Suzanne - I thought of you and John first thing this morning when I saw the news. But, I didn't expect to hear your report on DH. Believe me, I will send him positive thoughts, light and prayers. I would feel angry with the Dr. too, but right now use that energy for positive reinforcement. Hang in there and (((((HUGS))))).

I couldn't imagine 11 or 12 inches of rain. A lot of our roads and bridges washed away with 6 inches of rain (in 2 hours) in June. What is happening to our world? tsunamis, wildfires, landslides, earthquakes, hurricanes and torrential rains. I believe someone is giving us a wake-up call and nobody is listening.

Suzanne, I thought of you also. I knew that you were in the Keene area. I am glad that you are ok, but I am so sorry for your friends. It is really amazing, all of the natural disasters that have been occuring lately. I will send positive thoughts to your DH. How frightening and maddening at the same time.

My future DIL's sister had surgery last week. She is 18 and has recently lost weight by dieting and walking. Because of the weight loss she could see a lump on her side. It was removed on Thursday. It turned out to be the size of a cantaloupe and the biopsy results will not be in until the end of the week because of the holiday weekend and all. Please send some positive energy this way as well.

Not much else new. Love and hugs to all.

Besh

Sounds like we need a group..............

I have the day off for Columbus day and I slept in. Didn't get my morning dose of the news until now.

NHSuzanne - I can relate to the flooding woes. Western PA is flood prone and suffers continually from floods after heavy rains. I personally live on high, dry land, but always feel for those on the news whose homes have flooded.
Will keep DH in my prayers and hope for a good outcome from surgery. How is he handling all this?

Besh - Will also keep future DIL's sister in my prayers. I am sure that waiting for the results is hard, but thank goodness she found the lump. Sounds like fate intervened on her behalf when she decided to diet and lose weight.

DeeMarie - S.Plum book is on its way.

Did I mention that DH bought a '62 Chevy Nova? Just for fun! I wasn't too happy, but I also didn't put up too much of a fuss. I tend to buy big ticket items that benefit the whole family and this car benefits only DH. But he is happy and is planning on working on it over the winter and getting it painted in the spring.

We survived our trip to the pumpkin farm, a little wet and muddy, but the kids had fun any way. After all, most kids love to be told that it is OK to stay out in the rain and play in the mud! LOL

This week is Fire Prevention week. Check the batteries in your smoke detectors and the expiration dates on those fire extinguishers. We are going to the Fire Hall on Thursday and the fire trucks are coming to school on Wednesday. Tuesday we have a police officer coming to school to talk about stranger danger and Halloween safety. Should make the week go fast.

Marci

I'm joining in that group [[[[[[HUG]]]]]]]]]].

Sending prayers out to Suzanne and DH. It was good that he insisted it be taken care of properly. Seems like he will be in good hands up in Boston.

The water is everywhere here. I had to turn back twice this morning on the way to work. The water came up over some of the roads I take to the office before the police had a chance to put up barriers. I guess. Pretty scary stuff; we are expecting rain for the next 5 days.

Whatever we are being punished for, I'm NOT GUILTY (for once, I've been behaving myself!) ...OK, so I'm trying to unsuccessfully create some levity here.... My best wishes to all those going through hardships this week.

Besh, I saw Gene Pitney again up at The Turning Stone (took us 4 hours in the rain on Saturday to get there)! He was wonderful; I had a seat right at the stage and was leaning on it during the concert! DH and I got to meet him backstage after the show. I was shaking, but talked his ear off; he was a sweetie pie!

Need to get to a meeting.

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

Suzanne - I also meant to comment on the fact that DH is in good hands!

We were spared the rain that Suzanne got, we probably only had 5" over a 48 hour period, but today is still gloomy and the forecast is calling for rain the entire week. My weekend was nice, had a great time with DDs and my old friends - I hated to see them all leave.

I made a delicious dish on the grill. I took a disposable pan and put in olive oil, sauteed garlic, lemon juice, white wine, can of crushed tomatoes with puree, & fresh basil poured it over mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops, covered with foil and cooked on the grill until the shellfish opened up. Served over pasta - it was GREAT.
The broth was on the thin side - but was so great to dip some crusty bread in.

As you can tell SS is out the window once again for me. I have been exercising every morning and I haven't noticed my ribs being sore, so I am getting back into that full force. I am going to use some good old fashioned common sense when it comes to eating.

BJ - we served the Kona coffee to our guests and they raved about it - it made the house smell fantastic too!

Marci - thanks for the group HUG!

Besh - sending prayers your way too.

Dee - sounds like you had a great time at Turning Stone - I have seen some good acts scheduled there, but never considered going. I may look into that in the future. It is probably about 2 1/2 hours for me. If you go again, let me know.

Hi folks,

I live in the city of Manchester so was spared all the flooding and destruction. I dont know anyone up in the Keene area but have seen the news and this state is just not prepared or setup to deal with flooding so it has been a shocker for many. Its still raining tonight and I hope it stops or slows down soon. It was a very dry summer and we sure could of used some of the raid months ago, it would of helped the crops and made the rivers more kayak friendly.

NhSuz - big hugs for you, DH and your friends Mom. Cancer is very scary but do your best to take it in stride, it is the one illness that the medical fields have come a long way and are able to treat in most cases. My prayers and best wishes are with you.

BJ - I was reading your plans for the future and all I can say is I completely envy your attitude and knack for a good plan, maybe I should email you my resume and see what kind of ideas you come up with :)

Everyone else seems to be having a nice fall, the leaves here are all changing and it is beautiful though wet. Im spending the weekend helping my GF house sit and watch 4 dogs. They have a hot tub and ATV's to ride so we should have a nice time.

I am feeling guilty that all this rain is my fault. Ive been putting off washing and waxing my car and finally did so last thursday, it hasnt stopped raining since :/

The bad news is that when I vacumed out the car I took my bowling gear out of the front seat and forgot about it. I washed my car and came back to get it and someone had walked off with it. The manager that worked there was less than helpful and very short with telling me nobody turned any bags in. Im not sure if he was an arse or if one of the guys there kept the bag. Regardless somone has my old ball, bag and shoes and I hope they drop the ball on their big toe and get some odd fungus or rash from wearing the shoes :P

The good news is that I was able to buy all new gear without the guilt of buying new gear for the sake of replacing the old stuff. The technology has improved and so all of the gear I purchased should help me improve. It has been fun buying new stuff and the pro at the place I bowl, who happens to be a lady, has been very helpful. I ended up getting 2 new balls a bag and new shoes and a bunch of gadgets to go with them. My Gf thinks im nuts for spending $600 or so on bowling stuff but then I think shes crazy to pay $8 for hair spray :P

Other than that not much is new, havent lost much weight but havent gained any either. I made low carb veal and pork meatballs for a party using almond flour, and nobody knew they were lo carb, just yummy :)

I hope everyone has a dry and happy week, take care

John

John, I love your comment about the foot fungus. I always wish weird diseases on people who steal my stuff or cut me off in traffic. Some guys at the Jets' Game Sunday through a bag of yucky garbage on our hood because Ed drove through their stupid game of catch (hey, 78,000 people trying to leave that stadium parking lot----move your *sses!!!) Anyway, instead of flipping the bird, I gave him the Italian evil eye gesture and yelled out the window that I was cursing him and his throwing arm!!! Childish, immature you say? My steddaughters laughed their butts off, and I felt wonderful!

Checkin' in!

((((((((((((((HUGS to everyone!))))))))))))))

Hope the rain subsides on the east coast and all the medical issues end with good outcomes.

NHSuzanne~ Let us know the progess of DH's diagnosis. He's really lucky that you are there---all teh time---for him.

Besh: Been thinking of your future DIL and your family. Here's to good results and a positive phone call from the doc.

Marci: Thanks for the reminder to check the smoke detector batteries! We also do a fire drill with the kids a couple times a year. DH and I put the kids in their bedrooms and then set off the smoke detectors and pretend that WE'RE smoke. They check their doors for heat and if we don't say "HOT!", they crawl out and choose one a stairway to go down. If either DH or I are hidden on the stairway, they have to go back and find another way to exit. Sometimes we block the halls so they have to go back to their bedrooms, shut the door, put a blanket under the crack at the bottom of the door, and open their window and throw their escape ladder down. They are supposed to throw toys out the window and scream until someone comes to help. My little ones love throwing their toys out the window to get someone's attention. We play this scenario several ways until they are fully refreshed on fire escape routes. Better safe then sorry. My in-laws think we're the only family that practices this plan! lol!

Raeanne! Glad you had a great weekend and enjoyed the coffee!

DeeMarie~ The Italian Evil Eye gesture....hmmmmmmm. Be careful out there! Having you tried smiling and waving -- now THAT really pi$$es people off! Next time, though, maybe you guys should have a loaded Super Soaker gun in the car to wash the trash off after the exit---and to give those poor sports a COLD shower!!!!!

John~ I am waiting for your resume......!!!!!! Gad, I was thinking of the person that stole your bowling ball bag. How desperate! They must have really needed to brush up on their game!! But, hey!, new stuff for you can't be bad! An update is a treat and you deserve it! But if you see a new gazing ball in your neighborhood, I would pay the owner a visit!

Heh, heh, heh......

We have Homecoming and Halloween coming up. This means teen discussions on curfews (OUCH!!!!!!) and $$$ for dresses. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh!

Here is a link that might be useful: Where'd she get this bowling ball again??????

Hi all!

NHSuzanne--oh my--I'm sending good thoughts and vibes to you all--(((((hugs)))))) Please keep us updated!

Besh--good thoughts to your in-law-to-be. What a h3ll of a thing to go through at 18 (well, any age for that matter!)(((hugs!!))))

John--the weekend sounds lovely! I think I'd spend the weekend going back and forth between the ATV and the hottub. :):) Lucky you!

Things are the same here--we're doing a festival on Saturday, so we're getting ready for it.

Hope all is well!

Hugs,

Maddie

PS--has anyone heard from KYSusie?

Yeah, Maddie...KYSusie and Tikanas, Magickitty, Jen, Patti, Joanne....the usual suspects. Check in to let us know you are OK.

Suzanne, still sending prayers up there for you and DH.

Gotta go to sleep....I just spent some time with my estranged sister and brother....NOT what the doctor ordered, but I needed to get some things said in person. Which reminds me....the holidays are just around the corner. fun, fun, fun times LOL!

All the best for my cyber friends :0)

I can't believe that I saw my first Christmas commercial yesterday YIKES...

NH Suzanne - has DH gone to the dermatologist yet? I keep thinking of you.

Dee - I know you had to do what you had to do, but I hope you didn't get too stressed from it.

John - I think BJ found this missing bowling ball LOL. Enjoy your housesitting gig.

BJ - You can't have too many drills in case of an emergency. That is wonderful that you do that. You may be one of a very few that do this. I used to discuss it with my kids and tell them where we should meet, but we never had a drill.

Speaking of MIA's, I heard from Zig today. She is up to her usual of being a great mom, wife and saving the world.

Goodnight all...

Thanks for the link BJ, I am such a trouble maker, muhaa..

Good Morning All,

Thanks for all the good thoughts and well wishes.

Not only is the weather going crazy world wide but lots of people are facing health issues that are scary.

Besh, I hope that your DIL's sister gets good news. Let us know. That is so weird but thank God she lost the weight to find this thing.

It has been drizzling non stop here and we are expecting more rain here tonight and tomorrow. The danger of more flooding is the concern.

John, I wish you hadn't washed your car!!! Have you seen some of the pictures on the news? Isn't it amazing the damage done?

Raeanne, you grilled seafood dish sounds wonderful. Sort of a Cioppino. Yum. Is your company still around?

DH has his dermatologist appointment today. He is scheduled for surgery on the 31st. He found out yesterday that his company is closing his division so he will be out of a job soon. This is not what he needed right now. He has an amazingly good attitude though.

DeeMarie, I bet you can give a great evil eye!! I am with BJ, smile and wave! There is so much violence and road rage out there that I want no part of it. People are way to stressed and impatient that if they want to have the space I am in they can have it!

Speaking of MIA's. I heard from Gretchen. Seems that she is having her share of troubles with family health issues too. Here is her email.

Thank you for thinking of me. I know I have been pretty absent from the forum and I was saddened to read about your husband. My sister had a fatty tumor removed from her thigh the week after my dad passed away. They found cancer in the tumor. She had an MRI and they found another one in her thigh that had encapsulated into one of her hamstring muscles. She is scheduled for surgery on Friday. My mom is
going down to AZ to help her the first week after the surgery and I am going down on the 25th to help her the next week. We just found out that my daughter has IBS. So things have been crazy.

I know I need to come back and post again.

Thank you for contacting me-I will get back in there soon.

Gretchen

Gretchen, I am saying my prayers for your sister. Please let us know how things are going when you can.

I don't know what IBS is. Anyone here know?

IBS=Irritable Bowel Syndrome - I don't know much except that it is unpleasant and uncomfortable, but there are medications that can help.

I did get an email from KYSusie awhile back and she was busy with job, kids and their afterschool activities.

BJ - Your plan is a great one. So many kids don't seem to know anything about fire safety. And some that think they know everything, know the wrong things!
We do a drill where we ask the kids to pretend they are sleeping and we sound the smoke detector. They are supposed to crawl over to the door, touch it, and then go out into the hall. We use a sheet for the "smoke", and some kids cry through the whole drill. More parents need to be proactive like you.

NHSuzanne - Will keep DH in my thoughts. Wow, can't imagine facing losing a job and medical crises at the same time. This may be your time to stay strong, so come here for support when you need it.

No rain here, just clouds and overcast skies. Sun keeps trying to peek through from time to time.

We are going to the fire hall today for the 3-year old's fire safety program, so I had better get some breakfast and get ready to head out.
Later,
Marci

[[[[[[[[[[[Gretchen & Family]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Suzanne, I'm anxiously awaiting word on your DH. Hope there are ways he can keep his coverage intact through this ordeal.

Marci, we are scheduled for a fire drill at the office at 9:30am today. Right now, it is pouring (as it has for the last 1000 days, it seems), so it should be fun.

DH and I found about an inch of water in our basement last night. The sump pump is going non-stop, and I hate the sound of it now. This morning I peeked down there, and it had dried up a bit, but by tonight it will be a mess because of anticipated rainfall. Stay dry and safe everyone!

Gotta get a cup of coffee (half regular / half decaf).

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

So I'm an usual suspect, eh? lol I didn't think that it had been so long since I had posted. Honestly.

NH Suzanne~I've been thinking about you everytime that they show NH on tv. I'll be praying for your husband.

Maddie~I cannot believe that I missed your birthday this year & your anniversary. (It is DS2's birthday.) But we found his card today so I think that we both forgot to send it. Ugh.

Besh~Will think positive thoughts for you future DIL too! What an awful thing to have to go through at such a young age.

I am trying to get my new E-mail addy out. There was so much talk about so many things!

Raeanne~You were right up there in Dave's old stomping grounds--Lake George, Adirondacks, etc.

I'll try to get on more often but I had 72 pages of address book pages. Did anyone read "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey yet? It was wonderful!

Bye for now~Patti :)

Good Morning from dismal NH! Still raining although it's not a deluge...........it's wet. No sign of the sun until maybe Sunday.

Patti, good to hear from you. Don't stay gone so long. My sister just gave me A Million Little Pieces to read. She said it was really good and a subject dear to heart with DH 16 years into his recovery.

DeeMarie, DH will continue to have medical coverage. It is based on his hours and he has enough hours to go more than two years. Thank God.

DH saw the dermatologist yesterday. She took off two more moles for testing so that if they are melanomas as well they can take care of them too. Surgery is scheduled for the 31st.

Patti - glad to hear from you, don't be a stranger and give Dave a hug.

NH Suzanne - I also thought of you when I read a review on a book called Julie and Julia. It is about a woman that attempts to cook all of the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook in a year. I have to look that a bit more, if I buy it, I will share it with you. I am thankful that DH has coverage for a while.

Dee - I hope the rain has stopped by you. I saw that it was raining in NYC - so I suspect you may still be getting hit. We are going to NYC this weekend, leaving Saturday night and coming back Sunday evening. Our kennel is closed this week, so I am having friends take turns walking the dog - so I feel rushed to get back home or else I would try to meet up with you on the return trip.

The sun is actually shining right now!!!

Have a great day!

Raeanne, that book is too funny! I haven't heard of it but had I known I could make some money writing about making all of Julia's recipes I would have done it first!! LOL I have made all of her recipes many times over now! Let me know if you get it.

I wish you could send some of that sunshine this way. I need to stick my face in it.

Suzanne - here is a link with info and reviews. You should've done it! I ordered it. I should've had it sent to you, because I probably won't get to read it for a while. I have a stack of books to tackle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Julie and Julia

Raeanne, thanks for the link. I will check it out.

By the way, if anyone here knows how I can become a millionaire overnight would you please email me privately!! LOL. I am starting to panic over both DH and me out of work. Not good. I have been looking but prospects are scarce. I think the job market is a bit funky here in NH.

Good Saturday Morning,

It's still pouring here in NH and things are flooding again.

Dee, I hope you are in the area of NJ that I saw on the news this morning.

Even with webbed feet I am tired of treading water!

Suzanne - Don't give up and keep treading - it is another gloomy wet day here too. The sun started to come out yesterday and then it went downhill from there. I just looked at my receipt for the "book" I ordered to find out it is audio CDs. Too bad for me, because I purchased it through half.com. So it looks like I will be enjoying Julie & Julia in the car.

I am leaving for NYC at 4PM and have to run home during lunch to pack the car.

Have a great weekend and stay dry!

BJ~Can you take anymore advice about what you want to do vs what DH wants you to do? Remember about 4 1/2 years ago when we loaded up everything & came here not knowing what to expect. There's been some good mixed in with the bad. Dave & I have always made it our little saying "that we can get through anything as long as we get through it together." Just my 2 cents for whatever it is worth.

NH Suzanne~I feel so bad for you with all the rain. It is absolutely beautiful here. I hope that you love the book as much as I did. It was very eye opening for me.

Raeanne~I'll give him that hug--be careful on the roads.

I hope that everyone is enjoying their weekend! Patti :)

Good Sunday morning from SUNNY NH!! The rain has finally stopped for the time being. The water from the brook that borders our property is uncomfortably high. The danger of major flooding is still here as some major dams have yet to reach the highest point yet. We now have majorly high winds, about 50mph gusts so we can expect lots of power outages and downed trees.

I did however witness a magnificent double rainbow yesterday afternoon as the sky was clearing! It was spectacular and I hope to get a nice picture of it. There was also a beautiful near full moon that I haven't thought about in over a week! Proof that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Patti, that's sage advice. DH and I always come to the conclusion that we are stronger together than apart and that we can get through anything together.

We had friends come up from Westport, CT yesterday and it took them from 10am to 4pm because of all the detours. I91 was closed down in both directions! They probably wished they stayed home but we all had a lovely dinner together!

Gretchen, I am thinking of you and your sister and hope all went well with her sugery. Check in when you can.

Hope you enjoy your day.

NHSuzanne - I saw that weather report about the sunny northeast! Glad the deluge has finally stopped.

If anyone follows college football yesterday and watched the PSU-Michigan game, you know it was a nail biter and ended in the LAST SECOND with Michigan scoring a touchdown and defeating undefeated Penn State. What a bummer - at least for us PSU fans. :~(

DD thought she was getting a ride home this weekend, but her ride didn't come through. That means I will have to wait until Thanksgiving to see both my kids. Another bummer. :~(

But on the brighter side........... let me think a minute.........hmmmmmm..............still thinking........oh well, I guess I will have to settle for the fact that the sun is shining, everyone is healthy and the bill collectors aren't knocking on my door! LOL

Not much else new here. Going to finish laundry and watch football with DH. He is on vacation and gets to watch the whole game.

Later,
Marci