Hi Guys! Raeanne: Not to be too picky, but I think YOUR name is a different spelling of Juanita! LOL! Dee:We have one of those bands here in Seattle---an old band that's still around called Jr. Cadillac. Ya gotta love the staying power of these old rockers. Well, I am in the throes of foster parent training. A few years ago, I rode the roller coaster of the adoption process with DH before he halted the process at the last minute...ouch! Anyway, that being water under the bridge, we're going to try fostering instead! I have been taking all the training classes and learning a ton. Yesterday, I had the drug-affected babies class. I've taken 33 hours of classes so far and have about 20 more to go. Our family is getting our FBI and fingerprint check next week! Then CPR, HIV/AIDS/blood pathogens and first aid training. After all that, we'll submit the applicationa nd have 2 or more home studies done, then see what happens. It's my purpose in life right now to get this license! I have lost 1 1/2 pounds since I came back to my SS gal pals (and the elusive John). Thanks to you guys, I am eating Uncle Sam's and yogurt for brekky and curbing (sort of-lol!) my nighttime eating. Baby steps! Now, for the exercise part!!!! Well, I have to de-weed my front yard, then I'm off to the ferry line!

Gosh, Anj, have you heard that old saying "when it rains, it pours"? I think that applies in your current circumstances. Just one thing after the other, huh? At least the car can be fixed, thank goodness your DH wasn't injured. Just more unwanted expense though huh? Hope the family "drama" has calmed down too--the holidays often bring way too many emotions into play--and we sure have very little influence or control of other family members! I think we get that organizing/cleaning urge this time of year partly because it helps us feel more "in control" of our environment, don't you? Things just feel better when things are "in order". (Not that any of it ever lasts long.) Good luck with the classes and the new business. I've wondered several times about your real estate investments with this economy--hope everything stayed in the black and you will have a chance to regain what went down. My investment of my 401 money sure took a hit--but is now going back up again thank goodness. Never know whether to wait it out or pull it all out! LOL I hated it when your DH's job was "restructured" and was afraid he wouldn't like it as well. I'll keep my fingers crossed that he will be able to find just the right fit so he can make the change. I know it's a huge decision for him. Punk, glad you made it safely over those icy roads both ways. You work such long days, I can totally understand why you need to just relax after dinner. I'd be falling asleep in my chair for sure. And it is dark so early now, just feels like bedtime to me after dinner. ;o) I've talked to my little friend and her daughter two or three times since they left. She was making some good progress and regaining her strength, but then another infection flared up and is zapping her again. It has been a big adjustment for all of them, and the daughter is still trying to work part time. Biggest problem seems to be that she is having to get up with her Mom a couple times each night, so not getting good sound sleep. It was so nice for my friend to finally get to be with her family for Christmas--over 15 years since that's occurred! Well, I'd better get busy. I was redecorating the living room yesterday and discovered that I've hidden a few things from myself! Got to go see if I put them in a box in the garage or what????? Hate it when I do that! LOL Luvs

Hello, Luvs, sounds like you had a blast with your two friends today. It's great that you are still be celebrating your birthday. Hope you post pictures of your goodies. Let us know how the breakfast in the park goes with GD. That sounds like fun and I bet those triplets are adorable. Anj did you get some painting done? I'm looking forward to your big leprechaun so hope you get one cut out soon. If not you will just be early for next year. LOL Michaels has a few cute clover painting projects on their site that all of you may want to take a look at. The 3 hearts put together to make a clover is pretty and luvs may want to check out the napkin rings. Luvs do you decorate your table for St Patty's Day? Belle let us know how DH is doing. The chest pains sound pretty scary so hope you know more by now. Did you find a new outfit for the banquet and did you enjoy it? My sis just brought me a gold plate or platter. It says it has gold leafing on it so I'll have fun trying to figure out what to paint on it. I found out today that DS wants us to come up tomorrow and help paint on his new home so I may not have time to post tomorrow. He bought a new razoo power sprayer so it should go pretty fast. They are suppose to be out of the apartment by the 15th so if they don't get the house finished I'll have a house full and won't be painting for awhile. We took GD to the kids fair at the mall today and she had a blast and loved all the freebies they were handing out. I found quite a few good buys also. I got a new pair of UGG's, 3 new Coplumbia vests & 2 turtlenecks for under $100 so I walked out a happy shopper. I also bought a new book A Festive Collection by various artists that has Christmas ornaments in it. I wanted JMP Between The Vines 9 but they didn't have any. The clerk told me to go on line and request that they carry all of her books and any others I want so that's why I was on their site. Need to get things put away and start a load of laundry. All of you take care and keep in touch. Punk

Our Christmas snow just began last evening, and it's still snowing and blowing this morning. I'm off to a nursing/rehab facility to sit with a friend who suffered a head injury before Thanksgiving. She finally awoke from an induced coma two weeks ago and was transferred there from the hosp. She is doing extremely well, but is scared and wants people to sit with her day and night. Her family is burned out, so I volunteered to sit all this week from 10am. to 5pm. Had to get up at 7:30am this morning in order to leave by 9am. - haven't been up quite this early since retirement 5 years ago when I needed to be at my desk by 7am! ha. I have two senior dogs to get ready before I go - let outside and in, meds given, my breakfast eaten, COFFEE and then I'm headed out onto the snowy roads. Wish me luck, the place is about 35min. away - not bad - but have to travel on some tricky roads. My friend has a temporary trach and isn't allowed solid food. Saturday when I sat with her I was afraid to eat in front of her, so had no lunch or dinner (had skipped brkfst because family called suddenly for me to go); so I was hungry by the time I got home at 6pm. Should I take a sandwich along today and eat it in front of her? She doesn't like people to leave the room, and she was craving the cup of coffee I got at the nurses station. Don't know what to do! I ate cereal awhile ago, maybe that will hold me.