spotted. They are very cute.:)

gretl, I hope things go well with your DD,

Hi, Wild Chicken if you get by, and Maddie and Patty and Raeanne John and others. And thanks for calming me down and talking some sense back into me. (((hugs))))

Oops, Patti - just a typo. Where are the edit buttons when you need them. :)

Wow! Everyone sounds so very busy. I will have to go back and read up...

Amy, Gretchen, it is nice to "see you".

I have been very busy trying to make some positive changes here. A slow and time consuming process.

I'll try to check back later.

Tikanas

Marci- CONGRATS on your check up! Hope your legs feel better!

I worked out yesterday morning, went to belly dancing last night---had DH drop me off at the studio so i would have to walk home--40 minutes to get home, but it was great walking by myself through the park. My legs felt like rubber bands last night. Feast or famine for exercise and me!

Tikanas: You were supposed to come to Portland to visit! What happened? Sloooooooooooow down! :)

Gretchen! YAY! I emailed my phone numbers to you. "ahev truck, will travel" to see you! So, give me a jingle! We'll have lots 'o' coffee!

Amy: Please register me for the 4th vote in the "take a Break" club. Every once in a while, I have to say, (like Jack in Will and Grace), that "I'm off men." (No offence, brother, John, since you aren't like any of the men I've been in relationships with...) Anyway, sometimes a person's disappointment about a non-relationship issue just reveals itself in anger toward the one they feel closest to. I imagine it's frustrating to be in a relationship where you can't be physically close at least once in a while. And it is easier to type angry words and press "send" than to have a face-to-face or voice-to-voice heart-to-heart. Amy, you are such a kind, insightful, generous, loving, and giving human being. Be kind to yourself and give yourself a break from this guy. Let him realize what he is missing by having you absent from his life. Give him a chance to miss you. ((((LOVE and HUGS)))

Well, it's my free Friday so I'm off to a large art show---jewelry, furniture, artwork, and food! Meeting a GF and her mother there. My young kids are with big sister. I'm free until 1, then I gotta study for a meteorology test and figure out how to solve society's problems through philosophy!

Make this day a great one!

Happy FRIDAY!

Marci, I seemed to have lost a day this week!

BJ, today was to be your day off, but from what you've shared, it appears that you are experiencing a day I would call 'busy'!!! lol

Gret, have fun with BJ. We expect to see pictures.

Suzanne, DH and I plan to go down to Tennessee in early September. I will be sure to send along any appropriate pictures that you can laugh hysterically at!

We are going to the annual hot air balloon festival tomorrow. Since we know owners, we are part of a 'crew' and have to be there by 6am. OUr friends take their RV and lots of us meet there and hang out all day (and eat of course!) I have shopping to do for my goodies...want to leave this office by 2pm

laters.........

Good afternoon all,

Gretchen it's nice to hear you are well! Glad the wedding was a success.

Dee, you better watch out you could fall victim to the charms of the horse! I would love that! Tee hee.

Donkey report: My sweet Tillie has a bacterial infection and also the Vet thinks she has Equine Cushings Disease which is a hormonal mess. It's a tumor on the pituitary gland and it causes and over production of cortisol. It's seen mostly in elderly equines. When she recovers from this mess we will see how she does. It's not really good and I don't know how it might be long term. She is much more comfortable right now than she has been so that's good news. Will cross those other bridges when and if I have to.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. We are having horrific thunder storms right now.

Hiall! Just catching up here...

DeeMarie, Nice to hear how healthy you are becoming. The less meds, the better! That hot air ballon fest sounds like a LOT of fun.

Milkdud, We have had some server problems here too. Alisa is a very pretty name!

NH Suzanne, your camping trip sounds wonderful! As always, you paint a terrific word picture.

Besh, sending prayers and good thoughts your way re your DH's health. Please let us know...

Amy, I think you have gotten some very good advice here and it seems as if you are working this out. Very level headed...

Gretchen, so glad the wedding went well. Too bad we couldn't have met up while you were in CA : ( Next time!

Marci, Congrats on the colonoscopy results! I hope you have a wonderful visit with your DD. How are your legs feeling? Shin splints are NO FUN!

Bj, How did your DH do on the Bar exam? That Kirkland fire was awful!!
I won't be getting to Portland till after the first of the year : ( We'll meet up then!

Raeanne, Your day at the lake sounds relaxing and the lobster festival ? Yummy!
Lime Green snaekers?? I guess every girl really must have a pair!

I am still struggling a bit here, but I am pushing on. I have had some health problems along with the broken toes and can't quite sem to kick the blues. I have had to make major changes as far as work. Although I am feeling pretty good about becoming an independent contractor, I still have a lot of wrap-up work with the old office that is just frustrating, not to mention it is NOT financially rewarding! Those people have real communication problems in that office and the right hand does not seem to know what the left is doing. This will all iron itself out...

The toes are better and if all else looks/feels good, my goal is to get back to the gym by Wed. or Thurs. I'm trying to finish off the old office's paperwork and get my house in order this weekend. Not thrilling, but I always feel better when the house is in order. I am allowing myself lots of little breaks in between these activities in hopes of recouping faster!

Well, that's all the news that's fit to print.

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Tikanas

Amy - ((((HUGS)))) you did get great advice, please keep us posted.

Tikanis - I know lime green sounds a bit strange, but they are that mesh material and have a little zipper - okay so maybe now they sound stranger LOL. Really they are cute - honest LOL. I am so sorry you are going through a rough time - it seems like it's been one thing after another lately. I hope that is behind you and things will pick up soon.

Suzanne - I will keep Tillie in my thoughts - poor baby.

BJ - glad to hear you are still with the belly dancing. I hope you enjoyed YOUR Friday.

Gret - glad to hear the wedding went so well. That is great, both DDs went to Chicago for a weekend and had a great time.

Milkdud - I also love the name Alisa - I worked with a girl with that name and thought the world of her.

Marci - congrats on the good report. I go this December for my 5th year check up. I had to go before 50 because of my family history. We will have to figure a way to make August longer for you.

Dee - Will our next outing include a horseback ride LOL?

A new weight update, I am now down 8 1/2 lbs and feeling good.

Yesterday was the townwide sidewalk art show that I organized. We were fortunate that the day started out beautifully and the town look great with artwork displayed throughout. From talking to the artists the day was huge success! We had a very quick but heavy rain which caused everyone to scramble with their work for shelter, but it was a minor incovenience.

Today is looking great here, so I am getting out on the lake.

Enjoy.

Happy Sunday!

I am off this week so this past one has been a crazy catch up one. I am not going away but taking an "at home" vacation. I am way behind on my reading here.

I just have to say lime green sneakers - Raeanne, I gotta love them!

Glad to see so many checking in.

Will catch up and post later - hugs to all who need them.

Donna

Hi Besh: I forgot to say that a few years ago I had some TERRIFIC jaw pain - ended up taking Vicodin and found out that I was clenching my jaw from stress and clenching it at night as well. Fitted for a night guard and then for braces to straighten my teeth and correct my bite!

As for the thyroid, I was in bad shape a few years ago--verge of death, my doc says---haha--I told him my body wouldn't DARE die on me! Anyway, after sevral adjustments of Synthroid and Cytomel, I have trouble dropping weight, but have lots of energy and no lumpy throat any more.

Best of luck to your DH on the tests....and keep us posted.
((((HUGS)))))

TIKANAS: That's it! I'm coming down there...tired of waiting for you. Besides, you need a freakin' lunch and some coffe and a LARGE vent session with me. Say yes. See you at the end of the month. NUF SED.