Monday Monday

Good Morning Family,

Heading to the zoo with Colleen and the kids.  They have Spring break this week.  Haven't been back there since August.  My bad.

Praying for Christine this morning.  Hope she has a successful surgery.  

Also, praying for Butch and Vickie.

Be back later.

Love and Hugs,

Trish

I ended up not going with Colleen and the kids.  I got sick, so she dropped me off before getting on the highway.   As soon as I got home, I had the dry heaves.  I'm so glad I didn't do that in her car.  She freaks out with stuff like that.  I'm so disappointed.  Frankie got upset that we turned around, because he thought we were going home to his house, and he wants to see the tigers.  

Good afternoon Trish and everyone......

Trish....I am so sorry you got sick ....I hope it goes away soon. I know how much you would have enjoyed the zoo.  Poor little Frankie...I am sure he was okay once they started heading in the opposite direction again. Now REST ...you need it!! 

As for me....I am now getting my 3+ miles walking in at one time. I started Saturday. I was dividing it up in two walks. It was so cold today...good thing I wore my winter jacket...it was only 31 degrees and very windy. I even put my hood up and wore gloves! Glad that is done!! My apartment was too warm as always...I am in a light t-shirt and shorts!! I changed into them when I came back home. 

I as always don't have a lot to do today. I need to boil some eggs. I ate my last one on Saturday. I always have one with my yogurt and Boost in the AM. I don't drink with my meals so I have the Boost as I am getting up and getting ready for the day. Then I eat the rest. I need to cook up some ground turkey that I took out of the freezer Saturday. Not sure what I will do with it yet. I may just make tacos. I make a salad with just lettuce, veggies, and cheese. I miss the crunch of the taco chips. 

I will check in later to see who else posts. 

Wishing you all a great day!!

Prayers for our wonderful OFF Family and their families. Special prayers for Christine. I hope all is well. 

Lots of love and hugs....connie d

Good Morning Ladies!!

Saying a prayer for Christine -- I'm sure all went well, and according to her schedule, she should be back in her room.  But, do hospitals ever stick to a schedule??  Hopefully, we'll be hearing soon.  

Also saying bunches of prayers for Vickie and Butch -- their ordeal is ongoing, and I hope Vickie takes care of herself....she is doing so much, between caring for Butch, getting work done at the new house, packing up her current house, etc.  It's a lot to handle!

I just got back from the store - bought everything for Taylor' Easter basket -- I always get to shop the day after the holiday so I save a bundle, but always end up buying too much.

I did an hour on my recumbent bike since 2:00 a.m. -- two 30 minute sessions.  Another sleepless night.  My sleep pattern is topsy-turvey; I'm up all night and take cat-naps during the day.  Not good.  I'm hoping once the weather is a little warmer I can get out and start my gardening and yard work and get more exercise that will tire me out.  

I've got a lot of phone calls to make today -- 

1. Still have not received mailing label for my broken pad, so I'll call and have them send it by e-mail and go to the library to print it off.

2.  Call to get instructions on installing my Ooma phone -- my phone service will cost $4.00/month once I get it hooked up.  Then I'll also cut the cord on my cable TV and just use Netflix for $8.99/month.  That will leave only the internet.  So I'll go from about $250/month for these three services, to $75.00 -- I can certainly use the savings to pay my real estate taxes.  I also want to save some money so I can start house projects.

3.  Call HSN to get account number on some Todd English pas I bought several years ago.  They have a lifetime warranty.  They were "green pans" and were supposed to be non-stick --- well they weren't.  They don't make them anymore so I will get a credit when I get them back.  I'll use it either toward Wolfgang Puck oven, or a food dehydrator (to make jerky) and a vacuum sealer for freezing meats/veggies.

4.  Call Senior Center and senior agencies to see if they have list for carpenters/plumbers/etc. that give senior discounts -- I want to get some estimates so I can plan projects to be done.

Time to get going!!  

Hope everyone is well -- prayers and good wishes to al !

I have green pans too! I hate mine! They aren't cracked up for what they r supposed to be! I use them for camping now. I got my set from HSN also! I'm not bothering sending mine back. I've had them to long. 

Carla

Carla, I bought them in 2010 -- but they have a lifetime guarantee.  I contacted HSN a few years ago and got "proof of purchase" letters, then did nothing.  So I came across the letters and figured "why not" -- since they no longer sell them, they can't be replaced, so I'll get an HSN credit -- it's about $140, so it's worth the trouble.   The pans were expensive, and a big dissapointment!!

Hello Mary.....I just posted a message from Christine.

Yes you are right....we must keep both Butch and Vickie in our prayers. I can't even imagine how she can get everything done  with Butch so sick. I just keep praying it all works out! 

I am glad you bought things for Taylor's Easter Basket. The day after a holiday always have good sales!!! 

I feel bad that you are still having such trouble sleeping. Mine is much improved, but not great yet!! I refuse to nap in the daytime. That does help with better sleep at night....well at least most of the time!! 

It sounds like you have plenty of calls to make....I hope you get good results!! 

Feel better soon!!! Praying for you. 

Love and hugs to you....connie d 

Hello Trish and Mary and all my sistas!

Whew!  I've been working for several hours now, and I'm taking a quick break.  I hit the floor running this morning.  I've made phone calls, set up having DirecTV and ATT installed at the new house, packed several large boxes, and I'm meeting Handyman Sam at the new house at 2 p.m.  Also got Butch up, got his pills, got some Boost down him, and he really ought to have a shower before I leave.

We had an awful Easter.  Chris and Mike had a huge fight.  I knew it would happen.  Chris cannot work all those hours and carry all that burden without having a melt down.  But Mike certainly contributed his part to the fight as well.  I won't bore y'all with all the details, but I'm so thankful to God that Carrie was there yesterday evening.  She took the boys out of the house and away from the all the angry hurtful accusations that were flying.  She also gave them a bath and got them in bed.  And she cleaned up the kitchen.  She finally got home around midnight.  She stayed to make sure things had calmed down before she left.  (She knows her sister's temper, just like I do.)

Of course the fight was about money.  And of course, there's no easy solution.  Y'all will be proud to know that I have not offered them the money to bail them out of their latest catastrophe.  I mean, I could.  I have the money to do it.  But I said the LAST time I bailed them out that it was the end, and I meant it.  They have to recognize that until they change some things, the money problem is never going to go away.  I was so afraid they were going to split up last night, but Carrie says they calmed down enough to admit that they want it to work.  So good.  They absolutely have to pull together and work together to make ends meet.  And Butch and I have to stay out of it.  It's sink or swim time for them.

Anyway, Carrie went back to keep the boys today, and Christie has tomorrow off.  I don't know what Wednesday will bring.  They owe the school so much money that the owner said they couldn't bring the boys bac****il they catch up their balance there.  It's close to $1000.  Like I said, I could pay it, but what would happen next?  Another month would go by and they would be in the same fix.  I'm done bailing them out.

Oh, well, I have too much else on my plate right now to worry any more about that.  I have to be ready to roll out of here on Thursday.  I have some things here that I want to take to the other lake house, and this is the time for me to do it, so I'm packing up that sort of thing today.  I won't be decorating my new house with ducks and elks and mooses (LOL!).  But they'll work fine in the other lake house.  How did I collect so much stuff???

I'm also trying to pack items that I know I'll put in a garage sale in separate boxes from the things I'll actually want to have and use in the new house.  It's a lot of sorting and decision-making all at once.  My brain is reeling.

Well, my little break time is over.  I have to leave here in about 30 minutes.  Time to get a quick shower and throw on some clothes and makeup.

Prayers for Christine, Judy's sister, Connie and Trish's health, and Eileen's roommate!

Love you all!

Hello sweet Vickie....I am so sorry things were so crazy for you yesterday. Chris and Mike need to learn about $$$ and also to not fight around their boys. I don't know why they haven't kept up with school payments. That should be near the top of their list!! I think Chris is shocked you aren't paying it. You hang in there!! After so many warnings you just have to end it. I had to do that with Kyleigh. Maybe they need to cut off cable services. No buying junk food and going anywhere until they can get things paid off. They will get it figured out!! Tough Love...you can do it!! I agree...Mike should work the extra hours. Chris just can't do it right now. I hope they get that figured out too!

God Bless Carrie!!! Good thing she was there. Getting the kids away was the best thing she could do. It is nice of Carrie to watch the little guys today. I hope Carrie doesn't use the credit card you gave her and pay the bill!!! I would think she wouldn't do it. 

It sounds like you were up at the crack of dawn. You have a lot of things done and lots of calls made. Good for you!!

I know sorting takes more time when moving. I think it is the best way for you to go. Why haul things to the new house that you don't even need.

I posted a message from Christine....she is doing well.

I love you and feel so bad I can't help you pack. Just too far away for me  right now. I love you my dear friend!!!

Much love, hugs and many prayers....connie d

Hi Trish and my OFF family:

Sorry you got sick, Trish. Hope you are feeling better.

I am on vacation. I woke up just dragging, but I'm on vacation so it doesn't matter. I wanted to go to the Y but my get up and go got up and went. And then I got a headache. No wonder why ... thunderstorms are forecast for the whole week. Typical vacation for me ... rain. 

I did get the Italian sausage browned and everything fixed for baked ziti. Richard got an express mail package this afternoon ... he was so happy, it was his long-awaited birth certificate. He got dressed and went down to state medicaid office to turn in the last of his records. He also needed to get his Diet Pepsi (I swear, he goes through those faster than ... I can't think of what I go through that fast ... not even coffee). I gave him a $20. He came back and said he misplaced the $20, which pissed me off a bit. Then he frantically searched for it. Couldn't find it, went back to the gas station to look for it. Came back here and searched some more. Finally found it in an envelope in his briefcase.  Didn't help my headache any. So now he's out getting his Diet Pepsis with the first $20 I gave him. But at least now he has all his records that he needed and can move forward. 

As for me, I am watching opening day of White Sox baseball. They are losing, which is not making me happy. But at least I was able to get my Chromecast working again. Tonight is the NCAA basketball championship ... I can actually watch it without doing so at my desk. We have baked ziti for dinner. It smells great, although I have to wait until Richard gets back here to put the last of the cheese on there to fini**** off.

Vickie, you're right to let Christie figure it out herself (although I don't know how often my mom has bailed me out). You have enough on your plate right now.

Connie, glad your walking program is working for you. Wish my body felt better. 

Haven't read about Christine. Hope it's OK. 

Well, can't remember anything else. Have a good day.