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wild_chicken

SS Daily~July 25 (Monday) to July 31 (Sunday)

Wild_Chicken
18 years ago

Hey! Whaazup?

Comments (32)

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just returned and am almost finished with the LOADS of laundry from the trip to beautiful Hawaii.

    We stayed in a quiet little local town on the opposite side of the 'action' side of the big island. We had a great time with only a couple of family meltdowns. All in all, the trip was worth it and we saw many cool sites: looked down into an active volcano, went up 9,000 feet to the Mauna Loa observatory, visited the Mauna Loa macadamia nut factory (yum), sunbathed on white and black sand beaches, and hiked the lava tube caves and fields in blast-furnace heat! And now back to our regularly scheduled days....

    Raeanne~ A raise, eh? Ask for a meeting off-site, so you're on neutral territory with your boss. Focus on YOU and all you do, as well, as acknowledging what the company and the relationship with its people offers. Shoot for more money than you actually want, without going over the top for the standard pay in the industry - you can check to see what the norm is online. If you're not getting paid vacation days, you should be---ask for them. The norm/average in the US is 12 days a year. Also, divide your yearly bonus by your hourly pay and see how many hours they're compensating you for there. Bonuses are usually an option for a company and giving them saves companies lots of money. Ask to be paid for the hours you work, and if they drop your bonus, so be it. You'll probably make more money on straight dollar-for-hours-worked pay anyway. As for the family-hired secretary, "arg!" I would buy some potted plants to make a barrier around my desk, then go to the local thrift store and buy some toys and put them in a prettily-wrapped file box and set them by Grandma's desk for the kid to play with. Then sweetly, but within earshot of Mom, tell the kid that you have a ton of work to do, but Mommy and Grandma can play right now. As a last resort, wrap your work area in police "Do Not Cross This Line" tape and see if they get the MESSAGE!!!!! Or maybe just start shopping for a job and see what it reaps - it may be time to move onto something more fun---a receptionist at the local spa, yoga studio, or resort. Girlfriend, you've changed over the years, why shouldn't your job change with you? Love and hugs, and my opinions! lol! ~BJ

    PS: I sent you a coffee break in the mail.

    NHSuzanne~ ((((((((((HUGS))))))))))) Geez! Men! They choose the worst times to unload, don't they? I hope either he wakes up and realizes what his actions mean or you find a way to ease out of it with minimum pain and stress. It appears to be a cycle, but an extremely brutal one for you. Take care and time for yourself. And RIDE, RIDE, RIDE! Come here to vent---we are 24/7 listening, sis. :)

    DeeMarie~ Nice 'talking' to you from 32Grand!!!!! The interview info was interesting to read and I'm glad it helped Maddie! YAY!

    Maddie~ Good luck on the job deal! When will you know?

    Marci~ LOVED the birthday gif for Besh! How do you do that????????

    John~ Hmmmmmmmm.....are you washing and waxxing your car with the cat, by any chance? !!!

    Besh~ Hello! Happy Belated Birthday! It was so nice to meet you in person while I was in Salem! You and your husband are wonderful story tellers and you have a wonderful glow about you! I hope you had a fantastic birthday---how was it?----and did you get your wish when you blew out the candles? BTW, I read a book called "Don't Kiss Then Goodbye" and LOVED it. It was about life-after-death communication experiences. Very, very good. I wanted to ask you if you've heard of a book called "Tangerine." Has it been popular with the teen set? If so, I'll get it for my girls.

    Well, all for now. Gotta go up to our property in the farmlands near Canada and whack down the Canadian thistle. It's HOT here and I'll be burning some cals, but if we don't chop it down each year, we get a big ticket from the noxious weed board. DH is working downtown, so I get the fun job of doing it! I'll be bushwhacking 3 long days this week. I spent last night getting and mixing 2 stroke oil with gas in my driveway, firing up my metal blade whack machine, and sharpening my machetes---don't mess with me! lol! It's a 2 hour drive up and a 2 hour drive back, and the kids will be running in the fields, drinking LOTS of water! Guess the vacation is over!

    Make the day a good one!

  • deemarie5500
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nuttin' much, s'up with you? LOL!!

    I'm down 5 lbs in 2 weeks by counting each and every point that goes into this mouth. I also upped the amount of water I drink, which I think is helping.

    Marci, I'm reading "3 to Get Deadly"; too cool. I spent the entire weekend by myself doing what I wanted. DH had a great time in Pittsburgh, and they loved the fireworks after the Pirates won.

    Yesterday I was on the deck relaxing with my book, doing my nails, sipping Crystal Light Lemonade, listening to the birds, and swearing at the squirrels who went running through my flower boxes! LOL

    Make today count!

    QOD: They did this on the Cooking Forum. How did you choose your forum name? First and middle name are Donna Marie. I took my first initial, because lots of Donnas were taken here; added my Middle name and my wedding date.

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

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  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hmmmmm....had to do this before I leave for work!

    QOD: I think my first posting name was PlaneMom, cause I was flying a lot back then and I was, of course, a mom! Then I went to Wild_Chicken after visiting 'Amy's Island' in Hawaii and falling in love with the wild chickens that are ALL OVER the island. Spike would only allow 1 name change per duration of a membership, otherwise I'd change mine every year, to reflect my feeling on my life at the time! After today, I might change mine to...

    Gal_Walks_Into_A_Bar!!!!!!

  • marci_pa
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Almost said Good Morning, and then I realized that it is afternoon already!

    BJ - I can only take credit for finding the site that I used to create Besh's birthday gif. I wish I was talented enough to create something like that on my own. I will post a link below if anyone wants to check it out. Your Hawaiian adventure sounds wonderful!!

    DeeMarie - My BIL was stuck in all the traffic from the Pirate's game on Friday. Since it was fireworks night and several other big events were scheduled in the Burg, traffic was awful. But PNC park is an awesome place to see fireworks. The park in located right on the river and the fireworks are launched from a barge in the river with the city as a backdrop. Gorgeous!
    Wow, you are zipping thru J. Evanovich. I can't remember which number I read first, but then I went out and found all the previous books and did what you are doing, read them one after the other. I did that with Sue Grafton's series too. I started with G is for Gumshoe and promptly went out to find A thru F.

    John - I got Windows XP installed and everything is up and running, except my Easy CD Creator. It wasn't compatible with XP. But I got version 6 and it should be here this week. DH wasn't too happy that I fooled with his ability to burn CDs, but he'll get over it! LOL I haven't seen the Blue Screen of Death even once since I upgraded. Can't say I miss it!

    QOD - My name isn't too original. I used to be apolloniazoo, from my street name and the fact that my house was usually a zoo when the kids were home. But now I am just Marci_PA. (That reminds me of the movie Jewel of the Nile where the "Jewel" kept calling Joan Wilder, Just Joan. I loved that movie!)

    It is HOT here and I just got back from running errands. Now I am going to settle in with a good book, at least I hope it's good, Haunted Ground by Erin Hart. It got good reviews at The Reading Forum. After that I have A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving waiting for me.

    I also have 12 zucchinis in my fridge. A friend of a friend gave them to me because he knows I love them. Next to spinach, they are my favorite veggie. I made zucchini bread this weekend, stuffed one, froze 6 cups for later use, gave away about 10 and I still have 12 left. I will definitely fry one up, and roast one on the grill. Then I will have to get more creative. Any suggestions?

    Hope everyone had a great weekend,
    Marci

    Here is a link that might be useful: Letter James

  • besh
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello,

    Just a quickie. ;-)

    BJ, yes, Tangerine by Edward Bloor is very popular. I have not read it, but it always gets rave reviews from the students. I did just finish reading "Freaky Green Eyes" by Joyce Carol Oates. She is the same author that wrote "We Were The Mulvaneys", if you are familiar with that one. I think FGE is her first or second young adult novel and it is very well done. It is about a man that is a very well known sportscaster/celebrity that abuses his family both emotionally and physically. It is not real graphic or gorey so it is very appropriate for the middle age level. I liked it. I read it in a day, (ofcourse not much else got done). Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was great to meet you as well. I wish our visit could have been longer! Glad you had a great trip.

    Dee, WTG on the 5#. I went to WW last week after not going for 2 weeks and gained 3#. I am getting back on track, but it is really difficult after messing up. Good luck and keep up the good work!

    Marci, how about some veggie soup. The WW recipe calls for zucchini and you can eat it cold like a gazpacho. If you want it let me know and I will post it here or email you.

    QOD: Mine is not very creative as well. My real name is MaryBeth but people close to me call me Besh. My nephew could never say my name when he was young and some how Besh evolved and stuck. It is funny though, because I never had a nickname growing up, not MB, not anything.

    Have a great day. Stay cool!

    Love, MaryBeth
    (just wanted to see if you were paying attention!)

  • aka_raeanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    BJ - thanks for all the input, great ideas and I am going to use them. She is working on a very big deal right now, once that is over with, I will make my request. I will do the math and see how the numbers work. I totally love the little girl that comes to our office, but it's just not very professional to have her there nearly everyday. I have already brought in a box of toys for her and it is in her grandmother's office. So good to have you back, glad you had a good time. I have Don't Kiss Them Goodbye - do you realize there is a TV show based on the author - called The Medium?

    I am currently reading Black Rose by Nora Roberts - it is the 2nd of 3 in a series and is very good.

    QOD - I don't like to use my first name on the internet as it is a very unique spelling and I had a weird encounter once on a parenting forum, where the person started to name restaurants, etc. that were in my very small neighborhood. So I opted to use my middle name.

    Besh - I am paying attention LOL.

  • aka_raeanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    BJ - just FYI, you are so right, if my salary was increased by less than $1.00 an hour - I would do better than taking my bonus. I found a website called Payscale.com and took a survey to find out that 52% of my peers earn a larger bonus a year and 75% are higher paid - doing the same work and the same hours, etc. Now there are many pros to my job and I will weigh them into how much I ask for, because I love only being 2 minutes from home and I love that I can change my days or hours, if I need to (not Saturday) and for the most part we all get along. But you are absolutely right, I have changed and maybe changing my job is not out of the question....

    Just in case anyone is wondering, I am not doing this on company time, I am home and only worked 25 minutes extra today.

    Marci - I am glad you are free of that Blue Screen of Death - I don't miss it either.

    Dee - congrats on the 5#'s, you are really doing well - WW really agrees with you.

    I have a Dr. appt tomorrow and dread the thought of getting on that scale. The last time I went I was holding my breath, like that would help, the nurse said I had a better chance of being lighter if I exhaled LOL.

  • deemarie5500
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Raeanne, you are so funny! Waiting to exhale, huh? Good luck with asking for a raise. My DSD just did this recently; she asked for $10,000 a year more (because she had trained everyone in her department; 3 people left and the company refused to replace them!). She told me she would have settled for $6,000...they offered her $8,000. She took it, but she's just burning out at only 25years old. She's going to start looking for a new job, which is a shame for that company (and shame on them for not listening to someone so wise!). They just won't hire additional staff, and if they pay her double, she still cannot do all the work!

  • aka_raeanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dee - that is sort of how I feel right now, that I just can't get all the work done. My desk is literally piles of papers, that just keep getting higher. I am embarassed that my desk is the first thing people see coming into the office. And don't suggest a box under my desk, because I have one that is full. At least a raise would make me feel like all my work isn't unappreciated - too bad I have to remind them of that.

    BJ - THANK YOU, THANK YOU. That will take care of many coffee breaks and I can't wait to open it just to smell it. You put a big smile on my face and my DH agrees that you are one special person!

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Raeanne-I sent you "Don't Kiss Them Goodbye" after I was finished reading it in Hawaii, so you should get it soon! It tells about the TV show in the book - but only a little, and not in a braggy way. Good luck on the raise---as for the papers on your desk....they probably think of it as job security!

    Well, I just got back from the farmland, and I am one tired chickadee!

  • jprakia
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello Ladies,

    Sounds like you had a nice vacation BJ, next year can I come too? :) Sounds like you have a lot of bush wacking to do, may I suggest you get a snow plow and sharpen the blade then just drive around, it could work. I did not end up washing my car or the cat, she hissed at me a couple of times and then hid under the bed and the couch.. such a social lady. I did get a bunch of laundry done while I was there so that works.

    Raeanne sounds like you have plenty of good advice here about the raise you deserve. People will get away with what you let them so the sooner you let them know they are crossing the line the easier it will be to change it, good luck! Hows the kayaking going? I havent been out in a couple weeks, but we are planning a 3 day camping trip on the Saco river here in NH, 3 days of paddling and camping on the beaches should be fun, we are covering 43 miles of slow moving river, so it should be relaxing and is a good place to test kayak camping and work out the bugs.

    Did you say something Besh? I was watching TV .

    Glad you got your PC woes taken care of Marci, computers can be so fustrating because they are so complex when they dont work we all feel so helpless. I just got hit with a nasty adware virus here at work, what a mess that was. Make sure once you get everything working and just how you like it to back up everything so that if it happens again you can reinstall things just how you like them, its worth the time imho.

    God job on the 5 pound loss Dee.

    Im on my second week off of the med that I think was causing me to stall on weightloss and am down 6 pounds. I seem to lose in spurts so I hope to keep it going. If I can drop another 35-40 pounds I should be able to control my sugars with diet alone. Im still not excercising enough and cant seem to get motivated to do it, kayaking and hiking are nice in the summer but I need to get into some kind of routine for the winter months. My friend wants to hit the gym too but our schedules just dont match up at all, I suppose I just need to pick 3 times a week to go and stick with it, but having a work out buddy sure would help.

    NHSuz, how are things going? Hope you are staying cool and enjoying your free time as much as you can.

    The rest of you check in and let us know how your summer is going.

    Take care!

    John

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    DeeMarie~ CONGRATS on the 5lbs! I wish I did that well!

    Besh~I gained about 2 pounds in Hawaii, and yesterday, I messed up a couple of times, so let's get back on the plan together, starting TODAY! Strickly goodie-goodie girls, we are!

    John, you can come on a vacation with me any time! My DH would prbably approve too, since then I would be yammering in someone else's ear most of the time, instead of his! Sometimes when I'm talking to him, he turns and says, "I'm sorry, this just isn't interesting to me." Ya gotta hand it to him; he's honest! :)

    Marci: Thanks for the link! TOO COOL! I tried the beach one; so neat!

    Raeanne: I'll have a coffee break with you in mind today.

    ((((((((HUGS, NHSUZANNE)))))))) Hope you are doing well. Thinking of you every day.

    Ah, well, I gotta go to the ortho and get my braces tightened. Catch you guys later!

    CHECK IN, ALL YOU MIAS!

  • aka_raeanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    John - I envy your kayak trip, maybe I will do something like that someday. I wanted to go this morning but had a Dr. appt. Hopefully Thursday will work for me.

    BJ - You cracked me up with your comment to John about DH and listening to you (or not listening to you) ROFLMAO. My DH just doesn't say anything - I mean nothing. He could at least pretend he heard me LOL.

    DeeMarie - I think I'm onto something with the exhaling before getting on the scale. I am down 3lbs from a month ago and I thought I gained at least 3 LOL.

    I had a very nice day out by myself today. I hit a department store that was having a huge sale and got 3 expensive tops and a skirt for under $50. Then I stopped and had lunch at a very nice upscale sort of shop and tried on clothes that I had no intention of buying LOL - now I usually don't like to try on clothes, but today it was fun. I guess because the pressure was off, since I wasn't looking to buy anything.

    Make today a good one!

  • deemarie5500
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It is soooooooooooooooooooooo hot; I'm melting in my car. I have to dress warmly for the office, but that trip in this morning was brutal...even with the a/c. oooooy vey!

    QOD: anyone have veggie gardens? I have tons more basil than I need; been making batches and batches of pesto and freezing 1/2 cup containers. I know I will appreciate it in the winter (in addition to pasta, it's a great spread on fish and chicken before baking!) We have almost a dozen cucumbers, and lots of fresh cilantro, but no green peppers yet. I wanted tomatoes, but DH voted them down this year. I'm really missing home grown tomatoes....love it with low fat mayo, lots of shredded lettuce and bits of crispy bacon (BJ's BLT salad rocks!)

    Check in everyone. Amy and Joanne, are you OK? Where is Gretchen? Please let us know you are all at least lurking!

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

  • besh
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello,

    Dee, I am melting too! I hate to complain, but this is a lot of heat. We are headed to Marthas Vineyard tomorrow, so hopefully we will get some relief from this weather.

    Raeanne, I'm thinking of you and I hope your work day is going well. :-) Congratulations on the bargains. ;-)

    QOD: Yes, DH grows cukes and tomatoes and that is it. I say he grows them, but I am the one that waters, feeds and weeds. He plants and harvests and then eats!

    John, congrats on the 6#. Maybe your stall is over and you will continue on a downward spiral (in a good way!).

    We are headed for the boat this afternoon hoping it will be a cooler day on the water.

    Have a great day!

    Love, Besh

  • aka_raeanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am taking one of my 3 minute breaks that the Dr. recommended LOL.

    QOD - No vegies, but I have some container gardens of fresh herbs on my deck. I just can't keep up with the demands of a vegie garden. I have fresh basil, chives, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, lavender, oregano and nastursium.

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    John, let me add my "CONGRATS!" to Besh's on your weight loss!

    Raeanne~ I have to school shop soon. Can you loan me your bargain radar? Oh, and congrats on your holding breath weight!

    DeeMarie~I don't have a veggie garden, but I grow a fair amount of lavendar for aromatherapy and some rosemary for cooking. I also have some spearmint that I grow to decorate desserts and throw into cold and hot drinks. These are low maintenance plants, I know, but they are VERY rewarding to grow! I always think I'm going to grow tomatoes, but I never get to the nursery in time to get the starts!

    Besh~Martha's Vineyard sounds great! Are you staying there for a time? If so, where do you stay? We flew our plane out to Nantucket about a million years ago to land at the Tom Nevers (the WINGS show) airport. We stayed on the island at Jared's Coffin House and biked till we had a bad rash---oh! TMI! There was an eclipse the first day we arrived, so we laid on the beach and watched it. Cool. When we left, we ran into a thunder storm that shook us up pretty good. But it was a fun trip! Have a great time over there!

    Has anyone ever frozen Splenda? I froze a bunch of blueberries sprinkled with Splenda and when I took them out, the Splenda was all sticky and gooey. It had a strange texture to it. After the berries were totally thawed, they were great tho'. Just wondering....

    Well, I promised the kids a day at the beach, so off I go. It's 80 degrees here - that HOT for Seattle.

    Bye for now!

  • Tikanas2
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi all!

    Bj, sounds like a nice vacation! How did you do on all that thistle?

    DeeMarie, I have read all of the Evanovich books (so far)I love mysteries and her books are just plain FUN.

    Marci, Have you ever made zuchinni lasagna? It is easy, low cal and very good. Email me if you want my recipe. For the non dieters like my DS there is always breaded, deep fried zuchinni fingers.

    John, congrats on the 6 lbs! I love being "med free" after sooo many months on and off prednisone. I know what you mean about a workout buddy; mine just moved to Portland : (

    Besh, congrats to you too!

    It is still hot here! I feel like ive died and gone to the "wrong place"! I got up early in hopes of getting my work done early. We have a BBQ tonight with friends that ive been looking forward to.We do this once a week during the Summer.

    NH Suzanne, I hope that you are doing well. Ive been thinking about you.

    QOD (yesterday): Tikanas is the Greek word for "hi, how are ya?". As I am Greek and VERY chatty, it just fits!

    QOD: We have an extensive veggie garden and grow a lot of our own produce. Our garden is taking a beating in this heat even with twice daily watering.

    Be strong and be well!

    Tikanas

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Tikanas, After I come to Ca, I think you should visit your workout buddy in Portland----It's ONLY 3 hours from here. Portland, Oregon, that is....or did you mean Portland, Maine? BTW, The thistle won.......

    ((((((((((NHSuzanne))))))))))) We know you're going through the wringer, and we're still missing you...

    I just got back from taking 4 teens and 2 little ones to the beach. Very much fun! Then we took a trip to the magic shop----I wish I could make these pounds DISAPPEAR! That'd be QUITE a trick!!!

  • jprakia
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    When I want to loose a quick 10-20 pounds I use a little trick I learned from Homer Simpson. Its called resting your gut on the towel rack, works like a charm :)

  • nhsuzanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Morning All,

    I am fine. I was back on Monday but have been trying to get myself back in order ever since!! The hot weather has been slowing me down.

    My trip was absolutely wonderful. I camped in a big field with an incredible view of Mt. Chocoura. The peak has a very distinctive peak and looks different in each light.

    The trails were marvelous with fantastic soft footing. On my first ride, it was VERY HOT so we rode with a friend deep into the forest. We climbed and climbed and came out to a big open area with that was literally surrounded by moutains. It was just beautiful. It was a private landing strip for the owners moutain home which looked like it should be in Switzerland. So there we were, three of us dwarfed by the magnifigance of the views that was all around us. The landing strip is no longer in use as the owner is quite old and doesn't fly. The footing here is soft and it gave us the opportunity to have a good long gallop back and forth. It was so much fun!! This man certainly has his little piece of heaven and it's generous of him to let us ride on his land. He even had a trough of water for the horses and drinks for thier riders!

    After we romped up and down the runway, we started our descent down the mountain through the woods. Pretty soon we were walking along a winding mountain brook that was crystal clear and it was so cool in the deep of the forest. We stopped in a wide spot of the brook and let the horses cool off and drink. We stood in deep pools of water and just marveled at the coolness, cleaness and shear beauty of our surroundings............it was gorgeous. We continued along the brook until we were nearly back to camp.

    There is a lake less than a mile from camp so we loaded up and drove down for a dip. There was another spectacular view of Mt. Chocorua right in front of us. The lake was crystal clear with a rocky bottom that went out quite a way before it dropped off. Once you were out far enough you could feel the cool pockets of the springs. It was fabulous and a wonderful way to end a ride. I only wish we could bring the horses but they weren't allowed!! :(

    The next day we rode through conservation land with similar amenities, cool brook, deep, cool woods and lots of huge, humongous boulders. Glacial deposits from millions of years ago! All of our rides were fantastic, good footing, deep woods, grassy trails..........beautiful views. Who can beat this???

    It was a great bonding time for me an Pea. She and I just hung out together and I know she really enjoyed having me all to herself as did I. We had a great time together but we were ready to come home! There is no place like home.

    DH is acting like nothing happened!! I swear he has scew loose. I mean that in a loving and therapeutic way. LOL I don't know what to make of him but I have to say that he says some very cruel things and it's getting old. What I am going to do about it????????????? Probably nothing. I just don't know what to think sometimes. I have my own self esteem issues right now since losing my job and I WILL get over it but he doesn't make it any easier to feel good about myself!

    NO matter. Nothing can change the wonderful weekend I had with my horse. I have been riding Casey early mornings this week to make her feel special. She is just a lovely girl to ride and I know she enjoys having me all to herself.

    BJ, I have stayed at the Jared Coffin House in Nantucket. It's nice. So is the whole island. I will be going next month and I can't wait.

    Raeanne, you have gotten good advice on the raise issue. I hope you approach them soon. If you get the raise you can buy me lunch in Manchester Center!!! LOL Okay, I am not kidding!!!

    Besh, have fun at the Vineyard. The boat has to be cooler than land although last night's thunder storms has cooled things off for us.

    Tikanas, what do you grow in your garden? Hope you get some rain soon. We are starting to get into a bit of a drought. It happens fast!

    John, have fun on the Saco. Where are you starting? Bring LOTS of bug juice. They are killers this year!!! Deer flies, black flies, mosquitos, horse flies, no-see-ums.........grrrrrrrrrrrr

    DeeMarie, I like to chop up basil,not too fine, and freeze it in ice cube trays and save. When I am making a soup or something I just drop a couple of cubes in the pot. It tastes very fresh that way. You can also defrost and use in a salad, or anyway you would use fresh.

    Marci, I have a fabulouse recipe for zucchini relish. I make it every year and give it for Christmas gifts. It's one of my most requested canned goods. If you want the recipe let me know. It's a grand way to use up all that squash!!

    I have to go move the old hay because I expecting a new load soon. Thank God it's not too hot today!! The hay loft is no place to be in the heat and humidity. Then I have to mow the lawn. Another favorite job!!

    Okay, I have checked in so the rest of you MIA's check in too!!!!

  • aka_raeanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I took BJ's advice and asked for my raise on neutral territory. I went kayaking with my boss this morning and thought this is a great opportunity, but I will wait until we are finished, so that we could enjoy our time on the lake. Well wouldn't you know, she fell in the lake at the end of the trip, so thinking that timing is everything, I decided to postpone it. As we said our good-bye's I mentioned that I wanted to set up a meeting with her to discuss work and a very worried look came over her face, so I asked if she would prefer to talk now and she said yes. So I offered more hours and told her that I wanted a raise and would like her to discuss it with her DH and let me know what they would like to offer me and I would let them know if their offer is fair. She agreed to the hours and said I could double my hours if I wanted to, she shook her head yes for the raise, so we will see what they come up with.

    NH Suzanne - you should be writing for an equine magazine - I love the picture you paint with words. Hopefully, I will be springing for lunch and soon LOL. They finally opened the road - it was closed for 3 weeks. A dam broke during a storm and washed the road away.

    BJ - I got the book yesterday, I love how you wrote in it and want it passed on, that is a great idea. I will gladly pass it on.

    We are going out on the lake for a picnic with friends. These are relatively new friends, but we just seemed to hit it off, we have so much fun together.

    Tikanis - hope your BBQ was a lot of fun and that it cools off for you soon and you get some rain.

    Besh - thanks, actually yesterday was a good day at work. I actually was able to accomplish some work without be interrupted too often.

    I am sore, I paddled for 2 1/2 hours and came across the lake against the wind and the lake was choppy.

  • nhsuzanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Raeanne, let's make a plan soon!!

    I have been doing summer reading too but I don't mention it because it would be boring to you all but I will share lest you think I don't read!!

    Making Natural Hoof Care Work For You by Pete Ramey. He is a well know natural hoofcare professional. I am studying his book because I am taking a course with him in the fall. My horses have been barefoot for two years and I am hoping to learn how to do the trimming myself. He is very easy to understand and makes the very complicated hoof a bit easier to understand.

    Also reading: Horses and the Mystical Path. The Celtic way of expanding the human soul. This book is great. It's a journey on learning from our interactions with the horse and from our reflections to find a spirit of unity and beauty in everything we do. By mastering the art of unity, we find peace that is beyond our understanding, that is in simply seeing what is. It's hard to sum it up in a few words but you get the idea. It delves deeply into the people of Iberia and thier horses thousands of years ago and the spiritual relationship which must exist to do what they did, and still do with horses. Classical dressage for example. Anyway, it's a good book.

  • Tikanas2
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bj, My dear fiend is in Portland Oregon. I will be going up there either this November or in the Spring. I didn't know that you were so close!

    John, that's cheating!! : )

    NH Suzanne, Your trip sounds wonderful. I agree; you should be writing for an equestrian magazine! Why not submit an article or two while you have this time off. You never know... I wouldn't mind that zuchinni relish recipe. I'll email you today. A better question is "what am I NOT growing in my garden?" LOL. 4 types of squash, 3 types cukes, tomatoes, bush and pole beans of different varieties, pumpkin, eggplant, various peppers sweet and hot, tomotillos,garlic, onion, grapes, artichokes herbs and sunflowers. I think that about covers it... : )

    Raeanne, good for you! I am so glad that you asked about the raise! Keep us posted. You seem to be getting more and more daring with that kayak! No wonder you are sore!

    I enjoyed the BBQ last night. It had cooled down enough to be comfortable and that was a relief. Hot again today though with no end in sight. I have a lot of errands to do this AM then it's home to do some work. I have brochures for the business to get out.

    QOD: what are your plans for the Fall ( I'm dreaming of cooler weather...)I will be doing some skilled Nursing home visits 3 mornings a week and finishing my DS' homeschooling. I will also be running this soon -to-be profitable business!

    So far, so good!

    Stay cool today, everybody.

    Tikanas

  • deemarie5500
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good FRIDAY morning!!

    It was a cool 67 here this morning; what a change from the beginning of the week. I am really looking forward to getting out of this office early today and starting my weekend.

    QOD: What are your plans? We are heading off to a hot air balloon festival tomorrow morning at 5am. We've been asked to be part of the crew...our friends are taking us in their RV and their in-laws own a balloon which we will help set up and see off into the blue yonder! I will be on the ground enjoying a hot cup of coffee, thank you! Sunday, DH and I may take a leisurely 3-hour(!) drive to Hershey Park. One of my all-time favorite pop stars from the 60's (Gene Pitney) is performing there in the evening, and I've wanted to see him for years and years. Since he's still very popular in the UK, he's not around much, so we just may take a chance with the Pennsylvania traffic and pot-holed highways. LOL!

    [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[Hugs]]]]]]]]]]]]]]] to all who need them today and throughout the weekend.

    Will check in later if I get the chance.

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

    Here is a link that might be useful: Balloon Festival

  • nhsuzanne
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Friday Morning All,

    DeeMarie, have fun at the balloon festival. I hope you change your mind and go up for a ride! It's fun beyond belief. Queen of all your survey!

    It's cool here this morning and it feels wonderful. The animals are happy too with lots fewer bugs pecking at them!
    It's a good day to mow the lawn and I have to weed whack the pasture fence line.....thousands of feet of it!!

    QOD: I have no big plans for the weekend. I will be riding very early tomorrow morning and Sunday to beat the heat and bugs. I will be hooking up with friends on the trail and we will be having a picnic tomorrow. I am expecting a call for hay anytime now so if I get the call I will be loading the loft with hay for the winter.....ugh.

    Here is my zucchini relish recipe. It's a keeper.

    12 cups grated zucchini (4-5 large)
    4 cups sliced onion
    5 TBS kosher salt

    2 1/2 cups apple cider or white wine vinegar
    6 cups sugar (2 1/2lbs)
    1 TBS dry mustard
    3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
    3/4 TBS cornstarch
    3/4 tsp turmeric
    1/2 tsp celery seed
    1/2 tsp black pepper
    2 red bell peppers chopped

    Mix zucchini and salt together and let stand overnight in refrig. Rinse with cold water and drain well. In large kettle mix vinegar, sugard,mustard, spices, cornstarch. Cook until it starts to thicken, then add zucchini and red peppers. Cook slowly for about 30 minutes. Can in hot, sterilized jars at once. Process for about 15 minutes in hot water bath. Makes great gifts!!

    Check in today and let us know what your are up to this weekend.

  • besh
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good Morning:

    Dee, DH and I saw Gene Pitney a few years back in a small night club in NH. We went with a bunch of family members and had so much fun singing along to all the oldies! He put on a great show. We also have been to a Hot Air Balloon festival several times (in Gilmanton Iron Works, NH, Suzanne are you familiar with it?) and every time but once they were unable to fly either because the wind conditions or whatever were not right. They did fill them up so you could view them on the ground but it was a little disappointing, so I hope yours goes well. It will be fun to be part of it though. Have a great weekend!

    Martha's Vineyard was great. BJ, so many questions you asked. We only went for the day. It is about a 2 hour ride from here to the ferry in Falmouth, MA and then about a 45 minute ride on the ferry out to the island. We had a great time. Did a little shopping, ate too much food. There is an Italian restaurant there that we love so ofcourse I had fettucini alfredo, (and I blew off WW this morning). The other couple that came with us have not been to MV in about 25 years, so it was fun to be with them. We are making arrangements to take our boats out there next summer for a week.

    Suzanne, I'm glad that you are doing well. I am sorry about your DH. What is it about people (and I don't want to say it is just men, because women do it too) that feel they need to kick you when you are down? I laughed out loud on your current reading selection. It is not a book that I am familiar with, but I am sure my sister has read it!

    DS and fiance have found an apartment and will probably be moving in a couple of weeks. I am very happy for them and I think it is a great idea that they live together before the wedding next year, but my emotions are on a roller coaster right now. I just keep thinking that this is it. My son is leaving and I won't see him first thing in the morning or when he comes home from work. He won't be telling me about his day every day. Am I crazy? But I am also happy because I know it is time for him to be independent and to be a man. It gets stressfull at times here because his DF is here alot and there are alot of adults in the house at one time.

    Raeanne, I am so happy that your situation worked out the way you intended. I hope that she comes back with some good news for you.

    Who is Jared Coffin?

    QOD: No plans. The weeks worth of laundry that I have neglected is waiting for me. It is the last weekend of DH vacation and the weather is supposed to be beautiful, so I don't know what we will do. Probably some boating and fishing. DH went tuna fishing today, so I am taking DS and some of his friends to the beach.

    Have a great day!

    Love, Besh

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Checkin' in....back later!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Jared Coffin House History (short)

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Make that:

    Checkin' in...back in the MORNING! I had a wild day.

  • Wild_Chicken
    Original Author
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    QOD from DeeMarie: Plans for the weekend: I have 2 services today and am delivering flowers to a cemetery after one of the services. Then DH's work is having a get together at one of the associate's homes (a casual dinner). Tomorrow, I am going to the San Juan Islands and will be there all day. Laundry will be on Sunday night!

    QOD from Tikanas: Plan for Fall: I have to get all the kids' physicals done, get their supplies, and get them set up for schools. We need to buy DD a budget-priced car so she can start driving herself and her sister to school. I'll be back in school taking a full load, as I am taking all the science and biology I need for my aprenticeship, as well as getting an airport management degree. I figure I may as well have more than Plan A. Plan B is always good too. And I still have many repairs to do on the house before winter hits. I hope to find a good stretch of hot days to pressure wash and restain my deck. We're getting 5 windows installed also. And DH becomes rather high maintenance when he has his 2-week school vacation in September.

    Besh~ The MV trip sounds SO good! Your DS leaving sounds sorta sad. My DD will be going off to college next year and is heck-bent on moving O-U-T. We're trying to find an art college not too-too far from home.... :)

    Raeanne~ Good for you for paddling that much!!!!! WOW!!!!! The sore is a GOOD soreness, RRRRRRRRIIIIIIIGGGGHHHHHTTTTTTTTTT? lol.

    NHSuzanne~ Your expedition sounds wonderful! What a lovely picture! I hope you and DH get some time to talk about his episode and work out some sort of a resolution so you can feel more secure in the relationship. Waiting for the next bomb to go off must create some stress for you. Good luck. And the rides sounds like they are very theraputic! :) (((((((HUGS))))))

    Marci~ I sent you some pics through Raeanne. (Hawaii shots.)

    John, so how far does your towel rack stick out? ;) Gad! I'm just kidding.........

    Maddie! Amy! Joanne! GRETCHEN! Jen! KYSusie! Patti! Magic Kitty! Stop lurking and CHECK IN, Sisters! Say Hi!

    Off I go!

  • marci_pa
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am leaving for the family reunion in a few mintues. I will be gone all day. After DD leaves tomorrow, I will get the pictures from BJ posted in the album.

    I heard from KYSusie and Patti and I will post their messages later too.

    Gotta run,
    Marci

  • marci_pa
    18 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The Hawaiian pictures are in the album. I also posted a couple of the pics that Jen sent of the girls. I had to start a second SS Daily Friends album. The first one had 50 pictures and they suggested that was the limit for any one album. So look for SS Daily Friends - #2.

    The reunion was fun yesterday, but I am exhausted today. Of course the fact that it is almost 90 degrees doesn't help. I have an early childhood conference this week, so I won't be around much.

    KYSusie sent me an email. She is busy from sunup to sundown with work, ball games and her MIL. DH's mother has cancer and is not doing well. She says the kids are great and she sends everyone her love.

    Patti and Dave haven't been feeling well. Patti hopes to get online to post soon. They both send their love too.

    Later,
    Marci

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