TGIF- What's Happening?

Good Afternoon Trish and OFF-

Trish-  What I learned being a mentor during my business years is that people aren't necessarily going to take your advice or counsel.  That doesn't make you a failure it just means they are not listening.  I agree that establishing boundaries with the person is the right thing to do.  Clearly she is searching for some kind of peace and acceptance without having to do the work.  Hang in there.

Vickie-  Glad everything turned out okay for Butch.  Could also be all the stuff he eats on the oil rig which I'm sure is not loaded with lots of fiber or fresh veggies.  But I'm relieved that you're not facing another crisis with everything you have on your plate right now.

Not much else is new here in Maine.  Went to put on some size 18 pants today.  They're a little snug.  Got to increase the exercise.Definately not going backwards but struggling with going forward.  Just can't get in the zone.

Yesterday I made some kale chips.  Blended cashews and red pepper together.  Put the glop in a zip lock and added kale.  Once coated I put the kale in my dehydrator overnight.  Now I have "cheese" flavored kale chips to snack on.  Good carbs and something crunchy.  Today I'm going to make a batch of mini meatloaves to put in the freezer.  I found an italian recipe and a mexican recipe to try.  Just have to get an onion from the grocery in town.  Gas is still 3.9+ up here so I'm limiting my driving as much as possible.  I'll got to town tomorrow to go to post office, dump and grovery store.

Okay that's all for now.  Positive vibes to all of you in need.

Cindi

Trish,
    Glad you could come to us and vent. We care about you so very much. Sometimes tough love is required. Will say a prayer for you and the lady.    Mag    

Good mornin' ya'll.
Vickie, you and Butch are in my prayers. He sounds like a survivor, and a strong one at that!
Tri**** is wonderful that you are a mentor. Pay it forward is a good philosophy. But you are right. Either she wants your help, or she doesn't. Sounds like she needs to make a decision.
Drove my granddaughter to school this morning. Gives us a chance to talk. Friday is pizza night at our daughter's friends house. It always has been, but the only time she was able to go is when her DH was out of town. The wife has been a friend since our daughter moved to Portland 15 years ago. Her husband is a woot and they have 2 adorable kids (that's who I made the doll clothes for). The husband and his friend totally moved our daughter. Took apart furniture, trucked it to the new apt. and put it all back together! Our granddaughter decided not to go to pizza night tonight so she is going to hang at her boyfriend's house. On the way to school she got a text from her Dad wanting to know what she was doing tonight. She told him and he texted back that her mother would do anything to get rid of her so she could see her friends. GD texted back that she could have gone if she wanted. She told me she hopes they go to counsalling soon so someone will tell her Dad she doesn't wanna go over there if he is just gonna talk about the divorce and put her Mom down. She told me she was absolutely not surprised that our daughter left him.
The almost ex called our daughter 4 times this morning just while I was here. The last call went like this "'yes Ro.....' you already told me that. What did you call for? You already told me that, too. We talked about that yesterday. Well, if you don't have anything new to tell me I'm hanging up, I'm trying to get ready for work. OK. Yes. Goodbye. No, I said goodbye. I already know that. (sternly) GOODBYE Ro....". And she hung up on him. She says he does this all day! If she doesn't answer he sends 25 texts!!
The reason he is dragging his feet on mediation and the divorce is he thinks she will come back. He is in major denial!! Even their daughter has told him her Mom will never go back. She does not want her Mom to go back!!
Anyway, one gorgeous, sunny day today. I am working on an afghan. Our daughter is only working half a day today. Then we are going shopping and I am gonna buy her some 'patio' furniture to put on her tiny balconey! It is so nice to sit outside here!
Everyone have a fantabulous day!

Hello to all the wonderful OFF peeps,
    I'm home for 1 week. The house is an absolute wreck. Ellen never washed one dish the whole time I was gone. You can guess how the rest of the house looks. I told her I would clean her bathroom for $10.00. We got down to $5.00 and all I do is the toilet which is in bad shape. I like the kitchen and bathrooms clean. I've never ask her for money before. Maybe if I start asking to be paid every time I clean up after her it might help in the long run. After all it's like I'm the maid. I don't want her to clean everything. Just her bathroom because it's the one company use. Also to pick up after herself. Well, I'm off to wash a weeks worth of dishes. I know in my heart that she will not change, but I don't think I'm asking too much of her. I'm not angry, just overwhelmed with the mess. When I was unable to work I could keep up with things better, but since I'm working 2 jobs now I don't have time to do it all. I can't stand the house this way. It does depress me.  Thanks for listening.
    The good news is I'm taking my meds routinely and eating right. Hope to lose weight after a 5 month "binge." It feels good to be back on track. Dog walking twice a day has helped me not to gain weight. The eating problems started when I quit smoking. Must find something to take the place of smoking. I don't read. I'm arts and crafts challenged. lol. I could use some suggestions please.
     Thanks for being here for me. I appreciate each one of you. Mag     I don't want to look at the mess. I'll just start by taking one section of a room and move on from there. Sorry this is so long.

Mag....I feel sorry for you. Ellen sure isn't doing her share. I would make her help do the dishes and clean or tell her to move out. That is just so wrong. She is taking terrible advantage of you. She should be ashamed of herself....she isn't a child!!!
Please reconsider your living arrangements. Make up a chart of jobs to be done weekly/daily if that helps....your list and hers!! Good Luck!!

HUGS and more HUGS.....connie d

Connie,
    Thanks for caring. My sister and I own the house together. We can't sell now because we owe more that it is worth since the economy tanked. I got lots done today. the kitchen is done, most of the dining room is done. Tomorrow is the living room and her bath. Then I have quite a bit of paper work I need to take care of.
     I'll be fine. We just need to work this out so it's good for both of us.    Mag  

Good afternoon Trish and everyone.....

Tri****hink you are doing the right thing with the lady you have been mentoring. She doesn't sound like she is ready to make any changes so it really is a waste of your time. Move on to someone willing to accept your advice and follow through.

I am getting here late today. My sister and I drove around to all the cemeteries. We put flower arrangements in the planters at our families graves . Way too many....so sad!
Of course I did the work, she sat in a lawn chair and watched me....some days are longer then others!! I am still in a whole lot of pain today. I am checking in here and then laying down for a while. I didn't feel like doing anything again today. However, it isn't raining today and it will be the next few days. Didn't want to stand out and do planters in the rain! I wanted the flowers out before Memorial Day.

Wishing you all a good day. Prayers continue for many in need.

Love and hugs to all....connie d

Hello again, my sweet sistas!

We have had quite a nervous 24 hours, but everything really is fine now.  We are so relieved not to be facing yet another cancer scare.  I'm not sure we could fight that battle again right now!

I just wanted to tell you all again how very much you mean to me and how much I appreciate the loving support and friendship I find here. I have been too busy to think straight the past few weeks, much less respond to each of you as I would like to, but you are always in my heart, in my prayers, and in my thoughts.  

Love you all! 

Well, today has been one of those days.  DH and I drove down and picked up our four-year-old granddaughter, and she accompanied us to Little Rock for DH’s follow-up on his corneal transplant.  So, she is a little feisty but we do okay.  The bad news is DH’s wonderful immune system has started attacking his cornea.  The doctor ran some IV steroids in and put him back on eye drop antibiotics as well as bumping up his eye drop steroid from four times a day to every hour until bedtime but we have to set the alarm and do it twice during the night.  So, we left the eye clinic and we head over to a little town and checked into the hotel.  A couple of years back, I did a literacy project with the folks in one of the little counties around here, and it resulted in a publication that is being dedicated tomorrow.  So, I am going to release the book and do a little speech.  The governor, senators, and others will be there, so this bad news about DH’s eye compounded with the stress of making the presentation, and my four-year-old’s being a four-year-old, I was about fit to fall apart.   But, my granddaughter said, Nana, let’s go swim.  Apparently, the little town is having a state Special Olympics meeting and our hotel has a large number of special Olympians.  We get to the pool, and I never generalize about groups of people, but I found myself wishing there were not as many special needs children in the pool.  But, shame on me, there was about four little teenage downs syndrome girls and they attached to my granddaughter and were trying to teach her to swim.  They played with her and came and sat on our towel and talked to me.   We sat on the side of the pool and watched as the girls and boys practiced their swimming skills.  When one won, everyone clapped and the parents were so optimistic—they clapped and yelled and cheered their kids on and it was, I have to say, so refreshing to just let my guard down and everyone there seemed so genuine and no ulterior motives and all the stress from the day left.  When we left to go back to the room, one of the mothers invited us to go do yoga with them, so, Baby Girl and I joined a group of moms and daughters for some much needed yoga.  As bad as my problems seem, watching these parents who by all rights should be stressed to the max interact with their kids and with strangers gave me such courage.  My granddaughter is asleep and granddad is sleeping too and I am watching the sun go down and thinking that so what, his body rejects the eye, we will get another.  Today, I got the best lesson in life: laughter is the best medicine. 

Hope you guys have a good rest of the evening and night. 

Jeannie, sorry to hear about your hubby's transplant. Hope the steroids do the trick. Sounds like you had a wonderful day at the pool. Sometimes the special needs kids bring out the best in us, don't they?