Thread Drift

[Trek420]

snapdragen "And when they asked the proper way to sneeze or cough - I got it right! In our sleeves! See, TE is a font of information......"

And yet TE is no substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician before sneezing, eating Dove chocolate or starting any exercise program. TE is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of TE TD :cool:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=10993

[DebW]

Swampwalker David Carroll (naturalist, artist, author, and turtle expert) recently won a MacArthur genius grant. I've read 2 of his books ("The Swampwalker" and "Self-Portrait with Turtles") and this man's powers of observation are truly amazing. Has anyone else (Nanci?) read his books? I highly recommend them. And what is Carroll going to do with his $500,000 award prize money? He's going to buy health insurance for the first time in 30 years, according to an article in the Boston Globe.

I have a pumpkin pie in the oven right now. And seeing as I'm home alone this week, anyone want to come over and help me OD on pumpkin pie?

[snapdragen]

I have a pumpkin pie in the oven right now. And seeing as I'm home alone this week, anyone want to come over and help me OD on pumpkin pie?


Yes!

[chickwhorips]

I have a pumpkin pie in the oven right now. And seeing as I'm home alone this week, anyone want to come over and help me OD on pumpkin pie?

ME ME!!!!:)

[chickwhorips]

snap if i get sick again this december like i did last year (though it was food poisoning) i'm gonna call you to take care of me. sounds to me your more than qualified.

[Kitsune06]

God Willing, I will never change sheets or bedpans again, but... ok, no buts. Sorry CWR, Snap can take the job. :rolleyes:

I'm up for punkin pie, though... sooo hungry!

[Trek420]

Punkin pie? Is there whip cream?

I'll pick up a few six packs of Buffalo Bills Pumpkin Ale as I head out....

[Kitsune06]

Punkin pie? Is there whip cream?

I'll pick up a few six packs of Buffalo Bills Pumpkin Ale as I head out....

O.M.G. Trek! I LOVE Pumpkin Ale! I was *amazed* how much an ale could taste like pumpkin pie. So good. http://qb.smugmug.com/photos/102799722-Ti.gif

[chickwhorips]

God Willing, I will never change sheets or bedpans again, but... ok, no buts. Sorry CWR, Snap can take the job. :rolleyes:

as sick as i've ever been i've never needed that. and what kind of little sister are you anyhow?

[chickwhorips]

i wasn't aware there was such an ale. things i miss out on.

[Kitsune06]

...I think you're inexperienced here. What kind of little sister would sheet-change and do bedpan duty?
My rules are simple:
If I am not
a) sleeping with/living with/'married to' you
b) wearing your name on my collar under "Property Of..."
or c) am not totally bound to your caretaking for any other reasons of health, sanity, or simple hygine
I am not attending to your bodily functions.

I like you lots, but, alas, not that much. :D ;)

[chickwhorips]

b) wearing your name on my collar under "Property Of..."

we can arrange that ;)

[Kitsune06]

Probably over DGF's dead body. I don't really want that... :eek: B is inseparably attached to A. :)
That's the problem with all these professional jobs. I never get to wear my collar. :rolleyes:

[DebW]

Punkin pie? Is there whip cream?

I'll pick up a few six packs of Buffalo Bills Pumpkin Ale as I head out....

All right, ladies. The pie is out of the oven, but I'm not cutting it until tomorrow at 6 pm. You've got a day to get here. We'll expect that Pumpkin Ale, Trek. Sounds good.

Last week I drank a Polygamy Porter (courtesy of my friend from Utah) - "when one just isn't enough" *groan* The label had a naked man and 3 naked women.

[chickwhorips]

only a day to get there! travel time alone to the other side of the lower 48 takes me about 22 hours.

can you just mail me a piece?

[Kitsune06]

All right, ladies. The pie is out of the oven, but I'm not cutting it until tomorrow at 6 pm. You've got a day to get here. We'll expect that Pumpkin Ale, Trek. Sounds good.

Last week I drank a Polygamy Porter (courtesy of my friend from Utah) - "when one just isn't enough" *groan* The label had a naked man and 3 naked women.

Ironic... I didn't think mormons could have alcohol (or even caffiene?)

[Trek420]

chickwhorips "i wasn't aware there was such an ale. things i miss out on."

ooooh the things we have in Hayward :rolleyes:

[chickwhorips]

hey kit have you ever seen SLC Punk?

[DebW]

Ironic... I didn't think mormons could have alcohol (or even caffiene?)

My friend is not Mormon. He's just from Utah. Hmmm, wonder if that bottle was really from Utah or if my friend printed himself the label and stuck it on...

[chickwhorips]

ooooh the things we have in Hayward :rolleyes:

oh great... more that i'm missing out on in the 'real world'. do i even want to know?

[Kitsune06]

My friend is not Mormon. He's just from Utah. Hmmm, wonder if that bottle was really from Utah or if my friend printed himself the label and stuck it on...

No, no, I've heard of/ had it. (it was a joke. Long story) It really does exist.

[Xrayted]

Thanks ladies! As always you are a pick-me-up. I've been laughing my arse off catching up.

Nanci - Sorry about the friend. She'll bounce back in no time I'm sure. Cute new snake. Sorry you had to oust one though. BTW - Thanks ((Nanci)) for the advice on the job thing. I'm looking into expanding my talents ASAP to be more marketable when I take the leap. I'm hoping next year. (Anything to get away from fluoro. Sorry, I know your a fluoro supervisor but I just hate it. It's very invasive for the techs here compaired to wehre you are. Blech. Wretch.)
BMo3 and Knotted - **Ahem** I probably shouldn't go anywhere near the bra conversation, but... ah, ah, ah, I can't help myself. You should feel lucky. Being a C is like the perfect size - just the right amount to, um, "handle" and gravity can only take them so far. Me? well... 34D. It's a little rough trying to find a good workout bra that doesn't look like it was made for "Helga: The Terminator". Losing weight again so I hope to get back down to a 34C soon. (I'm the only woman I know who actually wishes for smaller ones. :rolleyes: )
Knotted - How to get groceries w/o spending $? Visit the parents every dinnertime. (Or at my Mom's, it's anytime you happen to walk in. The woman is constantly trying to shove food down my pie hole. :) )
BMo3 - Good luck tomorrow! You'll do fine. It's nice you're starting earlier in the day. It means you get to eat sooner. Hope they find good news.
DebW - I haven't had one yet, but as I understand from my patients, the prep is the worst part. The only thing I can say is, I hope they get the whole way through while you're there. Otherwise, you get to come to the Radiology dept the next day - and you're very much awake for what we have to do to you. :eek: :eek: (Nanci's fav study - NOT!)
As for the pie, I was just thinking, if you freeze a piece and sent it Fed Ex Overnight to me in PA, it would be just about perfectly thawed when it got here. *hint, hint*

Ah, the hot tub is calling once more. I'll be back...

-X.

[Lise]

And yet TE is no substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician before sneezing, eating Dove chocolate or starting any exercise program. TE is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of TE TD :cool:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=10993

Just today she posted that? Ironic. I was afraid the link was going to take us to one of the many times I've said (essentially) "I'm not your health care provider, I'm not giving you advice, you can't sue me." :rolleyes:

Jennifer, I'll be thinking of you all day tomorrow. Let us know how things go.

Nanci, congrats on the new baby!

Fish, congrats on the new house! fishjr will settle down...it can be tough. I went to four grade schools and three jr highs before going to one HS for four years. She's a sensitive kid, but you two sound like awfully good parents.

I continue to be very :D :D :D about J! Even met his sister today, who's in town to help with his move into the city. She's really nice. Why would I be surprised to like the sister of the man I like so much?

[KnottedYet]

BMo3 - good thoughts coming your way for tomorrow. Be sure to wear your Ibex hat!

[KnottedYet]

I'm soooo down I can hardly breathe. DPITA must've gotten The Letter by now. No communication, of course. I don't miss my ring at all. I feel like a social clutz. I just got home at 8 pm, but I'm too exhausted and lonely to sleep. I need a haircut. I burnt the roof of my mouth on my baked potato.

I just want to be through this crap so I can go on my bumbling inept way, auditioning the gorgeous hottie for the next Ms. Knot and riding my bike in some centuries.

I want to get a phone call "Ok. Call it good. Slate is clean. Bye." I'm just really scared she's gonna put me through the wringer and I'll waver.

Weak moment! And I have no chocolate to bolster my soul!:(

(but I do have bike-chain tattoos that Doc did)

[salsabike]

Xrayted. I am so sorry. Print shops are pretty dangerous, toxic places, I gather. I am really sorry about your friend--and about the larger implications of company policy. Infuriating.

Nanci---Addy is cool! Although it's hard for me to say goodbye mentally to anything named "Baby Russell". Good thing I never saw a pic of him. Yeah, aren't hognoses the ones who play dead? They sound like they're vastly entertaining. I haven't had a period since last Thanksgiving, btw, so don't think we'll be seeing Carrie in THIS house anytime soon. Paris Hilton with Tinkerbell in her purse--would've been a classic.

Knotted, I thought it was against all laws of the universe to leave Costco having spent only $20. How the hell did you manage that?? I am impressed.

DebW---colonoscopy prep is a drag (put a good book in the bathroom) but the drugs are fun and you won't remember a thing.

Hey, Lise. I don't drink either.

Having a broken toe is a boring, slow-moving pain in the ***. And why is it that the SIDI Dominators that'll fit me only come in black? Yuck. Wonder if I should use one of those late-night-TV-put-rhinestones-on-everything machines on those black Dominators?

I have one Siamese cat sitting between me and the keyboard, and one small Abyssinian cat snoring happily--and loudly--under the table.

BMomof3---PMed you some favorite websites in case you can't sleep tonight. We'll all be visualizing you in your Ibex hat. By this time tomorrow, it'll all be done, and you can read more posts on being bereft of perk.

[salsabike]

Knotted! You'll get through this, and it will be better.

[Kitsune06]

Gonna go for spikes again? I haven't seen you w/ spikes, so I dunno what I'm getting into by asking, but thought I'd tempt fate. Professional job is making me wear my hair longer again. *BOO!*

As far as it really matters, you are done with that crap. The letter should be the end of your involvement as far as you're concerned. It's her turn to process something.

Just have fun being a klutz with whatever sweet, charming biker girls you happen to meet/chat with/etc. The right one will love you for your mind and inherent charm.

(((Knot)))

I vote to bring subtle codes etc back to dating etc. Simple, straightforward, and no f*cking around (unless you want to!)

I'm tired and stoopid. I wanna go home. It's Friday, and God so Help me, I'm gonna celebrate it like a 21 year old! (quietly, drunk, in front of the computer.) ;)

[KnottedYet]

Knotted! You'll get through this, and it will be better.

Thank you. This crap is TINY in the grand scheme of the universe, but I'm wallowing in it. It's funny, I don't feel any regret. I'm just in terror that it won't "stick". Of course, the terror I'm feeling now will help me stand on my own two feet if I do get a heap of abuse dumped on my head. So I really should be fine.

I need to get l@id. Now, what was that rule in the thespian handbook about rebounds... :rolleyes:

[salsabike]

Naw, this is PART of the grand scheme, so while it's not everything, it's damn well not tiny either. And it's HARD. But it gets better. Relationships should NOT make you feel bad when you're in them, dammit. That's the only rule I am sure of. Just keep trudging, cookie. You'll get there.

[KnottedYet]

Just have fun being a klutz with whatever sweet, charming biker girls you happen to meet/chat with/etc. The right one will love you for your mind and inherent charm.


And abs? :D

[Kitsune06]

Thank you. This crap is TINY in the grand scheme of the universe, but I'm wallowing in it. It's funny, I don't feel any regret. I'm just in terror that it won't "stick". Of course, the terror I'm feeling now will help me stand on my own two feet if I do get a heap of abuse dumped on my head. So I really should be fine.

I need to get l@id. Now, what was that rule in the thespian handbook about rebounds... :rolleyes:
Ooh! Oooh!!1 I have this one memorized! It's Chapter 5 verse 18 line 5: Wherein the "Sexual Inactivity" is greater than 4 months but less than 5 years, said thespian is to be reintroduced to action at soonest possible convenience. In the event this is >5 years, subject must be reaffirmed to have a pulse."

That woman wouldn't have a **** leg to stand on if she had the unmitigated GALL to even ****ing dare threaten you with abuse. The mere idea gives me creepy shivers. I'm not even going to start with the reality check needed here. GRRRR:mad:


And abs? :D
Oh, and Yes, especially abs. :D

[Trek420]

Kitsune06 "Oh, and Yes, especially abs. :D" and the ability to get out of Costco for $20.00.

Kit I believe in It's Chapter 5 verse 18 line 10 in the first edition of the manual (I have an autographed copy signed by K.D. I got when I got my re-enlistment bonus. When I re-enlisted the recruiting officer told me there'd be lots of gratuitious sox. There's been none, but you know how they lie to get you to enlist. I was also told I'd get stationed in Hawaii but that's another story) anyway....in the back there's a list of suitable events including cycling to check if said subject has a pulse. Isn't there a single gals who like gals ride somewhere? Or the Cinderella ride but that's not till March?

[KnottedYet]

<snort>:D
I love you guys....

[Nanci]

Snap, yes, that's the one. And did you notice in his picture he looked like a cobra? Weren't you scared?? (Apparently the two species, Eastern and western, color themselves to resemble the eastern and western rattlsnake species they live by!) I did some more reading, and found out that, yes, they may strike with their mouths closed, and their teeny tiny teeth are so far back that if they did bite, their teeth couldn't contact you anyway, and furthermore, the only way you could possibly lure one into biting would be if you'd recently handled a toad and smelled like prey. Even poking it about the mouth won't encourage a bite. The Southern Hognose has never been documented to have bitten a human.

I can't wait to take him out. Leaving him to adjust is harder than resisting funny comments on PR's wattle. He's so funny, sticking out his "hood," and he's so soft and silky feeling.

I need a toad.

[Lise]

Weren't you scared?? I did find that picture a little scary.

[KnottedYet]

Hmmmm, mighty good coffee this morning. I don't work this afternoon, wheee! Time for a bike ride! Hey, Salsa, shall we run into (figuratively) each other again on the SmmshRvTrl today?

Kit, is it your turn to have a hangover?

[DebW]

DebW - I haven't had one yet, but as I understand from my patients, the prep is the worst part. The only thing I can say is, I hope they get the whole way through while you're there. Otherwise, you get to come to the Radiology dept the next day - and you're very much awake for what we have to do to you. :eek: :eek: (Nanci's fav study - NOT!)

What's this about not getting the whole way through??? Nobody told me about that. And what's radiology got to do with it? They're sending me to enterology. Last year my h went through this, and after he'd done the prep, they called him the morning of the appointment and said that power was out at the hospital and they were cancelling his appointment. That sucked.


Thank you. This crap is TINY in the grand scheme of the universe, but I'm wallowing in it. It's funny, I don't feel any regret. I'm just in terror that it won't "stick". Of course, the terror I'm feeling now will help me stand on my own two feet if I do get a heap of abuse dumped on my head. So I really should be fine.


Knotted, try thinking about stromatolites, microbial mats which have existed on earth for 3.5 billion years. It always works for me (but I realize I'm weird). And if that doesn't work (or even if it does), go ride Flossie. Better yet, ride Flossie and think about stromatolites. That's sure to improve your disposition and determination.

[salsabike]

Hmmmm, mighty good coffee this morning. I don't work this afternoon, wheee! Time for a bike ride! Hey, Salsa, shall we run into (figuratively) each other again on the SmmshRvTrl today?



Babe, it's hard to ride with a newly broken toe. I'm hopin' in another few days, maybe by the weekend...

[Nanci]

Deb, if you go for a colonoscopy, and they can't get the scope all the way to your terminal ileum- where the colon joins the small bowel- because of twists and turns or a stricture or a possible tumor or whatever- then they need to visualize the rest of the colon, so you'd get a barium enema. If you can't get in the same day, for the BE, that's bad, because you'll have to do the prep again. You have to be awake for the BE because you are required to position your body in different ways to make the barium flow around and highlight the various segments of colon. I think this (needing a BE later) is fairly uncommon.

[Aggie_Ama]

Just thought it was interesting the way they track down their patients. I suppose no one volunteers for that test. I've put off mammograms for 2 years at a time and they never called me (I did do it this year).

Has anyone heard from Beta? How is she surviving her 6 week bike exile? Maybe she found it easier to stay away from TE while she had to stay away from the bike?

Funny your doctor stalked you down. Wish my Dad's would have done this, he would have avoid chemo for colon cancer.

Thanks to Dear Ol' Dad I get the colonoscopy at 40. My DH had one last week to diagnose Crohn's disease. His doctor endearingly referred to it as his meeting with "the long black snake". Bleck!

DH said the prep was bad, but the hunger from it was worse. He is ravenous from being on prednisone and liquid diet isn't great. I think he was glad to have the drink because when you can't get out of the bathroom you aren't hungry. Get some aloe wipes. My mom and my DH are tough, they said the prep wasn't as bad as you imagine. My Dad said it was awful. Good luck!

BMo3- Good luck today. I had the same prep for an EEG, but I got to sleep through the test. It was preferred that I sleep and I had no objections!

I can't keep up with the drift! Ya'll have a wonderful day. :D

[jobob]

I just went online to cancel a hotel reservation.

The cancellation policy says:


Please cancel your reservation at least 24 hours prior to arrival to avoid cancellation fees.

um, o-kaaay.

[SadieKate]

Better make sure you don't arrive then!

Wot's the change? Changing plans for cheese?

[maillotpois]

I just went online to cancel a hotel reservation.

The cancellation policy says:


Please cancel your reservation at least 24 hours prior to arrival to avoid cancellation fees.

um, o-kaaay.

That's great Engrish!!

[maillotpois]

hey TD.

I am sitting in the school computer lab overseeing the PP's classmates for my1/2 hour stint as monitor. This afternoon I start the first of 6 days of mediation training as I embark on a major left turn in my career. scared, excited, nervous, happy.

so I have missed lots of TD in the last few days. I have caught up on some. so far, this is what I know:

1. I also want pumpkin pie.
2. I would be okay with snap changing my bedpan and would try not to miss.
3. I wish I could really give Knot a hug.
4. I wanna see Nanci's new snake and I agree she needs a frog.
5. I wish everyone who needs it (Kit I think) career and hair peace (as opposed to hairpiece).
6. I want to know if Fish has a house yet and haven't been able to determine that from the TD I have read....

wow. it's hot in this computer lab.

[Nanci]

Knot, does _anyone_ ever, after being lettered, say ok, no hard feelings? I sure wouldn't. I'd either be inconsolably disbelieving, or enraged. Neither way would I lower myself to ever speaking to that person again...

I'd probably have a bonfire with the letter, and a bottle of wine.

Wait- I _have_ done that.

It sure felt good, rather than keeping the letter as a horrid memento forever.

Wow, I haven't thought about stromatolites in a long time.

Whoever cares the least wins. Be the one who cares the least.

[Nanci]

Fish has a gorgeous house! In Baton Rouge. And I think her house sold quickly, after a brief scare. One of the minnows is having a hard time with the move- misses her friends.

I think Knot needs a snake. They are so relaxing, yet unneedy.

I love pumpkin pie. With whip cream.

[SadieKate]

Somebody had to be the martyrs so yellow, Bubba and I put a great deal of time this weekend researching various combinations of port (4 types), cheese (4 goat and sheep cheeses), and various fruits and breads.

The cheese results:
Ewephoria – best with a tart crisp apple such as a Honey Crisp. The combo with a Braeburn came in an acceptable second.

Cypress Grove Midnight Moon – crisp green pear (tart but not sweet).

Drunken Goat – Olive Pugliesi bread (funny thing, I kept raving about the combo with the olive bread which I normally dislike. We looked up the cheese on the internet and the recommendation was to eat with olive tapenade).

Cypress Grove Purple Haze (chevre with fennel pollen and lavender) – plain soft rustic bread

The port results:
Dagoba Organic 87% dark choc – Clocktower Tawny Port

Scharffen Berger L’Ancienne Jamaica (limited edition) – Clocktower Tawny

Scharffen Berger Nibby – Fonseca (overtones of cherry)

Scharffen Berger Kumasi Sambirano (limited edition) - Dow

Lake Champlain Vermont Dark Choc with Almonds – Fonseca or 6 Grapes. The Fonseca has overtones of cherry while the 6 Grapes was cherry and plum. Dow Port was only OK.

We discovered that the dark bittersweet chocolates needed tawny port, while the sweet chocolates needed the lighter classic ruby ports. Also, that soft cheese is best on soft bread for the best mouth feel. Yellow came up with all kinds of high falutin’ terminology for our experiment results but I can’t remember any of them.

While Bubba and I were in Oregon last week, we stopped by the Rogue Creamery, the only American cheesemaker to win a world title for blue cheese. So stay tuned for more cheese research.

[Nanci]

Now this is research I can use!!

[Kitsune06]

Knot, does _anyone_ ever, after being lettered, say ok, no hard feelings? I sure wouldn't. I'd either be inconsolably disbelieving, or enraged. Neither way would I lower myself to ever speaking to that person again...

I'd probably have a bonfire with the letter, and a bottle of wine.

Wait- I _have_ done that.

It sure felt good, rather than keeping the letter as a horrid memento forever.

Wow, I haven't thought about stromatolites in a long time.

Whoever cares the least wins. Be the one who cares the least.


Well said. Some people just aren't adult enough to end anything amicably, and if it really comes down to it, yeah, you might just have to go with simply not caring. I would hope she'd be the type of mature person who could read and at least phone you to talk it out (this is where you hold your ground, knowing you were slow to make the decision, but made it enough times now that you had to act on it and you're not going back), but if she's disbelieving/enraged... well... she can also be SOL, too. Communication/people skills. You either have them, or you don't. Too many people don't and pretend they do.

Yeah, it's my turn to have a hangover and I feel really ****y this morning. I had close to half a bottle of port before slogging to bed. I don't even remember what kind 'cept that it was a ruby, and I don't want to go near the trash can to look.

unggh. at least I don't work until 3.

[chickwhorips]

knot i know its nice to have some complete closure, but in this instance you may or may not get it. either way if you never hear from her again then good. if she decided to call, talk to her calmly, i know easier said then done but it will be better for you. let her make the a$$ out of herself by losing control while you sit there level headed, which i know you can do.

[Trek420]

chickwhorips "let her make the a$$ out of herself by losing control while you sit there level headed, which i know you can do."

what's that saying "If you can keep your head while others about you are loosing theirs..." that's either an old saying or something I recall from study of the French Revolution. :rolleyes:

SK, mmmmmm, cheese :)

[snapdragen]

Knot - you would not be responsible if she were to hurt herself. It's all on her. Do not let her put that load of **** on you.

[KnottedYet]

Sorry to leave you hanging, Snap. I deleted my post.

You're right, though. I can't be responsible for her actions/threats.

[DebW]

chickwhorips "let her make the a$$ out of herself by losing control while you sit there level headed, which i know you can do."

what's that saying "If you can keep your head while others about you are loosing theirs..." that's either an old saying or something I recall from study of the French Revolution. :rolleyes:


Poem called "If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
.................... etc etc etc
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

:rolleyes: Hmmm, maybe we shouldn't try and turn Knotted into a man.

[KnottedYet]

Vicchysoisse!

<geshundheit!>

It's cold and wet here, real wool socks and wool sweater weather. So I'm not riding. Getting into this crock-pot thing. Just started a big ol' pot of bast**dized Vicchysoisse. (I'm using garlic instead of leeks)

Mmmmmmm-mmmmm! Warm cozy soup for a cold chilly damp day! (and whole peppercorns add excitement to the coziness!)

Stinky Butt Dog is deeply offended that I didn't give him any raw chicken. I can see the pained betrayal welling up in his eyes. (he got scrambled egg and spam this morning, he's not as deprived as he wants the world to believe!)

Y'all come over for dinner. We'll have comfort food: Viccysoisse, crusty french bread, good wine (no more $3.64 bottles, I promise!) or good beer or drink of choice, some flan with dark chocolate and rich dark coffee.

[Kitsune06]

Poem called "If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
.................... etc etc etc
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

:rolleyes: Hmmm, maybe we shouldn't try and turn Knotted into a man.

I'm not sure that her key audience would like her as much that way... :p I've always loved that poem, though, and tried to fit the description (not that I'm trying to be a man, but those are great virtues to vie for anyway...)



Y'all come over for dinner. We'll have comfort food: Viccysoisse, crusty french bread, good wine (no more $3.64 bottles, I promise!) or good beer or drink of choice, some flan with dark chocolate and rich dark coffee.

mmm wish I could. That sounds so good! *drools*

[mimitabby]

wow. You really pay if you get behind in thread drift!

Knot, I hope that things are better for you now. It really is scary, that sense of freefall when you end your side of a relationship without knowing what the other end is going to do/or not to do.

Hey, what's this about a broken toe Salsabike??


All I can say is I am ready to go on vacation and i really need a bike ride.

chocolate would be good too!

[KnottedYet]

Dog-legs for Lise!!

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m21/KnottedYet/DSCN0281.jpg

See, Stinky Butt Dog isn't a dachshund!:D
But he's sweet anyway.;)

[KnottedYet]

Dang, that sweater is awfully big now... (heeheeheee!)

It's just hanging out all over. How hard is it to shrink a sweater around without shrinking it lengthwise? Have any of you shrunk a sweater successfully?

[Nanci]

DD's bird came home today. His leg is black and infected but the vet feels she can treat it just as well on EO day visits...Not looking good in terms of saving it.

[Lise]

Dog-legs for Lise!!
See, Stinky Butt Dog isn't a dachshund!:D
But he's sweet anyway.;)
Wow. Most emphatically not a dachshund! I can't believe what a trick the camera played with the perspective in that other shot.

KN--the desire to get a response from my ex was, for me, yet another way to stay connected. I had to look clearly at my own desire to get the response I wanted, once and for all. I had to simply let go. And move on. That's where the joy lies. My ex also threatened self-harm. Believe me, it never happened. The whole point was to terrorize ME. Once I simply looked away, there was no benefit in continuing to threaten me. I have no power over others' choices. If your ex harms herself, it's tragic, but has nothing to do with you.

Let's concentrate on the flan and pumpkin pie, shall we? :D :p :rolleyes:

I had a typical day at the city clinic which culminated in them having no instruments sterilized for the one procedure I do there (insert IUDs). I will spare you my whine about it all. I acted like a professional, wrote it up, talked to the appropriate people, ended my day, and drove directly to the nail salon for a pedicure. Enough's enough! Tonight I'm on call, so I'm going to hit the hay for, I hope, a two hour nap.

Nanci--best wishes to Roy and your DD.

[Nanci]

My HS BF threatened to stick a syringe of carbontetrachloride into his leg when I broke up with him. He didn't. But then he started with the psycho-stalker gifts.

My ex DH, on the first day of the end of our marriage, asked if I ever felt like killing myself, in a bid for sympathy. I told him to get his azz to a shrink if he was seriously entertaining that thought.

It's what they do.

[Kitsune06]

Nice pic, Knot! Verynottadoxie!

I learned some extremely important things today- possibly one of the most important being, even if a swimming suit hasn't seen wear in (years?) the material still may well have gone to h*ll... and always try on a suit before taking it. ...and once it goes to h*ll, it sags lots. I had a lady congratulate me on my drastic weight loss.:eek: Since I was there and wet, I decided to swim anyway. Baggy suits trap air. Awkwardly. Trapped air is a stealth whoopie cushion. Imagine my surprise when I was talking to the hottie tri gent who was giving me 'swimming lessons', lifted myself out of the pool, and plopped down on the edge, making a nasty firrrrrt noise. :o :p Thank GOD he didn't say anything.

That suit? trashed, thankoo.
gonna bike in Friday morning (weather permitting) to get a nice tri experience... just.... slowly.

[mimitabby]

My HS BF threatened to stick a syringe of carbontetrachloride into his leg when I broke up with him. He didn't. But then he started with the psycho-stalker gifts.

My ex DH, on the first day of the end of our marriage, asked if I ever felt like killing myself, in a bid for sympathy. I told him to get his azz to a shrink if he was seriously entertaining that thought.

It's what they do.

Okay, what's a HS BF? heterosexual boyfriend? Homosexual boy friend?

One of my relatives ended up staying with a creep long enough to give her two sadly messed up kids because of that slimy creepy threat "If you break up with me, I'll kill myself" We jumped up and down and yelled "LET HIM!!" but she didn't listen.. Because we knew the coward would never do it.

I finished touching up my son's bike. His brother and I did a little modification on it, (he did the cutting, i did the painting) it will be a surprise for his birthday. Bikes are hard to hide in a small house !!!(it had to be in the house because it's too cold in the garage to paint)

[Kitsune06]

I'm thinking High School boyfriend, actually...

[DebW]

I finished touching up my son's bike. His brother and I did a little modification on it, (he did the cutting, i did the painting) it will be a surprise for his birthday. Bikes are hard to hide in a small house !!!(it had to be in the house because it's too cold in the garage to paint)

Cutting???



Let's concentrate on the flan and pumpkin pie, shall we? :D :p :rolleyes:


Mmmm, the pumpkin pie is good. Eating it right now. Wish you all could have some.

[KnottedYet]

Mmmm, the vicchysoisse is good! C'mon over! Dinner at my house, dessert at DebW's!

(hope you don't mind I volunteered ya, Deb....:D )

[Aggie_Ama]

Mmmm, the vicchysoisse is good! C'mon over! Dinner at my house, dessert at DebW's!

(hope you don't mind I volunteered ya, Deb....:D )


Can you believe vicchysoisse was a spelling word for me in fourth grade? One of my best teachers loved to throw out strange words like that. She also gave us barbeque because she was tired of seeing "I went out for BBQ this weekend." I had forgotten about her, she died of breast cancer when I was a senior in high school. Wonderful woman, thanks Knot for triggering that memory. :D

[Kitsune06]

... and the personal jet to allow a reasonable amt of time between dinner and dessert? :D

I'd come over for dinner, but geez, could be a little more convenient, there, Knot. The 'Couve, maybe? :)

hmmm gotta think about dinner my own darn self... hmm.

[DebW]

Mmmm, the vicchysoisse is good! C'mon over! Dinner at my house, dessert at DebW's!

(hope you don't mind I volunteered ya, Deb....:D )

I offered yesterday and gave everyone 24 hours to get here. And I'm eating pie alone anyway. But I'll share the best I can. Here it is, a whole pie minus the one piece I ate.

[KnottedYet]

MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmMMMMM!

Deb, that looks GOOD!

(I'd post a pic of my crock pot of vicchysoisse, but actually it isn't all that pretty)

[Kitsune06]

Hot pizza and cold beer for me. Pizza- supreme DiGiornos, beer- Firehouse 9 PikePole Porter (though it's more of a dark IPA in flavor and body)

[Veronica]

Bananas with warm caramel sauce, topped with whipped cream. :D

V.

[Trek420]

Had dinner with Spazzdog and my friend Theresa at Tropix in Oakland. Good time was had by all, it was a belated celebration of S'dogs b'day.

I had jambalaya. Yum.

[snapdragen]

Snap, yes, that's the one. And did you notice in his picture he looked like a cobra? Weren't you scared??...............
I need a toad.

Oh yes! Absolutely terrified! Please let him know what a big scary snake he is.....:p

Everyone needs a toad. I had on in my garden, when I had my ginormous vegetable patch.

Who is it that hates the word ginormous?

[annie]

OMG@@!! TD is impossible! :D Life, work, work, sleep........ kept me away for a few days and there is SO much to catch up. I give up. Defeat. :rolleyes: :confused: Yet I can't stay away........ why is that?? Could TD be addictive? My kids hog the computer at home, so here I sit. I closed the bar and locked the door over an hour ago, and am now sipping an awesome wine (Estancia Meritage), listening to gorgeous piano music (on a CD) and reading TD on TE. I should go home......... and will eventually.

DebW - Comiseration on the Colon test thingy! Just had my first one two days past. I was not looking forward to it. Do ya think???? Whoever said the prep is the worst part, they got it in spades! Plan on a large amount of time spent on porcelain throne night before procedure. Get that over with; have the 'scope, and all is well. At least it was for me. Keeping my fingers crossed for you! They gave me 10 yrs. before the next one.

Going to a chili dinner/cookoff tomorrow night. Got my ingredients ready and will throw all in a crockpot tomorrow and let it cook and stew and meld all day! can't wait. Who's got good chili recipes?

Pumpkin pie sounded and looked awesome!

OK ---I must confess. I am putting off leaving work tonight. It's garbage night. I have to haul out all the recycling bins (5), plus garbage bags, into the back alley before I leave. It's very dark back there. Never had a problem, but I still don't LIKE it. Just a tiny bit scary late at night. Here goes.....

annie - glad she lives in the mostly safe little town of Dbq

[Xrayted]

I don't know from toads but I've got a GF who has a huge frog in her little backyard pond. We were sitting out back one day, and all of a sudden, there is a robin flapping/struggling in the pond water. We ran over and see that the frog is dragging it under. :eek: We tried to save it, but the frog won. The the green dude's official name is now "Attack Frog From H*ll". I'm totally scared of the thing and I normally love frogs. Eeew, I just got a shiver thinking about it...

[Nanci]

Wow, I could imagine a large bullfrog getting baby ducks, but a robin???

HS= High School

Look at the baby! I'm hoping today when I get to work, one of my minions will have captured a toad. I must have asked 20 people...

[Bikingmomof3]

Amazing, I am gone for a day of testing and them down for the remainder of the day in pain, and I wake-up to 5 pages of TD. I love you ladies.

Thank you for all the well wishes. I survived the tests. I was not allowed to sleep through them as they needed to flash lots of annoying strobes at me. I do not think I will get the results until my next Neurologist meeting Dec 22.

Knot-I missed something major, did you delete a post? :confused: I have a migraine hangover and I am still trying to catch up on my caffeine. I do not know what happened, if your ex-gf contacted you or not, etc. What I do know is she does not deserve a wonderful, giving person like you. You are better off, it may not feel like it at the moment, but it will. (((((((Knot)))))))
I adore the picture of stinky dog and of course you. You are adorable.
As for sweater shrinking, I knit and know a trick or two. Amazing things can be done to sweaters. PM me, phone me, email, whatever, if you like and I can try and talk you through the process.

Snap-I am thrilled to hear you knew the proper way to sneeze thanks to a brief clip here on TE. :cool: My next stroke, will you come care for me? I have a fear my boys would forget.

Deb- The books sound interesting. I am an avid reader and have been keeping a list of suggested readings. Thanks for the heads up.
Okay, I will confess, I do not care for pumpkin pie, but I would however love to visit and have a cup of coffee. BTW, the pie looks lovely.

Drinking-Pumpkin Ale sounds gross, but then again I do not drink. I do however love the label. The same applies to the Polygamy Porter. :D I have such an addictive personality (not that is ever shows up here) that I would probably not be able to drink in moderation. :(

Salsa-I am sorry your toes is still bothering you. With the late night infomercial for those do it yourself studding of clothing thingies (I cannot think of the name) you could make some styling gear. :cool:
Thank you for the numerous links, they did help. :)

Nanci-Addy does indeed look very scary, in the one picture and adorable in the other. I also agree that you need to get a toad.
I am glad your DD has Roy back home with her, sorry about his foot. :( .

Sk-Drunken Goat is one of my favourite cheeses. Naturally I have not met a SB I did not like. Thank you for doing this valuable research for us. Such sacrifices. ;)

Kit-The image of you in your old swimsuit cracked me up. Thank you, I needed a laugh. :D

Mimi-what type of bike did you buy for your son's birthday?


If I missed anyone or a major event, I apologize.

[crazycanuck]

I've been happily lurking and haven't had a chance to post.

Pumpkin pie...you guys can have all of it as i'm not a big fan. Why are you making pumpkin pie now? When's US thanksgiving??

Nanci, that's a beautiful snake you have there.

I think...I say I think..I think i ran over a small snake or something on my way home from work tonight..It didn't look like a twig and i swear it moved. I could just be on drugs HOWEVER as it's getting hotter (it was 31c today) whatever it was may have just been sunning itself..

I need help with my Oct SS gift. I have no idea which socks from TE or anywhere else really to get her. I know this person doésn't live near a bike shop and want to make the gift special. As it's heading into winter up yonder what socks are good? HELP..

I had a crappy bike ride home tonight..UGH..My legs just didn't want to mozy..

c

[Veronica]

I like to wear wool socks in the winter. TE has a whole bunch of Smart Wool ones.
DeFeet also has some nice wool socks, all right here at TE. :)

V.

[crazycanuck]

I found some sockies for her...Gift wrapped too!!! Thanks TE.

[Nanci]

I don't have any Smart Wool cycling socks, but I have a ton of hiking/running socks from SW, and they are NICE. Not too hot to wear in the summer, even.

[DebW]

Pumpkin pie...you guys can have all of it as i'm not a big fan. Why are you making pumpkin pie now? When's US thanksgiving??


Because pumpkins are ripe now. There won't be any fresh ones near Thanksgiving (late November). I better go buy another pumpkin and freeze the puree for Turkey Day.



Thank you for all the well wishes. I survived the tests. I was not allowed to sleep through them as they needed to flash lots of annoying strobes at me. I do not think I will get the results until my next Neurologist meeting Dec 22.

Okay, I will confess, I do not care for pumpkin pie, but I would however love to visit and have a cup of coffee. BTW, the pie looks lovely.

If I missed anyone or a major event, I apologize.

BMO3, glad you survived the tests free of seizures and got it over with. If you visit me you'll have to bring your own coffee - I don't imbibe and if there's coffee in my house it's because a visitor left it unknown years ago (it would be in the freezer however). How do you manage to respond to 9 people in one post, and then feel compelled to appologize if you missed someone? You're amazing.

Nanci, Addy is such a cute little thing.

[Nanci]

So, BMO3, if you didn't have seizures, does that mean you may be able to resume driving??

[mimitabby]

Nanci, I'm no big reptile fan, but I really love your photos of your little snakes. I am glad there are people like you who cherish and care for these beasties.

My son's bike: I didn't buy it for him, i just modified it!!
It's a MIYATA, a 20+ something year old bike that older son had converted to a fixy, single gear, no coasting sort of bike. It had a channel on the top tube with 3 fixtures for something, a cable ?? but there's no cable, there were just these 3 metal things which could catch on your crotch if you leaned on the top tube. older son is not mechanical at all. Younger son is mechanical. Both are what we call "Starving students" so they are always trying to find cheap ways of celebrating each other's birthdays. So I knew Olderson hated those metal things sticking up on the top tube and I also knew that youngerson could take care of it and do a good job. So I suggested the whole thing, and he loved it (a free, cool birthday present) and came over the next weekend and did the surgery.
the rest was up to me. Finding paint that matched (I couldn't, it's a brownish maroon) and priming and painting the bike was my job.
I found a close match at the hobby store and also used it to cover up a lot of dings in the paint ( I love doing that, too bad I couldn't find a better match)
so now the bike is more attractive and safer for his crotch, anyway!

[DebW]

My son's bike: I didn't buy it for him, i just modified it!!
It's a MIYATA, a 20+ something year old bike that older son had converted to a fixy, single gear, no coasting sort of bike. It had a channel on the top tube with 3 fixtures for something, a cable ?? but there's no cable, there were just these 3 metal things which could catch on your crotch if you leaned on the top tube. older son is not mechanical at all. Younger son is mechanical. Both are what we call "Starving students" so they are always trying to find cheap ways of celebrating each other's birthdays. So I knew Olderson hated those metal things sticking up on the top tube and I also knew that youngerson could take care of it and do a good job. So I suggested the whole thing, and he loved it (a free, cool birthday present) and came over the next weekend and did the surgery.

so now the bike is more attractive and safer for his crotch, anyway!

The 3 metal things are for the rear brake cable housing. They aren't so dangerous if you have a cable through them, but on a fixie with no rear brake, I can see where you'd want to remove them.

[mimitabby]

The 3 metal things are for the rear brake cable housing. They aren't so dangerous if you have a cable through them, but on a fixie with no rear brake, I can see where you'd want to remove them.

Ah!! thank you for explaining. It does seem to be a strange place for the brake cable housing, on the top of the top tube!

[KnottedYet]

I adore the picture of stinky dog and of course you. You are adorable.


Aw, shucks... :o

[DebW]

Ah!! thank you for explaining. It does seem to be a strange place for the brake cable housing, on the top of the top tube!

That's where it is on my bike (frame from around 1985). Where is it on your bike?

edit: Ah, I see on your Bianchi page that your bike and many of the Bianchis have the cable on the bottom of the top tube, but Regina's Eros has it on the top. Just different ways to do it. Sometimes the cable holders were little metal bands that could be removed completely with a screwdriver. Sometimes they were braze-ons to allow cable housing to pass through. Sometimes they were braze-ons with a housing stop, so that bare cable ran along the tube.

[mimitabby]

I just cheated, brought up the bianchi page .. it's on the bottom of the top tube.http://www.sersale.org/bianchi/veloc.jpg

[KnottedYet]

Flossie's in on the left side of the top tube. And it's bare cable with a stop.

[Bikingmomof3]

BMO3, glad you survived the tests free of seizures and got it over with. If you visit me you'll have to bring your own coffee - I don't imbibe and if there's coffee in my house it's because a visitor left it unknown years ago (it would be in the freezer however).

I am just as happy with tea or water. :)


How do you manage to respond to 9 people in one post, and then feel compelled to appologize if you missed someone? You're amazing.

I love reading and I usually remember what I read, thankfully, but I do worry that I will leave out a major detail.

[Bikingmomof3]

So, BMO3, if you didn't have seizures, does that mean you may be able to resume driving??

Thanks for asking Nanci. The short answer is no. Not having a seizure just means my medicine is working. I would have thought 14 years of not having a seizure would have been enough of a testament to my medicine working.
I was banned from driving because of my stroke and potential high risk of another one. The tests were to determine how much damage was done and if I have any clots. The potential of a seizure was just an added bonus.

I assume I shall be cleared to drive again. I am forever banned from driving with a migraine, which pretty much takes out 150 days, give or take, out of the year.

It looks as though I am on this new medicine for the long haul. I think my body is getting used to it. at least I am telling myself that, so I can get back on my bike. For now, I am content running, but my bike sure is lonely.

[Lise]

Jennifer,

I'm glad that the tests are behind you. What will it take for them to clear you to get back on the bike?

[Bikingmomof3]

Jennifer,

I'm glad that the tests are behind you. What will it take for them to clear you to get back on the bike?

Thanks Lise! Getting off this medication would help, but I do not see that happening. I *think* I am getting used to the CCB, or I should say my body is. That is good news. If my BP can stay steady and I can manage not to get dizzy or faint, I will be good to go on a bike and in a pool-I miss swimming. I am hoping in a week or two-I am pushing for a week. On the upside I do not bike, run or swim alone, so there is that going for me.

I have my TNT meeting tonight and I am quite excited. It is about this time in my world that something bad usually happens. :rolleyes:

[chickwhorips]

It is about this time in my world that something bad usually happens. :rolleyes:

sssshhhhh!!!!!

[Bikingmomof3]

Okay, I am almost late for my TNT meeting, but I had correct my previous mistake regarding the bra Knot so thoughtfully gave me. I did not think it was suppportive enough, I was wrong. (My head is hanging in shame).

I just got back from a run and this bra rocks! I wore my Under Armour LS Compression top over it and WOW no bounce!!! I am SO happy!! :D

Thank You Knot!! BTW, I noticed TE has them in-stock. Which style is this one? I need a spare. :cool:

Shoot, now I have to go to my meeting all sweaty, oh well. Bye for now!

[maillotpois]

Wow. I was just commenting to SK that this training I am doing is the first time I have been actively engaged in something for a while - so not even a desire, much less an opprotunity, to check the internet on my handheld, etc. ALL DAY! Maybe that's a good sign.

Any-who....

Lise, how's the boy??

Knot - cute dog and cute YOU!! I can't smell his stinky butt in the picture, though.

Jennifer - have FUN at the TNT meeting!! I hope you learn a lot and that it feeds your enthusiasm. One day you'll even do a cycle event with them - I swear! But I am glad you are enjoying running. Glad the tests are done and I hope the results are good.

I still wish I'd had some of that pie... :cool:

[maillotpois]

OMG. We're watching "Shelter Dogs", an HBO documentary about a shelter for dogs. This place is wonderful, all things considered, but this is just gut wrenching.

[Lise]

Wow. I was just commenting to SK that this training I am doing is the first time I have been actively engaged in something for a while - so not even a desire, much less an opprotunity, to check the internet on my handheld, etc. ALL DAY! Maybe that's a good sign.

Any-who....

Lise, how's the boy??
It is a good sign. I'm glad you're getting into something that captures your imagination.

The boy is good. He's moving into the city tomorrow. I'm having dinner with him and his sister before I go in for a night shift tomorrow. Then on Sunday I get to just spend time with him! Neither of us will have anywhere we have to be, no train to catch, no job to go to, just get to spend time with each other. I am so looking forward to it. :D

My pal, Darryn, is running the marathon on Sunday. When we were in midwifery school together, he weighed nearly 500#. He's had the bariatric surgery, lost over half the weight, and taken up running. I was planning to ride my bike to various spots to cheer for him. But it's going to be pretty chilly, and he wants me to hop in and run at least a mile with him. Not in bike shoes, that's for sure. So I'll drive down, get as close as I can, and get to be part of this with him. One of our other classmates, Pam, is working at "my" hospital now. This morning we ran into each other as I was leaving after my night shift, and she was coming on to her job. I told her about Darryn, and we stood there reminiscing for a few minutes. Who would ever have dreamed, when we were all student midwives 13 years ago, that we'd be here now. It's good to have friends.

[maillotpois]

Oh good for Darryn! Have fun - I have friends coming to run, walk or bike parts of the course with me. That support means a lot. He's lucky to have you - and what an amazing guy he must be.

Have fun with J.... :cool:

[KnottedYet]

Knot - cute dog and cute YOU!!



"I'm cute! I'm cuuuuuuuute!" - Rudolph


BMo3 - this is the bra you have now http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22525 Don't be ashamed that you didn't think it would work for running at first! One of the things I like so much about this bra is that it DOESN'T feel like it could possibly support as well as it does! It doesn't squish or bind or cut in! Cool beans!

If you have any doubt of the Sport Support holding you comfortably on a longer run, do try this one http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22526 same idea, just with a bit more "oomph". I probably would've ordered this Firm Support one back when I was bigger, but the only one I found was the Sport. And I run very little, so it was just peachy.

Jeez, Susan outdid herself! She's got a whole bunch of CW-X goodies in the shop! Might have to buy another something for myself... :)

[snapdragen]

Now that I'm recovered, I had a great adventure yesterday.:rolleyes: I went to a Timeshare presentation. :eek: :eek: :eek:

The things I'll do for a free trip...sat through a short video showing all the lovely properties, and a 30 minute presentation by Rocky about how we are suckers if we're paying for hotel rooms when "WE COULD OWN OUR OWN SHARE IN 61 DIFFERENT CONDO PROPERTIES!!!!"

Then the sales pitch. I was really curious what these things cost. Phase one sales pitch - lowest price is $21,000. OMG!!! "But we will finance that over 10 years!" Finally convinced him I wasn't going to write a check, so he calls in reinforcements. Ah! A lower priced option - only $11,000. That's $159 a month, what's not to love? Another round of no, no, no. I even resorted to a white lie - "I'm paying $500 month on my car right now"...(suby's been paid off for 2 years). Finally, they accept my no. They'll send someone over with my gift. BUT FIRST - here's a trial offer $695. That will give you a week in one of our properties, with the option to buy. I wavered....until....."But you have to come back for another presentation" Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

But I got my free trip.......two nights in Las Vegas sometime in the next year.

[Fredwina]

Shoot, now I have to go to my meeting all sweaty, oh well. Bye for now!

I Don't think they would mind if you showed up sweaty, BMO3:cool: Just don't push it on the comeback trial (would I do that? nah :rolleyes: )
Been meaning to Chirp up earlier, but that nasty thing called work gets in the way. when you spend 9 hours a day with someone coming up to you and saying " I need to have the program approved right away, or I will be fired" and you look at the program, and , it , well, it's real obvious to Ms. Quality Assurance that they should have spent some more time going over it. Maybe I need to post on the "so and So" thread Anyway , tomorrow's my day off! I'm going to try and ride again (avoiding orange county), get my hair done, and do some helmet shopping! and no desperate programmer with unrealistic deadlines until Monday ! Plus , I got some new nutrion stuff in the mail from Hammer today, si I have an excuse to get active!

[salsabike]

Maillotpois, now that you've watched that shelter show (don't think I could have managed the whole thing), want to start a big animal sanctuary with me? I know Nanci would help, and Lise, and Mimi, and I'm guessing most of us, actually. All we need to do is find the money...I could easily end up being a little old lady with a million animals. Think I told you guys I have a very cool neighbor whose heart doesn't have much cover, so she has ten rescue cats, four rescue dogs, and a bunch of other smaller critters (remember, she built the dollhouse for the rat she trapped and then felt sorry for?). Hey, are you looking towards mediation/arbitration type work? I did a lot of labor relations training about a decade ago and yearned after FMCS jobs.

Mimi, see TD pages 357 and 363 for broken toe info. Bleah. Did you just emerge from mandatory Boeing overtime time worp?

BMo3, thought hard about you last night and glad to hear from you today.

SK, I love cheese more than any food on earth. The cheese shop at Whole Foods is my idea of serious heaven. Let us know about the Rogue blue cheese. I had an incredibly buttery blue cheese made by some small place in BC and have been searching for something like it ever since.

Snap, I'm so impressed you had the patience to sit through the presentation. Have you been to Vegas before?

What you can't really see in Knotted's photo are her fabulous cheekbones---high and sharp, quite elegant.

Kit, another Massive Attack fan here, by the way.

Nanci, Addy the baby snake is very cute and very funny. Looking forward to future playing-dead maneuvers. Is Choco still blue, by the way?

The weather here absolutely stinks. I guess this is the price we pay for our glorious summers. We are in total fall rain mode now, disgusting and windy and wet.

We spent three hours yesterday at the contractor's office picking stuff like granite for bathroom countertops, and tiles, and laundry room cabinets. That was truly fun, although my brain capacity got outstripped fast. Starting to pick colors to paint the new rooms. Warm gold/ochre living room...like in this picture of Rousillon, a Provencal town where they mine ochre and use it to build the village houses...and we'll have one wall in there painted royal blue, where this wedding kimono will live, like so--

1828

1829

I would really like to get that rhinestone-clamper thing to decorate this walking boot. I am SO done with this toe thing already. The two daughters of a friend gave me glitter hand lotion this morning, as a sort of consolation prize. They have also in the past given me a glittery wand, a tiara, and a stuffed cat with butterfly wings that are bejeweled. I am a definite magpie. If I decorate it, will post a pic.

[Kitsune06]

Woo! DGF presented me with "the early Xmas present". a trip to see Cirque de Soliel at the Rose Garden. WILD. Music by Delerium (Salsa- if you like Massive Attack, check out Delerium on iTunes. Worth the effort!) Acrobatics that were just amazing. These guys' muscles had muscles. So cool. Best line: "Good thing this is a dream... some of this is pretty WEIRD!"

sleepy, sleepy. G'night, TD!

[DebW]

I found some real live pie eating help. My daughter came over for dinner last night, so 3 pieces of pie have now been consumed. And I'm taking some to a friend tonight, so that's 2 more full pieces, and a tiny piece for my 3 year old nephew, and I'll leave a piece for my friends wife. DH will be home tonight and said to leave him one piece, but he's been eating too much all week.

I've been playing with bike lights. I wanted a lighter smaller battery pack for my 10 watt helmet-mount light, so bought a battery case to hold 6 AA NiMHs (need to solder the connector). Then decided the 10w light on my helmet gives me a headache. So now I've modified a hiking headlamp to fit on my helmet, and will try the 10w on the handlebars. "Velcro one-wrap" is great stuff.

It seems that I've been called a "steel person" by someone in the Open "Vintage bike help" thread http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?p=135145#post135145. I've even found two new occupations. What are my chances of making a living as a "traveling steel bike doctor and cheap date" or a "mail order vintage wheelbuilder"? That 2nd one makes me sound like a cheap old date.

[crazycanuck]

DebW-you're an invaluable lady..I like the mail order vintage wheelbuilder name..sounds cool to me!

Can you post a pic of your light? I'm sure that if i get off my behind and get techno i could post a few pics of the ones ian made for us...freakin heavy but bright at the right time..(12hr coming up...)

Kit-I'd love to see Cirque du Soliel...I do believe they're coming to Perth..I missed them in Auckland, Edmonton, etc etc...I will see them even if i have to drag Ian along.

Salsa-Did you get married in the Kimono shown?? I remember I wanted to get one when i lived in Japan but couldn't face paying for something unique like a kimono and never actually wearing it..
Would love to help with the animal sanctuary...but since i'm so far away i think i''d just be emotional and sometimes financial supporter.

BMO3...Our posts crossed paths..good to hear the tests went well. 'Take care of yourself dear.

I'll be the twit for the week...To make a long story short, Ian & I booked tickets for christmas to NZ to visit family & friends in July. I thought it was a bit early then to book christmas leave and waited until september. In sept I was told to wait as structure within our area was going to change etc...Didn't tell them i'd booked the ticket and found out this week i'd have to change my leave..So we both fly out on dec 22nd and I fly back on the 27th..to a lonely house..until jan 8th...I have tons of leave available so i'm saving it for our next jaunt..

I'm off to search for summer posts...It was hot today 28c and don't like hot weather..so i'll be the whinger for the next few months...

Any suggestions for bike jerseys that are good for hot weather?

c

[mimitabby]

Now that I'm recovered, I had a great adventure yesterday.:rolleyes: I went to a Timeshare presentation. :eek: :eek: :eek:

The things I'll do for a free trip...sat through a short video showing all the lovely properties, and a 30 minute presentation by Rocky about how we are suckers if we're paying for hotel rooms when "WE COULD OWN OUR OWN SHARE IN 61 DIFFERENT CONDO PROPERTIES!!!!"

Then the sales pitch. I was really curious what these things cost. Phase one sales pitch - lowest price is $21,000. OMG!!! "But we will finance that over 10 years!" Finally convinced him I wasn't going to write a check, so he calls in reinforcements. Ah! A lower priced option - only $11,000. That's $159 a month, what's not to love? Another round of no, no, no. I even resorted to a white lie - "I'm paying $500 month on my car right now"...(suby's been paid off for 2 years). Finally, they accept my no. They'll send someone over with my gift. BUT FIRST - here's a trial offer $695. That will give you a week in one of our properties, with the option to buy. I wavered....until....."But you have to come back for another presentation" Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

But I got my free trip.......two nights in Las Vegas sometime in the next year.


oh, Snap, i don't know how you did that! the last time we tried, we got hostile and were asked to leave!! lol!
DH & I just don't have the patience to sit through that stuff. worse than buying a car!
congrats on your free trip!

[mimitabby]

why, yes, Salsa, i am coming out of 3 weeks with too much overtime. They wanted me to work THIS weekend too and i said i couldn't. It took 2 days of begging the other guys before they came up with a replacement for me.
wahwahwah..

The colors you are picking are beautiful.

And speaking of colors, while we are saying nice things about KY, she has the most beautiful skin and hair color too. The day I met her the sun was out (and she was trying to hide from it) and her hair is a beautiful color!


I am rather unhappy, I am trying to get ready for my trip, a lady was going to pick my foster kits up today, to take them to the cat show that will be at Seattle Center this weekend. One of them had some spots. How funny, i thought, he scraped his face. oh no, another spot on his ear. uh oh, on his other ear too. AUGH!!! IT IS RINGWORM!!!!

no cat show for these guys... and they won't be adopted for a while now.
Sigh...
and i wanted to get rid of them so i can start preparing for my vacation.
ARGH. and the hair dresser lady wouldn't take me yesterday, no haircut until NEXT WEEK.

can you say, MERCURY RETROGRADE??!?

[DebW]

Any suggestions for bike jerseys that are good for hot weather?


I've gotten a couple of Cannondale Harmony Women?s Sleeveless Jerseys from Nashbar. Loose fit, cool, descent pockets. On sale now for $30, but I got mine even cheaper ($18-23).

[maillotpois]

Wow, Salsa, those colors are so warm and just yummy!! Love that picture. It will all be worth it eventually! The kimono is beautiful, too. Was that for your wedding?

Snap - we've sat through one of those, too. I can't even remember how we got suckered into it, or if we even got a prize. This was pre-kid. I think we kicked it around for a while, too. Those are some strong sales people!!

PP is practicing violin. It is alternately cheese grater-y and lovely.

[chickwhorips]

But I got my free trip.......two nights in Las Vegas sometime in the next year.

to bad you can't use it this year for when you'll be down (or up) there.

[chickwhorips]

some neat photos of the earth: A Beautiful Planet (http://home.att.net/~hideaway_fun/442/planet.htm)

[Lise]

can you say, MERCURY RETROGRADE??!?Oh, crap, is it that time again?!? :p

Life is good. Short day at the clinic, the boy sent me an email saying I make his heart flutter (wait, maybe not so good as we're no longer in our twenties...:rolleyes: :D ), I grocery shopped and now am going to try to nap. Tonight dinner with J and his sister, then back to work for me, a night shift.

Salsa--I *love* the colors, and the kimono is a work of art. We all want to hear the story.

KN--sing along, "I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and wise!" ;)

Mimi--DRAG about the ringworm. Ariel had that on her ear when she was a baby. I wrote "ringworm" in a patient's chart recently, and one of the other midwives corrected it to "tinnea cruris". Well, yeah, I know, but we call it ringworm! :rolleyes:

Snap--once I got nearly highjacked into one of those talks. Yikes. I'm impressed that you got through it without bolting. Enjoy LV!

[chickwhorips]

btw lise, i'm glad to hear things are going good with you and mr man with the heart flutters!

[Nanci]

I'd rather work OT as much as it took to pay for a trip to LV than sit through one of those time share sales things. YUCK!!

Tomorrow is the first anniversary of my first Century!

[mimitabby]

Yes, me too, Nanci
I'm the one who won't watch TV because I abhor the commercials. Non-stop
directed at me high pressure sales is not something I want to have done to me!

[snapdragen]

I knew I was going to get a trip - so I suffered through the whole thing. I truly was curious about how this particular plan worked, and what it cost. I doubt I will ever do it again. I was just about to the point where I was gonna say "You guys are pissing me off, give me my prize and let me leave! I also got tickets for a Champagne cruise out of Alameda. Which would be fine except it appears it only happens once a month, on Tuesdays, at 2:00 in the afternoon. Pffft.

I need to get my SS gift packed up and sent. Hope she likes the goodies and sox I found.

[spokewench]

Mimi's correct about getting behind in the Thread Drift. I can't make heads or tails of what I just read since I haven't looked at them for a while.

The only thing that stands out right now for me is that I need to make a pumpkin pie tonight (I must be hungry!) See what you did Deb!

Hubby is up at the Grand Canyon working at the clinic today and tomorrow so I am alone with the Big Kitty tonight and tomorrow. Sunday, we go pick up the moving truck at U-Haul to go load up at my parents (20 miles south of here). They are moving to Tucson to the warm climate (very near my sister). Dad is 88 and mom is 81.

Everything worked out really well since they really needed to get out of snow country before it really started socking in here. I'm so glad, they got a good price for their house and found a nice house they like down in Tucson. It needs some work so they will move in to their new house mid November. In the meantime, they will be staying with my sister. That's hard for her and her husband cause no matter how much we love them, they are getting old and hard to live with - Oh, well, those are the breaks. At least they are still with us!

I'm not sure I'll be able to help them with their move from the storage place to their new house in Tucson though. I'm scheduled for a hike on veterans day weekend into the Grand Canyon for 3 days; and am going to visit the hubby's mom and step dad in Florida for Thanksgiving. I feel bad about that, but we will hire them help if they need it!

[mimitabby]

Hubby is up at the Grand Canyon working at the clinic today and tomorrow so I am alone with the Big Kitty tonight and tomorrow. Sunday, we go pick up the moving truck at U-Haul to go load up at my parents (20 miles south of here). They are moving to Tucson to the warm climate (very near my sister). Dad is 88 and mom is 81.


So Spokewench, who or what is the big Kitty?

I am happily about ready to leave the office, for the entire weekend.
The sky is mostly blue, and there's 40-50 mile ride scheduled for tomorrow.
Maybe I'll actually do it.

Mimi

[chickwhorips]

if the world was reduced to 100 people this is what it would be like the miniature earth (http://www.miniature-earth.com/).

[Bikingmomof3]

Lise- I am so pleased to hear things are going sowell with J. Enjoy dinner with him and his sister. Sunday sounds delightfully wonderful.
Wishing Darryn all the best in the marathon.

Knot- I waffled on which bra to order. I want them both, but could barely afford one, so I chose http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=22526 I will give a report once it arrives.

Snap-I cannot believe you sat through all that. You deserve several vacations for endurance.

Salsa-I will help with the shelter, I am good with cats. :) Thank you for thinking of me. I hate tests. I just hope there are not more to come anytime soon.
You have picked out some of the most gorgeous colours I have ever seen!
I do so hope you decide to decorate the cat, I would very much like to see it.
Do tell the story behind the beautiful Kimono

Kitsune- I have never seen Cirque de Soliel, enjoy!

Mimi-I am so sorry to hear about the ringworm. The poor kitties.

Maillotpois-I will see your violin and raise you a bassoon and an oboe (it sounds as though a moose and a duck are being tortured in my home).

[spokewench]

Big Kitty is exactly that - a very large 20 pound 19?-20? year old Main Coone kitty. He has long hair, tabby and lots of white - I don't have a digital camera or I would post a picture. We love him very much - he's been with my hubby and me since we have been married and before.

[Bikingmomof3]

Big Kitty is indeed big. :)

[chickwhorips]

how much does big kitty eat!?

[KnottedYet]

Salsa and Mimi - c'mon you guys, yer makin' me blush...:o

BMo3 - I think you made the right choice on the Firm Support CW-X.

Lise - heart flutters, tummy flips, it's allllll good!

I've got a whole 8 minutes to play on TE and finish my lunch. Whoo-hooo!

[spokewench]

Actually Big Kitty doesn't eat that much - I'm always amazed at how little he does eat and still maintains the weight - probably 1/3 to 1/2 cup cup of dry kitty food a day - sometimes less sometimes more.

But I'm sure if you sent him some salmon from Alaska - he'd be all over that!:)

[Bikingmomof3]

BMo3 - I think you made the right choice on the Firm Support CW-X.


I hope so. I ordered white, since all my other support bras are black.

Oh, Dh went to give a presentation at work and the last thing up on his computer was TE's sport bra section. :p Yep, he was a tad embarassed.

[chickwhorips]

But I'm sure if you sent him some salmon from Alaska - he'd be all over that!:)

we may be able to arrange that... though i would need a cooler or a pressure cooker to can it.

note to self: really need to invest in a perssure cooker. though they are so expensive. :mad:

[Lise]

Oh, Dh went to give a presentation at work and the last thing up on his computer was TE's sport bra section. :p Yep, he was a tad embarassed.Ha! :p

Salsa, I'm in on the shelter. I would love to take care of baby beasties all day long.

Funny thing happened today. I got an email from an ex-boyfriend, the first guy I dated after my four years of stunned celibacy post-breakup. He and I went out for 7 months, ended it when he wanted more "freedom". As I wanted more "committment", I determined that we were incompatible. Which I knew, anyway. It was an amicable breakup. I cried, but then again, I always do. I missed him a bit...but I missed him while we were dating! So no big loss. We stayed loosely in touch, as in, he'd write me, I'd write back, he'd write again 6 months later. So. We ran into each other last February at a Starbucks. Hugs, chat, oh, sure, let's be in touch. I wrote him a friendly email that day, heard nothing back. Fine. Then in April, he turns up at the clinic I work at (on a day I was off), with his new Romanian wife. Of course my pals who knew him tell me about it. I'm pretty surprised. I figure, well, he found a woman who will depend on him, someone he can take care of. Good for him, hope he's happy.

And today he writes me. Wonders if I'm running the marathon, wishes me well. I write back, say no about the marathon, congrats on his marriage, best wishes, period. He immediately writes back that wife has left him, left the country, in fact, divorce pending. He wonders how *I'm* doing.

Good grief. I don't even know how to respond. "Sorry to hear it, I'm doing great, dating a wonderful man, take care" ? I mean, the guy's not capable of being my "friend", so it sure sounds like he's checking out my availabilty, no? :confused: Wierd.

Poor J. called. They can't get his headboard in the door. I've made him chocolate chip cookies. MWBR. :)

[chickwhorips]

...congrats on his marriage, best wishes, period. He immediately writes back that wife has left him, left the country, in fact, divorce pending. He wonders how *I'm* doing.

ha! what goes around comes around.

[salsabike]

Good grief. I don't even know how to respond. "Sorry to hear it, I'm doing great, dating a wonderful man, take care" ?



EEEEEEEEWWWWWW. Carolyn Hax would love this one (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/NewsSearch?sb=-1&st=hax&z)

More later.

PS I think that's the perfect response, Lise.

[Trek420]

Lise "Good grief. I don't even know how to respond. "Sorry to hear it, I'm doing great, dating a wonderful man, take care" ? I mean, the guy's not capable of being my "friend", so it sure sounds like he's checking out my availabilty, no? :confused: Wierd."

sounds like he's going through his little black book? there's somone I know kinda like that, generaly hear from her after her break up and before the next one....I'm "sorry, you had your chance, moment over, good luck wish you well, buh bye" :p :D

[Fredwina]

Nanci, it's impressive that you can remember the anniv of your first century.
MT and ? (has TD gotten so bad that we need to take notes?) I listen to NPR all day long at work. It's always shocking to tune to a "regular" Radio or TV channel and hear the pandering on the commercials. I was thinking about when I filled up the Hocus Focus today and the young man (45 and I type like Grandma:eek: ) was blasting a Spanish language station. My normal Espanol skills are limited to "Mucho Creveza", but it was obvious that they were airing the same kind of drivel. I've been debating having the TC half of cable pulled. I'm blessed that I can pick 4 PBS stations off the air where I live.
I did a 32 miles up into San Dimas Canyon. Went by the Circle K, but I didn't see Bill and Ted:rolleyes: The hammer stuff worked great. Got a new helmet at Cost :cool: , and got my hair done. Meant to write some for my blog, and to go by borders and pick up a Blackadder DVD. Wanted a Red Dwarf, but I guess that to weird for the Republican part of So Cal

[snapdragen]

Speaking of radio - a guy on another board kept going on about Radio Paradise. I finally gave it a try, I really like it. Super eclectic mix, one minute you listening to Elvis Costello, then here comes Jimi Hendrix. Throw in some Madeleine Peyroux, a little Rodrigo y Gabriela. NO COMMERCIALS!

Find it here: www.radioparadise.com

[crazycanuck]

I did a 32 miles up into San Dimas Canyon. Went by the Circle K, but I didn't see Bill and Ted:rolleyes:

For those of us who've never seen the film, can ye explain?

c

[DrBee]

Good Lord you ladies are prolific!

Okay - here's my update before I eat dinner...

The house is great (yes - MP - we're in the house now)! There are a gazillion (snap - I like ginormous and use it regularly) kids in the neighborhood. FishJr has come around. We had to threaten to take her to the hospital if she didn't eat (3 days with virtually no food and mainly juice). She woke up the next day singing and remarking on how beautiful the day was. Big Sigh! She's been fine ever since. Poor thing - she was obsessing about every little thing.

Roux is still doing great. Thanks for asking - I really appreciate the thought. He's started his treatments at LSU. The tumors are almost completely gone. He starts a new medicine on Tuesday which should double his life expectancy. That's very good news!

Due to popular demand - I'll keep my name for now ;)

Gotta run and eat dinner. I'll try to catch up with everyone tomorrow.

[maillotpois]

Tomorrow is the first anniversary of my first Century!

Happy Anniversary!! I find that absolutely amazing. One year after your first century and you'll get your R12 and have done a whole brevet series complete with 600k. Next year RAAM!! :cool:

[maillotpois]

Fish - glad the house, dog and child are well. And of course you're keeping your name - I wouldn't expect anything else from yoU!!! ;)

BMo3 - a moose and a duck! Ha! That's great! CWR - where do you find all these amzing photos and liks? Very cool! I don't think I mentioned it, but those photos you posted on the other thread from your home were AMAZING!!

Lise - poor J headboard - but that is just so cute that you're bringing him cookies!! All together now: "AAAAAAWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!"

Salsa - I am totally in on the shelter. If we wait 14 or so years, we can even use the PP as our vet!! (I've got my fingers crossed on that one, trying to guide her there somewhat gently because I can just see it's what she'd want. No I'm not an overbearing, calculating mom! :rolleyes: Anyway, SK, maybe you can keep an eye on her while she's in school because I think she wants to go to Davis. They do have a great vet school.)

[Fredwina]

For those of us who've never seen the film, can ye explain?

c

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_&_Ted's_Excellent_Adventure
and
http://www.billandted.org/
from wikipedia:
Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Keanu Reeves), simply referred to as "Bill & Ted," are teenagers in San Dimas, California who are in danger of flunking out of high school. A guitar-playing guru named Rufus (Carlin) arrives from a future San Dimas to help them pass a vital history test, because their garage band ("Wyld Stallyns", pronounced "Wild Stallions") holds the key to world peace and ultimate truth. However, they will not achieve this destiny if the duo fail the exam and Ted's authoritarian father carries out his threat to ship him to Oats Military Academy in Alaska. Rufus lends them a time machine disguised as a phone booth, which they use to meet—and "collect"—various historical figures: Napoleon Bonaparte, Socrates (mistakenly pronounced "So-crates", and given the surname "Johnson"), Billy the Kid ("Mr. The Kid"), Sigmund Freud ("frood"), Beethoven ("Dave Beeth oven"), Genghis Khan (Bob Gangus Khan), Joan of Arc ("Miss of Arc", carried on in Clone High), and Abraham Lincoln, to help them with their vital history presentation.
The phone booth is in front of a Circle K( a convenience store chain(think 7-11). I always think of the movie. it's a cure movie and it's also a great ride. you go up into the Angeles National Forest, climbing besides a reservoir. You downhill a Little bit, and reach the end of the road a Ranger station. I usually take a break ( and occasionally ogle the Rangers :p ) before heading back. Great Day!
From the movie
Ted: Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.

[KnottedYet]

I am getting the biggest kick out of the "No Stank You" anti-smoking ads on tv!

Anybody else seen 'em? SKnot likes them, too.

[Xrayted]

Holy crow you ladies like to write!! Well, all I gotta say is>>>
I'm sorry to those who are having a bad time right now. My heart goes out to you. I'm happy for those of you who are having a good time now. For those who are in need of a deep meaningful relationship, may you find "the one". For those of you who just need laid, I hope ya get some. For those of you who can't get laid, go on ahead and have some chocolate!
Happy and safe riding ladies. (There, I think I got everyone. :D )

-X.

[Kitsune06]

Wow, X-Rayted, well done. =)

I'm back to proliferating all over TD because my work week started again. :( Weekend's never long enough!

To welcome me back, we had a chem spill this afternoon. Marvelous. At least the guys know what they're doing. :D

Watch out, ladies, you fluff Knot's ego much more, she won't be able to fit her head in her helmet anymore! ;) But to add to it, (mom never told me not to throw gas on flames...) she's got a really, quite graceful neck/shoulder line. Most worthy of a dedicated sketch artist or somesuch, and don't even start me on her personality! ;)

Group hug everyone! Now lets eat our carob-chip whole, raw cookies sit sukhasana and sing Kumbaya :D And if anyone feels the love, pass it this way, man! ;)

[KnottedYet]

Holy crow you ladies like to write!! Well, all I gotta say is>>>
I'm sorry to those who are having a bad time right now. My heart goes out to you. I'm happy for those of you who are having a good time now. For those who are in need of a deep meaningful relationship, may you find "the one". For those of you who just need laid, I hope ya get some. For those of you who can't get laid, go on ahead and have some chocolate!
Happy and safe riding ladies. (There, I think I got everyone. :D )

-X.

I want a deep meaningful relationship, to get laid, AND chocolate!

[KnottedYet]

she's got a really, quite graceful neck/shoulder line. Most worthy of a dedicated sketch artist or somesuch

Only cuz you fixed that picture WHICH NO-ONE ELSE WILL EVER SEE ('cept maybe the next Ms. Knot). Ain't posting that one, cuz I caused enough trouble with my nekkid abs, imagine the world would stop spinning if all could gaze on the loveliness of my nekkid shoulders! (it was very tasteful, and actually once Kit photoshopped it, it was rather pretty)

But I ain't no Jessi Stensland! When I get shoulder/back like hers, you bet yer buns I'll be posting a pic of me holding Flossie over my head just like the nekkid pic of her with her bike over her head.

Knot-the-Narcissist

[Kitsune06]

I want a deep meaningful relationship, to get laid, AND chocolate!
HA! AH! HAHAHAHAHA*snerk* HA*cough*HA!! Don't we all?! :p :D Can I say I want to have a deep, meaningful relationship with someone covered in chocolate? Can I say that?
That or a short, meaningful relationship with somone *made* of chocolate. If they get ****y or mouthy, I'll just bite their head off. :D As for l@id... um... hey, chocolate's good, right? Almost that good?


Only cuz you fixed that picture. Ain't posting that one, cuz I caused enough trouble with my nekkid abs, imagine the world would stop spinning if all could gaze on the loveliness of my nekkid shoulders! (it was very tasteful, and actually once Kit photoshopped it, it was rather pretty)
Knot-the-Narcissist

Shucks.:o I shoulda said "If you won't say anything, I won't." ;) Besides, to say I "photoshopped" it greatly overstates the little I did. All the fundamentals are just there, I just tweaked the size and lighting, really. :o


As far as photoshop stuff goes, if SKnot has a mac, see if you can have him look into GIMP. Most of the fun and utility of Photoshop, with none of the $350 price tag (or the "need" to... yar... pirate it from Limewire, matey!) I think GIMP is open source (and free). I know it works with Linux, but since OSX is a form of Unix anyway... hey!
Start 'em young and interested...

[Xrayted]

Nope, nope. I agree with Kit and all the rest. Graceful line there. Now get out there and find someone who will understand how to appreciate it up close and personal. Unleash your true redhead, woman!;)

[Kitsune06]

uh-huh. And what is that true red-headed nature, Xrayted? A certain affinity for rich beers and richer women? Redheads! Ugh. Difficult! Freakin'hot nothin' but trouble. Hmph. Redheads.

*dons her bandanna and whistles innocently* ;) :D

[Xrayted]

Ah, but the good ones are worth it! :D

[Nanci]

You guys should listen to Podcasts. You get all the NPR you want, _plus_ I just heard an interview with Jessie.

I laid a trap for my Patio Toad last night, and he is now in my possession. He's bunking down with Koko and Buttercup for now- they have no interest in having him for dinner.

Then, an hour into sleep, a friend called and said he'd caught a toad and what did I want him to do with it? I'll be picking up Number Two after the Century.

If Koko and Buttercup want to stay in their burrows all day, at least _someone_ will be out!

Choco shed, came out starving last night, ate _two_ servings of dinner, and then was annoyed that I made him go back to his viv. (They can't be handled for 48 hours after eating or they may regurgitate, which is very serious.)

I _tried_ to get Addy to eat- what a fiasco. All I had was a microscopic frog that a doc at work caught. I let it hop around the feeding container, then the _plan_ was to put Addy in, she would be hungry for the frog, and I would just switch her onto the thawed mouse pink when she had her "feeding response" going. Well, first of all, every time the frog hopped frantically past- she'd recoil in terror and spread her hood and hiss. If it would actually touch her she'd flinch like she'd been hit with acid. Second, it's impossible to hold a mouse in a tweezers. I need the proper equipment. I finally put Froggy back in his home and left her with no hope that she'd eat. She didn't. I'm going to try toad scenting in a couple days. I don't think she's nearly settled enough.

Looks like great weather for the Century- starting out at 70F, high of 82F, 20% chance of rain, 70% cloud cover, and a lovely 98% humidity, dropping to 50%. I'm starting an hour before the mass start- that way I get to see everyone pass me.

Nanci

[Lise]

I want a deep meaningful relationship, to get laid, AND chocolate!

That's what I'm sayin'.

Bill and Ted. I loved that movie. Amazingly, I appear to remember NONE of it.

Nanci, I'm with everybody. You're an amazing rider in a short time.

I've had a lousy night. Two c-sections, two vaginal births, one lady ended up needing a hysterectomy! All babies are OK, all moms are stable. That's the goal, after all. So why in The Heck am I on TD at this hour? Decompressing? Going to nap now before doing paper work.

[Bikingmomof3]

Good grief. I don't even know how to respond. "Sorry to hear it, I'm doing great, dating a wonderful man, take care" ? I mean, the guy's not capable of being my "friend", so it sure sounds like he's checking out my availabilty, no? :confused: Wierd.

If you must respond to him, tell him to move on and have a nice life.


Poor J. called. They can't get his headboard in the door. I've made him chocolate chip cookies. MWBR. :)

OMG, how cute is this? You are baking him cookies. :)

[Bikingmomof3]

Went by the Circle K, but I didn't see Bill and Ted:rolleyes:


Everytime we pace by the Circle K near our far away LBS, we say, "Strange things are afoot at the Circle K". Yep, we loved that movie. :D


up a Blackadder DVD. Wanted a Red Dwarf, but I guess that to weird for the Republican part of So Cal

I love Blackadder. Which season are you planning on getting? We are fortunate and gert 3 PBS stations. It is what we watch.

[Bikingmomof3]

I laid a trap for my Patio Toad last night, and he is now in my possession. He's bunking down with Koko and Buttercup for now- they have no interest in having him for dinner.

Congrats on your toad aquistions.


I'll be picking up Number Two after the Century.

Happy Anniversary of your first century and enjoy your ride today. :)

I am sorry Addy will not eat. Hopefully she will come around.

[Trek420]

Kitsune06 "But to add to it, (mom never told me not to throw gas on flames...) she's got a really, quite graceful neck/shoulder line. Most worthy of a dedicated sketch artist or somesuch..."

Yeah, but those sketch artists, you know how starving artists are, artists, musicians...they're only good covered in chocolate.

Kit, where do I get GIMP? Do I download it or go to my FLMS (friendly local Mac store)?

[KnottedYet]

I can GIMP real good when my hip and shoulder hurt...

"healer, heal thyself"

I don't exercise or stretch. Too much work.:p

Knot-the-Hippocratic-hypocrite

[Kitsune06]

www.gimp.org. :D It's like Open Office- free and you can download the source code to build your own project if you're so inclined.

having a good morning... well... woke up about a minute or two ago... gonna do mah yoga stuff (thanks, Chick, for making me even MORE of a *** **** hippy!)

then off to harrass the missus. ...and be told to go away and make coffee. ...then to return and harrass the missus... and be told to go away, she's sleeping... then to return with a rat and put it on her pillow.... then missus gets up. :D

I think I'm in a rut... yay for the new yoga. :rolleyes:

[KnottedYet]

Try putting one of Trek's Dove chocolates on the pillow instead. Might get better results than a rat. Just a thought...

[Kitsune06]

You underestimate how much she loves these rats... :rolleyes:

[DebW]

Try putting one of Trek's Dove chocolates on the pillow instead. Might get better results than a rat. Just a thought...

But the consequences of chocolate not working are that it melts and soaks into the pillow. The consequences of a rat not working? Do they pee on pillows?

[Kitsune06]

I've never seen rats not work. Gebo's such a hound for attention, he'll roll over on his back to get more cuddles and petting if he's not getting enough as-is. At worst, there are a couple rat hairs upstairs, but they stick to clothes anyway... *shrug*
Concequences are more likely that she'll want to go downstairs for coffee etc instead of tarrying upstairs awhile, but I can handle that. :rolleyes:

[chickwhorips]

fish - glad to hear that fishjr is doing better and your getting settled in just fine.

mailotpois - i grabbed some of the photos off our shared drive at work. i have access to a ton of photos that people have taken over the years around here. some of them are quite funny. you should see some of them from when we go eider banding. blackmail central!

kit - no need to thank me. i'm just helping the hippies along on their natural path. sometimes certain ones - no names coughkitcough - need a push now and again so they don't forgit. :rolleyes: though its helping though, so you have nothing to complain about.

ah yes... sitting here at my other job as a postie and no mail to put up. the mail plane is about 3 hours late and they haven't brough it over yet. oh great... angry townies... hope they don't bring the pitchforks again.

[Bikingmomof3]

ah yes... sitting here at my other job as a postie and no mail to put up. the mail plane is about 3 hours late and they haven't brough it over yet. oh great... angry townies... hope they don't bring the pitchforks again.

Is it worng to begin stalking my mail carrier for my SS package? :rolleyes: I know it is coming and I want it. I swear he keeps my packages for days on end. :rolleyes:

I doubt staring out the window at the letter box will make him come any sooner. Last night I received my mail at 6:30pm! :eek:

Yes, the highlight of my life is the hope that something besides junk mail and bills will come to my house. Sad I know. I need a life.

[Xrayted]

Is it worng to begin stalking my mail carrier for my SS package? :rolleyes: I know it is coming and I want it. I swear he keeps my packages for days on end. :rolleyes:

I doubt staring out the window at the letter box will make him come any sooner. Last night I received my mail at 6:30pm! :eek:

Yes, the highlight of my life is the hope that something besides junk mail and bills will come to my house. Sad I know. I need a life.

Maybe he takes time to open them to see what's in. In that case, he probably wore your bra from Knotted before you did. :D

heeheehee... Now you know why it felt a little stretched.(Yeah, we definitely need a "Blech" smiley!)

[chickwhorips]

na... nothing wrong with it BMof3. just make sure you don't threaten him. last thing you want to do is make the posties mad. trust me there are a couple in this town that did. :eek:

found a where's george dollar in the register today. i promply put it into www.wheresgeorge.com. if anyone wants to track this one the number is L66291710B. series is 2003A

[DebW]

Is it worng to begin stalking my mail carrier for my SS package? :rolleyes: I know it is coming and I want it. I swear he keeps my packages for days on end. :rolleyes:


Better than the postie who died in Massachusetts and had huge amounts of undelivered mail in his apartment, some 20 years old. http://www2.townonline.com/brookline/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=597888

[Bikingmomof3]

At 5:35, my mail finally arrived with NO packages. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

At least I have the Kona Ironman to watch. :)

[mimitabby]

That's what I'm sayin'.


I've had a lousy night. Two c-sections, two vaginal births, one lady ended up needing a hysterectomy! All babies are OK, all moms are stable. That's the goal, after all. So why in The Heck am I on TD at this hour? Decompressing? Going to nap now before doing paper work.

YOu did 5 births in ONE NIGHT?!??!
what do you do, juggle the babies??

[mimitabby]

I can GIMP real good when my hip and shoulder hurt...


I don't exercise or stretch. Too much work.:p

Knot-the-Hippocratic-hypocrite

You don't STRETCH?? how many times a day do you instruct others to do the same???!?!
:eek:

[mimitabby]

Is it worng to begin stalking my mail carrier for my SS package? :rolleyes: I know it is coming and I want it. I swear he keeps my packages for days on end. :rolleyes:

I doubt staring out the window at the letter box will make him come any sooner. Last night I received my mail at 6:30pm! :eek:

Yes, the highlight of my life is the hope that something besides junk mail and bills will come to my house. Sad I know. I need a life.

Yeah, me too. Did the mail come ? did the mail come?

[Nanci]

MP- RAAM, you've gotta be kidding! I saw some chick today who really is racing RAAM next year. She rode a 4:30 Century today. I am too tired to rewrite- I'm going to copy my e-mail to two girls from my group I ride with on weekends:

(I started one hour early at 7:30, and am very glad I missed an hour of broiling sun)

So how did it go? I thought a lot more people would catch up to me, but I never saw the A riders till right before 50 miles, and then others just trickled by.

Kathy, that girl in the BMB jersey rode it in 4:30!! I saw her at Watermelon Park- some guy she was with says to her- pointing at my bike- "Look, you could get a rack like that for your bike," and she says, just dripping with disgust, "Yeah, right." She's from Miami and a friend of Barb's, who is going to race RAAM next year.

Barb caught me at about 70 miles. I was really having trouble staying awake, right after Rob drove past, so I stopped at this little store. (The owner was mad- she said some guy from GCC had stopped by a month ago and told her that her store would be a designated stop, so she'd bought $1000 worth of extra stuff, and no one was stopping...Anyway, I wanted a Coke Blak or something, but I had an Amp, guzzled it down. Then my stomach felt like crap. (But at least I wasn't falling asleep!) So Barb and some girl caught me at about 65 or 70, and I tried to hang with them, and made it till past the rest stop in Worthington Springs- didn't stop. My stomach was upset. They just gradually left me.

At Hague, I got a Coke for my waterbottle and a sweet tea, and ate some peanuts. After TWO bathroom stops there, (the bad kind, the second time) I felt pretty good again. My total time was 6:35 riding, 7:15 total. So an hour less riding than last year, and 20 minutes less of stops.

The weather wasn't like I thought it was going to be...

**************

Blech, then I came home and took a shower and went to bed, where two people managed to call in an hour.

Fish, I'm so happy FJ is settled in, and Roux is doing well.

Lise, that guy's totally checking availability.

Knot- now that you're single, I think you should call Jessie. You and Lise could double date (well, if J doesn't mind) with her and Peter. Seriously, I don't have any insight, other than the usual, but I think of you often and hope things are going better.

BMO3, we don't have cable, so I have to wait till the DVD comes out! Wow, someone probalby won by now! Or do you mean you're watching live feed? Doh!!

IM Florida in two weeks. That whole trip is a financial fiasco- I can't even go into it, but rather than staying home and pouting while BF slept on someone's floor, I found a hotel for $44/night that even takes pets. A mile from HQ.

Gotta take the torts out to graze.

Number Two (think of Dr. Evil's guy, not the other meaning!) is picked up and settled in. I don't know what to call Number One yet. But I had this idea of if I have to keep them over the winter, I can just feed them the same way I do the snakes, in a container with crickets or nightcrawlers or whatever.

Not sure if I'm going to let Fagalo hibernate out in the yard or bring him in. He is VERY heavy- would be fine to hibernate. And the bathtub wouldn't be tied up for months.

Nanci

[Nanci]

OMG, it's a sign! I was listening to a podcast interview of Jessie, and she said, on the bus to Escape From Alcatraz, PR peed in his wetsuit and it got on her!

[Trek420]

Bikingmomof3 "At least I have the Kona Ironman to watch. :)"

where? vs has some body-builder-strongest man contest. Where's the "bleah" smiley?

[Lise]

OMG, it's a sign! I was listening to a podcast interview of Jessie, and she said, on the bus to Escape From Alcatraz, PR peed in his wetsuit and it got on her!

A sign of what?!? :eek: Good Lord. I'm sure she misspoke. Sure of it. :rolleyes:

I am sure J. wouldn't mind if I dated either PR or Jessie. I mean, one has to take such opportunities when they arise. Think I'll not mention this to him until such an opportunity does arise, however. :p

I'm watching the live feed of Kona--Natascha Badman just started the run. Her ability to smile the whole time is dumbfounding to me. I'd love to see her win her 7th Kona championship. I love these guys.

Nanci, who are #1 & 2? Beasts, no doubt, of the herp variety.

Mimitabby--*I* only delivered one baby last night. The midwife on before me delivered one, and that lady ended up having a very rare complication of internal bleeding, ended up needing a hysterectomy and blood transfusion. Scary. Fortunately, it was her 2nd baby, and she's mid-30s, not planning any more babes. My other two ladies needed to be delivered by c-section. I don't do surgery, but was with them the whole time. The first lady pushed for 3.5 hours before we finally called it, at 4 AM. So I was up, working with her, trying, trying, trying. The other lady was sectioned at 5:30AM. I have delivered six babies in 12 hours; I think that's my personal record. How? Caffeine. :p The killer is the paperwork, no joke. I have run from one room to the other, pulling off my gloves as I go, to catch one baby after another. The nurses and the docs back me up, we work well as a team.

[Kitsune06]

Um... yeah. Guys are fine unless they're the body building types with veins running under skin that looks like it's as thin as cellophane... flexing these inhuman looking muscles... :eek:

Gimme one of those sleek, trim triathletes any day. :p Either, both, heck, I'm not *that* picky!

[Lise]

Bikingmomof3 "At least I have the Kona Ironman to watch. :)"

where? vs has some body-builder-strongest man contest. Where's the "bleah" smiley?

www.ironmanlive.com

Go! Go!

[Nanci]

Lise, she said they all do it.

One and Two are toads.

How to find a hognose snake: run your fingers through the aspen bedding till you hear a noise like a punctured tire- there she is!!

[Lise]

Lise, she said they all do it.
On the bus? No way. Gross.

[Trek420]

Lise "On the bus? No way. Gross"

ewww, I may never ride Muni again.

Lise, following Ironman live now, I heard the comentator say something about a competitor being on his or her 20th Ironman :eek:

[Bikingmomof3]

Bikingmomof3 "At least I have the Kona Ironman to watch. :)"

where? vs has some body-builder-strongest man contest. Where's the "bleah" smiley?

I am watching it via live feed on the computer.

[Fredwina]

BMO3 - I got the first season of Blackadder. I'll probably pick up the others. And they did have Red Dwarf - it is was in the BBC sci-fi along w/ Dr Who (yes, I'm a geek:rolleyes: ) just didn't want $70 for it right now.

[Nanci]

8:11:56 Stadler wins!

[Lise]

And that Faris is a doll. What a classy young man.

[Bikingmomof3]

BMO3 - I got the first season of Blackadder. I'll probably pick up the others. And they did have Red Dwarf - it is was in the BBC sci-fi along w/ Dr Who (yes, I'm a geek:rolleyes: ) just didn't want $70 for it right now.


Well then I am a geek as well. :p

Oh watch Black Adder for me. Luckily my library carries all the DVDs.

Black Adder, Black Adder. He rides a pitch black steed.
Black Adder, Black Adder. He's very bad indeed.

I also love Red Dwarf and Dr. Who. Thank goodness for PBS. :D

[KnottedYet]

That was my favorite season of Black Adder. He was SUCH a sh*t!!! (kinda like House.) (BTW Hugh Laurie was in Black Adder)

and I like Red Dwarf, but didn't get to see enough of it.

[Xrayted]

Aaah! Alcohol abuse! I just dropped a whole glass of red wine on my cream colored carpet a few minutes ago. Spot Shot got it right out. Whew! I love that stuff. Works everytime. Otherwise, I'd have a very unique arrangement of the furniture in here. I'm kinda clutsy, even sober. :o

[Kitsune06]

*gasp!*
PARTY FOUL!

Red wine + carpet = bad.

[Xrayted]

The carpet looks pretty good for all it's been through. I've got a nice steamer/shampooer from when I still had my dog, Cheyenne. **sniffle** Now it's me who drags stuff in on the bottom of my paws. Everytime I come in from the hot tub, I always manage to have at least 3 leaves stuck to the bottom of my feet. Of course, they aren't clean leaves so... When I get new carpet and I pull up this stuff, I can only imagine what the padding is gonna look like. :eek:

[snapdragen]

ewww, I may never ride Muni again.


Unfortunately it's not triathletes peeing on the Muni.........

[kelownagirl]

Sticking my nose in here this evening with a frog/toad question, of all things, for Nanci. I am now the proud momma of a little tree frog, and a big toad. I have had a 10 gallon terrarium that is nice and wet and growing well all fall. The other day, a little boy in my class gave me the toad and he wants me to keep it in the terrarium. I know we can find/buy crickets etc to feed him (her?) and there is definitely water in the terrarium. It would be kept in the classroom which is a coolish room temp. Would it be fair / safe to keep the critter in my room? What do they do in winter? I read a little online and want to make sure we do the right thing but my kiddos are so enthusiastic about having something more exciting than snails in the terrarium. So - have you cared for frogs/toads Nanci?

Here's a picture of him. He's partly hidden and it's a closeup but you can see the kind of environment he's in.

[kelownagirl]

trying again with picture :)

http://www.ame.sd23.bc.ca/~bmarchin/frog.jpg

[Fredwina]

That was my favorite season of Black Adder. He was SUCH a sh*t!!! (kinda like House.) (BTW Hugh Laurie was in Black Adder)

and I like Red Dwarf, but didn't get to see enough of it.
That's one of of the reasons I like House. It's amazing to see the amount of range Hugh can do, since, as far as I know , he was always playing a ninny in Blackadder.
Have you watched the new Dr who on sci-fi. It took awhile to get used to the non low budget sets. And the actor playing the doctor. Maybe I'm getting old.
Until next time:
I want to lie,
Shipwrecked and comatose,
Drinking fresh,
Mango juice,
Goldfish shoals,
Nibbling at my toes,
Fun, fun, fun,
In the sun, sun, sun,
Fun, fun, fun,
In the sun, sun, sun.
your pal ,
Debbie Lister

[salsabike]

Before I met Mr. Salsa, I spent seven years with a guy who turned out to be your basic liar, cheater, etc. I ended that relationship just before I met Mr. Salsa, fall of ‘85. Was looking forward to a year or so of being totally alone before even thinking about any guy seriously, when I met Mr. Salsa and the sparks flew, much against our wills. On Christmas Eve the seven-year guy stopped by and gave me a present (he never could let his exes go—liked to hang on to everyone). Three hours later, Mr. Salsa stopped by and gave me a present. After he left, I cried out of sheer confusion, and then I got mad and said, “OK. I don’t know what either of YOU guys are doing, but I AM GOING TO GO TO JAPAN THIS SUMMER, SO HAHA.” ---a place I’d always wanted to go. I did, too. Went by myself, traveled around for five weeks, climbed Mt. Fuji alone, had many adventures. The day after I came down the mountain I went back to Kyoto and spent the day buying friends and relatives presents at the Kyoto Handicraft Center. That’s where I saw the wedding kimono. Didn’t have much money in those days, so I obsessed over the kimono for several hours before I finally gave in and bought it. It’s lived on the wall of wherever I’ve lived ever since.

I did use the wedding kimono for some professionally done, "sensuous" photos I sent to Mr. Salsa the following summer (he was tugboating in Alaska for six months at a time). We both fondly remember those pictures. But the wedding kimono is so huge and heavy, it never seemed like a fun wedding dress idea. When we did get married in ’91, I had had to quit ballet (fibromyalgia) and had gained a lot of weight (medication for said fibromyalgia). I knew I would either have to get very brave and buy something very colorful, or I would revert to the urge to cut a hole in a dark-colored sheet and just stick my head through it. So I bought a tropical print, sequined and beaded sort of thing from Nordstroms to get married in.

After I became a weaver and took some color classes in the late 90s, I got brave enough to mess with wall colors. We painted one wall in the living room the dark blue that you saw in the pic, and that’s where the kimono lived until this house remodel started. It will once again get a blue wall in the ochre living room, when everything’s done, as long as they’ll let me out of debtor’s prison long enough to hang it up, of course.

That photo of Rousillon—we are actually thinking of painting the entryway that green color of the shutters, with ochre trim; then you would walk from there into the ochre living room with the blue wall.

Nanci, Addy sounds as entertaining as I expected. But poor hungry girl. And good for Choco to have done his shed and eaten.

What is the #1 snake you want?

[Nanci]

I really really want that female Nelsons Milksnake aberrant pattern. I check every few days to see if she's there. I had saved $33 toward her, but now I apparently am going to have to finance the IM Florida trip, somehow- don't ask me how, so. But she _is_ expensive, so maybe no one else can afford her either.

I call Addy "Puff Adder" sometimes. She's just contantly quietly hissing. Bad Choco was out running around last night even after his meal of _two_ the night before! But I stuck to the 48 hour rule and didn't take him out, because I had Addy to play with. Even Maize came out.

The toads are funny- I put a dish of water in the desert tort viv. They go into their "burrows" at 6PM and don't come out till late morning. The toads came out as soon as it got dark, and took turns sitting in the water like X in her hot tub! They were so cute!

KG- the toad viv looks great. Is the tiny tree frog in there too? I would worry about the toad eating him. I think that is a very suitable setup, and the toad will probably stay awake for the winter if you keep him warm and fed. If it's too cool in your room, he'll just hibernate, and you'll see him in the spring. Toads are very hardy/durable for gentle handling.

I haven't figured out who won Kona of the women.

Today I serve lunch for the OTHER Century, Horse Farm Hundred. Should be fun!

[Lise]

Salsa--wonderful story! Thanks for sharing it.

Nanci--Michellie Jones won Kona. She was a "short-distance" specialist--internationals and sprints. She won the silver in the first Olympic triathlon in Sydney. Then she took up IMs. She's won most of the IMs she's entered! Last year she took second in Kona, this year she won IMAZ, and now Kona. Her husband and twin sister were at the race for her--appearantly the husband cries not only at the end, but at the beginning of her races, too! :o Well, so would I.

I wrote back to ex-BF. My email was brief, friendly, and included the words, "I'm dating a wonderful guy". Ended with "take care". Punto, fin. (period. it's over.)

Off to go cheer at the marathon! I wish I had any idea what Limewave looked like, although I'm sure she'll be long past my cheering posts when I get there. Darryn's planning to finish in 6-6.5 hours. It's a long time to be out there in the chilly rain. I'm glad I did it last year.

[Pax]

Lise - How do you do it when the mom should NOT be having a kid?? My co-worker is set to have her 3rd child, she smoked and used "recreational pharmaceuticals" throughout the pregnancy, the sperm donor is in prison for beating her BUT they're going to work it out and he's really a good man, and people just don't understand that she loves him...:mad: Sorry for the rant but when I think of all the fine people who would do anything to have a child and just can't, and then look at this lump of human misery it just ticks me off!

[DebW]

Lise - How do you do it when the mom should NOT be having a kid?? ...:mad: Sorry for the rant but when I think of all the fine people who would do anything to have a child and just can't, and then look at this lump of human misery it just ticks me off!

I'll add to Queen's rant. How can all these politicians (like the governor of Massachusetts) go around extolling the virtues of heterosexual parenting and claiming that gay marriage is bad for kids? Don't they realize that only straight people have unintended pregnancies under bad circumstances? When gay couples go to the trouble and expense of having children, it's because they want them and love them. Sorry to go off on this topic, but I have two wonderful newphews with two mothers who are some of the best parents I have ever seen. And I got to see the 2 1/2 month old smile on Friday evening and help give them both their baths.

[mimitabby]

Don't they realize that only straight people have unintended pregnancies under bad circumstances? When gay couples go to the trouble and expense of having children, it's because they want them and love them. Sorry to go off on this topic, but I have two wonderful newphews with two mothers who are some of the best parents I have ever seen. And I got to see the 2 1/2 month old smile on Friday evening and help give them both their baths.
Wow, that's a great point!

It's almost 7am and it's still dark here.

I guess I'll go eat breakfast, been up since 530 and i'm hungry. I am going to manage to fit in a little bike ride i think. o darn. Hubby has my helmet in his car!!

I am going to the bike shop to pick something up for another secret friend.

[Trek420]

Queen, aren't you in the social services folks who should know better industry? And this scum works there too? Who let her in? this must drive you batty.

Reminds me somewhat of my ex's sister, her nogoodnic husband was in jail more than out, only getting out long enough to father another kid....then right back in jail on drug charges. And ..... she would take her kids out of school to go visit him. Excuse me? Kids should not miss school unless this is considered part of their education ("kids stay in school and graduate or you'll end up like Dad here").

Postscript though not in touch with my ex I know that at least the oldest two did just that, graduated high school and now at least getting some college. Heh, maybe it worked.

And in the best interest of the children our team (How'd I forgot to have kids?:confused: ) can't have children?

DebW is right, pretty much no unplanned pregnancy on our team, these kids are planned and wanted.

The other thing that bugs me no end is every time I see some new fertility technology in the news. Just because you're infertile you still would make fine parents I'm sure.

If you just can't have kids ..... please adopt!!!

There are so many kids in foster care need a good home. Hats off to any adoptive parents out there.

I've been involved in the corporate grand pooh bah employee charitable giving campaigns a few years running and last year we were going around doing presentations in some of the offices. We had a speaker from the Black Adoption Agency (which kept their orriginal name but doesn't just do adoption and not just Black kids, they advocate for all kids in foster care system).

So we're at this garage of AT&T techs, these big tough guys (and a couple of gals) with their tool belts looking bored while the speaker's talking about the need for adoption. Till one of the techs says:
"sure, give me two"
"huh?"
"give me two kids, any two"

He wasn't kidding, there wasn't a dry eye in the house :o Other techs there decided on the spot to volunteer to take kids to games, do the big brother/big sister thing.

If I do nothing else at work .... ever, I've done that. Helped to put those two kids together with a good Mom & Dad. Though kind of laughing imagining the conversation when he got home "you're getting us WHAT?!! Couldn't you just increase your pre-tax charitable deduction?". But I hear it went well.

Queen, how're the other two kids doing? How old are they? Are the grandparents involved?

[Aggie_Ama]

Ladies, you don't know how many times we have had this same rant at work. I have a wonderful coworker who is a lesbian and her partner would love for them to have children. They are an amazing couple, when I met them they were raising her (my co-worker) god children. The mother was a drug user, in fact she used while pregnant. :mad: They had the girls since birth and took on ones expensive medical issues without a second thought. The biological mom got mad when my co-worker turned her in and her grandparents took the kids away. I am not sure what the legal background was, but the kids are gone.

We also had a colorful debate about a co-worker who suggested he was going to marry his friend for football tickets. How insensitive when our other co-worker wants just to be viewed as a married woman like everyone else. Not to mention I put a lot of thought into the commitment of marriage and "we'll just get it annulled" didn't sit well with me.

My father was adopted at 7. Now days he would probably be a lost cause, doomed to a life of foster care. Instead he grew up middle class, loved and well taken care of. :) I bawled like a baby when I found out my best friend's mom decided to adopt a little boy that was 7. Two years later she adopted a little girl that was 5.

[Trek420]

Aggie_Ama "We also had a colorful debate about a co-worker who suggested he was going to marry his friend for football tickets."

must_resist_the_wisecrack, at risk of closing TE TD ahh, we must protect the value of marriage.

Of course all depends on which football team and for which seats? :D

[margo49]

It is unbelievable what people will permit themslves to say about other people who "should not be allowed to be having kids"
My personal experience of this is around racism and "keeping the race pure". The stuff we have been told ( both from people who consider themselves liberal and educated as well as people who consider themselves upholders of family values and tradition) makes my blood boil. Especially since over the years so many these so-called normal, healthy,worthy people have split up and/or messed up their kids to the point where it is actually *us* who are the actual (de facto) upholders of "family values" like a stable loving relationship, shared family meals and education in "moral values" (basic ones like honesty and helping others).

Struck a nerve there Queen and the rest of you.
Going away for a little sniffle over past hurts....

[Aggie_Ama]

Aggie_Ama "We also had a colorful debate about a co-worker who suggested he was going to marry his friend for football tickets."

must_resist_the_wisecrack, at risk of closing TE TD ahh, we must protect the value of marriage.

Of course all depends on which football team and for which seats? :D

Well he wanted to get married to his female friend in Vegas to get student tickets to UT football. He then declared "we would just get it annulled and say we were drunk." I just thought it was childish and no one should enter any marriage, contract, relationship so recklessly. My co-worker agreed. And of course I have no desire to see longhorn football, so it seemed even worse of a reason. :D

[Kitsune06]

I'm probably going to have an odd bunch of thoughts to throw in here, but I'm good at 'odd' and maybe playing devil's advocate a little. One of my friends and her partner have a son who's about 2 and a half, the friend is a pretty well-known drug dealer and will say in the most awkward places "I can get about anything for anyone." and does business in her living room. The son was an 'accident' from the last evening her partner was with her ex (astounding how those things happen). I'm unsure of how that's going to work out.
They also have friends, lesbians, partners, who have a 7 year old son. Here is my concern. He has no real male rolemodel and he's *so sure* that men are 2nd class citizens, and that women are "perfect cuz they can do everything" that he's starting to have huge problems with his male-ness. I'm not sure if that's a stage or not, and I know gender confusion happens at an early age for a lot of kids (that's why we have transgender folks...) but I can't help but wonder.
Then there's also my ex. Dad was a great male rolemodel. He (ex) was practically raised by Mom and his lesbian "aunts" while Dad worked his butt off at work and school. Ex came out very sensitive, very knowledgeable about 'women things' and very well-centered as a guy, too.
I think homosexual folks can be great parents as long as there's consideration given toward a child's mental development. Male children, I think, need a positive male rolemodel to show them that men can be strong and sensitive- they can do everything women can do (well, almost). and I think girl children need a male influence too, just because there are studies that say a girl's relationship to her father will speak volumes about her future relationships with men. Try as we might, ladies, we might just end up having straight children! :p :rolleyes:
It's because of this degree of difficulty, the amount of effort and coordination, (and the fact that no, most people won't want to put that much work into it) that it's generally accepted as a 'bad idea' for two people of the same gender to have a child, at least in such early developmental stages.
That said, I've told DGF "Hey, if we can adopt once they're out of diapers, I'm good." ;)
She says no. :P
Hence my effort to be on better terms with my ex, also... he's a very intelligent guy, and would probably be a great role model (some day...)

[KnottedYet]

I'm staying out of this.

TD is kind of our little private playground, but there are others who read this too. I'd hate to see TD shut down over trouble like my signature line caused.

[Trek420]

la la la la la....food, wine, turtles, snakes, chocolate, Lises dates .....

Knotted, weren't you headed out to church?

I just stubbed my toe on the table. :mad:

[KnottedYet]

put some ice on it.

(the toe, not the table;) )

[winddance]

I'm planning my first ride in 5 weeks for next weekend. I've been sick for the past month. Cold, flu, sinus infection...:(

[Trek420]

winndance, hope you feel better soon.

what does "matchy matchy" mean? is that because your socks, match the bike, matches the valve caps, matches....

knot, too late, ice is on the table. ;)

[snapdragen]

There are good and bad parents in both camps - let's not polarize TD with this discussion and get it shut down - m'kay? ;)

Chloe and I took a 1.5 mile walk today. She is truly an insane dog. Walking across a wooden foot bridge scares her. So, we come to a part of the sidewalk, where an iron fence is making shadows on the cement. She doesn't want to walk there. Then I realize, she thinks the shadow lines are wooden slats, like on the bridge. :rolleyes: She's pretty, but kinda dumb in some ways.

Scary shadows!!
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/snapdragen/Chloe/IMG_0484A.jpg

Scary bridge!!

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/snapdragen/Chloe/IMG_0486A.jpg

[Bikingmomof3]

kelownagirl -cool terrarium.

Fredwina- As much as I enjoyed Hugh Laurie in the Black Adder series, I preferred him as Bertie Wooster.

Salsa- The wedding Kimono has such a brilliant history. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Lise- How was dinner? I think your email was very well written. Do let us know how the Chicago marathon was.

Knot-you men I missed a controversial sig line. Drat!

Trek-I am sorry about your toe, I hope the ice is helping the table feel better. ;)

Winddance-feel better soon.

I am going to cuddle up under a quilt and nap with my cat, then go for a run. I feel a cold coming on and hope the extra sleep will help.

[Bikingmomof3]

Chloe and I took a 1.5 mile walk today. She is truly an insane dog. Walking across a wooden foot bridge scares her. So, we come to a part of the sidewalk, where an iron fence is making shadows on the cement. She doesn't want to walk there. Then I realize, she thinks the shadow lines are wooden slats, like on the bridge. :rolleyes: She's pretty, but kinda dumb in some ways.


I am a lot like Chloe. :o I am not fond of any bridges, let alone those I can see through. I am terrified of heights! :eek:

[Trek420]

snap, Chloe is a brave dog! Watch her conquer fear of scary shadows and bridge. :D

Bikingmomof3, thanks for the detailed wrap of of TE TD. Yes you missed TE TD controvery, I'm sure Kit knows what page it was, the sig line is gone. The table feels much better now.

Kit, add this to the TE TD TOC

kelownagirl-cool terrarium. so far there are no toads in my toad house, maybe they want something more elaborate.

Salsa- Love the wedding Kimono story "both of you, figure it out I'm off to Japan"

Winddance & BMO3 both-feel better soon. If not extra sleep the cat nap will help you and maybe the cat.

[Brina]

I have a problem with people who say, "If you can't have kids you should adopt, there are so many children available in foster care."

First, children in foster care are not the sole responsiblity of those who cannot conceive the good old fashioned way. Anybody can choose to adopt one of these children. I remember having this conversation with somebody no longer in my life. She learned we were pursuing treatment to conceive and she told me we should adopt. I asked her why she and herr dh were not adopting and her response was, "well we can have our own". Like that somehow exempted them from responsiblity.

Second, the foster care system in the United States has as its stated mission that the ideal resolution for a child in foster care is reunification with a parent or member of the his/her biological family. That is directly at odds with my goals - a child, a family, a permenant relationship. I have seen many, many situations where the biological mother is given chance after chance to prove that she has cleaned up her act, often dragging on for years and through second, third and forth chances. The foster parents hang in their, loving and providing for the child and praying for the day that parental rights are terminated and they can legalize the family that they have built, but then the bio mother manages to convince a judge and a social worker that this time she really is clean for good and the child gets "returned" (in quotes, since the child often has never spent significant time with the bio parent) to the "rightful" "parent" - As opposed to the people who have loved, supported, educated and card for the child.

Third, infertility is the only medical condition that people seem to judge others for pursuing. Insurance rarely covers it, which most fertile people seem to think is good as they worry about the effect on inurance rates. Family members will remark upon the waste of money and the small chance of success. Fertility patients are told, "it is just meant to be" or "perhaps God did not intend you to have children." Could you imagine if similar criteria were applied to other illnesses or disabilities? My sil had stage 4 metatastic breast cancer and continued to pursue treatment after treatment even though the chance of a cure was <2%. Insurance covered it all and nobody complained about the effect on their insurance rates. Nobody told her, "it is just meant to be," or "perhaps God just wants you to die." Nobody would dare to say to the scientists who research spinal cord injuries that they should pursue more "worthy" illnesses and that some people were just no meant to walk. Just as those suffering from other illnesses should not be condemned for seeking medical treatment, the infertile have a right to adress their disability.

[Trek420]

Brina "I remember having this conversation with somebody no longer in my life. She learned we were pursuing treatment to conceive and she told me we should adopt. I asked her why she and herr dh were not adopting and her response was, "well we can have our own" Like that somehow exempted them from responsiblity."

owwwww, besides being insensitive I agree it also smacks of somehow that adopted kids are "not your own"

".....I have seen many, many situations where the biological mother is given chance after chance to prove that she has cleaned up her act.....then the bio mother manages to convince a judge and a social worker that this time she really is clean for good and the child gets "returned""

I agree again, I think more would adopt if it was easier here and if they did not fear that the adoption could be reversed, delayed...a good friend adopted and orphan from China and no, I don't know if fertility conditions had anything to do with it.

Their daughter is the light of their life. Part of his decision was that they could do so easier than one from here with less of a wait.

My concern is more just getting kids out of foster care system.

After a tour of this good organisation I learned it's a huge problem.

http://www.lincolncc.org

Many foster care parents do a great job, some of these kids do get adopted but then at 18 ... when foster care no longer pays these kids are basicly turned loose.

By this point they may have been in the system for years, the situation that got them there has not been resolved, they may have been passed from house to house.

I had great parents, loving supportive educated family and how hard was being 18??:confused:

Imagine how it is for those kids? what happens to them? Well, many end up in jail for one thing.

I don't think we each have to take a kid or even each have to adopt a dog from the pound ;) I hope you are able to have your child the way you want and/or find a way to use and express the nurturing energy you have in other ways.

But as a society we have to care and think about what is the solution?

Ultimately these are all our kids.

[Nanci]

I don't think Knot's "controversial" sig had anything to do with TD. I don't remember thinking it was particularly offensive or controversial, either.

My hand smells weird. I wonder if it has somehting to do with the lunch stop...Only my left hand.

I just went grocery shopping for snakes, at Snakes.

The toads love the water dish/soaking pool. They are funny.

Working the lunch stop was fun. I cut up tons of fruit, made a bunch of pimento cheese sandwiches (we also had PBJ and hummus) and then made gallons of Gatorade.

Now I'm ready for a nap.

Oh, Snap, I used to have a horse who would jump over those white chalk lines on baseball fields. I think you can even fence in cattle with painted cattle grates- you don't even need the real thing. So Chloe is not alone in her thinking.

Hey, wait- gardening experts- I have a mini rose. Am I supposed to remove the deadheads, or leave them alone? And, does anyone know of a reason I should _not_ allow the bitter orange rootstock from my frozen tangelo to turn into a tree in its own right?

[Quillfred]

Duckin' in for some drift....

Lise: This is a memorable line worthy of a novel. I missed him a bit...but I missed him while we were dating! So no big loss. People are funny. I shake my head all the time in bewilderment.

Snap: One very cute dog. Mitzi, an English Bulldog I once had, would absolutely FREAK when we drove over bridges or got on ferries. She was such a neurotic little thug.

Trek 420: They are occasionally showing parts of Aidscycle #4 on the LOGO channel. Was that you I caught a glimpse of once or twice?!?

Salsabike: I agree with the Kimono story being especially fine. Kudos for climbing Fuji--alone :eek:

Nanci: Deadheading encourages more blooming. If it's a miniture miniture, just use care to snip and not fingernail-prune it like I do to standard teas. Rootstocks are often sturdy healthy roots from a not necessarily ornamental plant.

I love animal rescue work. I volunteered one spring north of us to care for the wildlife section. Just in time for lots of baby birds, squirrels and Opossums. I wish there was a rescue in Seattle.

Quillfred

[Trek420]

toad question: I would like to place a pie tin of beer (very cheap generic beer) in the front yard to kill (in a humanely pleasantly drunk way) the slugs.

Will this harm toads? I haven't seen any toads but would like to attract toads to the area. Do toads like to drink or will they be put off by cheap beer.

Many places paint the cattle grates, much cheaper, don't have to run drainage under the road and must be just as effective. Very confusing to cyclists, I have been on rides where "gra....oh never mind it's painted" has been called out.

I'm not a gardening expert, and don't play one on TV. I learned from my Mom that it depends on what you want.

Deadheading the plant may get you a second round of blooms because the plant thinks "wait, wait I forgot to bloom, better do that now". Plants are as dumb as cows :::runs away now from cow fans :::::

I know I should snip the deadheads with special deadhead snipping pruners approved by the Queen of Englands cottage gardeners, if I'm out there, see deadheading to do ... I just gently do that by hand, just don't damage the stems.

Since me folks always did the same I figure it's ok.

All I know about roses is I'm supposed to prune back in February and feed them a lot

On the other hand if you want the plant to put energy into root and other growth leave it alone.

I kept buying nursey plants based on their blooms. OOoOH this one's pretty. But they were putting all their energy into the blooms and the plants never got established.

I don't know if this is correct but now even if the whole nursery stock is in bloom... I look for the ones without flowers.

Much more better plant survival rate now.

As for the rootstock, grafting plants I really don't know about but if you want I can ask my Mom, bet she'd know if it's a good idea or not.

Off to lunch with Mom....

[Kitsune06]

Trek- Oh, no polarizing here. Don't worry. FTR, I actually don't have a number for Knot's sig line controversy. Also, I don't think the beer would hurt the toads in your yard. I'm thinking it'd taste like hoppy, rotten grain water to them and they would be far more interested in a fresher supply.

Brina- I agree. There are so many children out there who need parents who will love them. Just because you *can* make your own, doesn't mean... wait wait, wait. I said that in another thread. Back to my "no polarizing here" statement... :rolleyes: I think one of the things that can be most prohibitive of adoption is just not knowing the genes going into this child, whether or not drug use was a factor during the pregnancy, etc. when you make your own, you at least have a decent idea of genetic faults/abnormalities/traits present (mom and dad are both bipolar, Dad's diabetic and....) (not me, but you know where I'm going) it'd be a very scary unknown.

I think I *saw* Knot's sig at one point, somewhere, and didn't think it was that offensive...

[snapdragen]

**Adjusting moderator hat** Let's put the controversy to rest. Knot's sig was never complained about. There was a thread that the admins thought would get out of hand, and so it was shut down.

**throws hat in the air**

I just ran into the most amazingly stupid woman at Target. I was checking out, a man and his little boy were in front of me. The boy has a Thomas the Tank Engine Lego set; I asked if it was for him. He nodded solemnly, and I told him I thought that was very cool.

Dad uses his charge card, signs the little screen thing and waits. The checker begins scanning my stuff; then hands me the bag. I point to the gentleman and say "He's waiting for his receipt" She gives me this vacant look, then hands him the receipt.

I step up to the POS thing, and she stands there looking at me. (At this point, I'm thinking cows look more intelligent) I say "I need to pay for my items". She points the the man and little boy leaving the store "Oh, you're not with him?" Uh, no, perhaps you should stop him before he gets home and realizes he just paid $70 for a lego set? She stands there. ***moo*** So I run after him to let him know what happened.

PITA getting everything straightened out. OH! And she tells her supervisor it's our fault - we were talking to each other! So remember, no conversations with 4 year old boys while waiting to check out at Target.

[KnottedYet]

What did Seattle put into the municipal water system?!?!

I'm just so damm happy! It's unnatural! I feel like the whole world has opened up to me, all the possibilities I thought I'd never have again, just the richest most beautiful treasure box in the universe!

I feel alive out to the very tips of my fingers and toes! I love everything! I feel such an incredible sense of FREEDOM. Freedom, and also an odd sense of power.

I feel like there is NOTHING wrong with me! Like I'm actually a pretty nifty person!

Even if I end up single for a looooooong time, I'm not terrified of being single. Seems pretty peachy to me right now! I'm liking it!

Maybe someone slipped something funny into my coffee this morning...

[maillotpois]

OMG Snap, that's so pathetic. I loved the scary bridge pictures, by the way.

nice frog, kelowna.

so I did my last ever marathon this morning. it wasn't even my slowest marathon, but I didn't run much at all, so it was pretty slow. very well supported event. I wore a shirt with ribbons w/the names of my honorees (including SK's dad, snap's friend Bob and Julie ann) - I will put a pic up and do a report when the fire in my feet goes out. my local honoree friend met me at the finish w/a dozen roses. since he'd been the one who inspired me to did it, that was pretty cool. ("honoree" is team in training speak for an honored leukemia patient you are doing an event for.)

I can't believe I missed controversy while I was out doing a stupid marathon!!!

[Veronica]

Yeah, but you did it MP! I was wondering what kind of day you were having.

V.

[Kitsune06]

Whatever it is, I want some. =) Glad things are feeling good for you, Knot!
I take it things are satisfactorily 'over' between you and PITA?
Ah, that liberated 'single' feeling- I remember it so well... living on beer and pizza and as much sake as I could sneak from xdh without him noticing... being obnoxiously 'single' around my taken friends, flirting shamelessly and knowing I was somethin' to look at...

Then finding DGF and being all tingly with excitement, too... on the weekends I managed to visit and all through the week when all I could do was email. Ah! *grin*

Y'know... she's getting home in half an hour. I'm gonna call her.

[Nanci]

Why do you say it's your last, MP? Could it be because (ssshhhh) running isn't FUN?

Snap- I am speechless.

[maillotpois]

thanks guys!

it was a l o n g day, V. start in the dark, finish in daylight (well, ok, at noon). just like a lot of my doubles (not the noon part!).

nanci - running stinks. I know you like trail running, and I can see doing that still. but pounding asphalt for 26 miles.... urgh!!

[Trek420]

snapdragen

don't talk to strangers, it confuses the cows :p

[Bikingmomof3]

snapdragen

don't talk to strangers, it confuses the cows :p

OMG, I do not know what I was expecting, but coffee went everywhere.

Knot- YAY, I am so happy for you. Freedom is a wonderful feeling.

Snap-this just confirms my theory that shopping online is better. BTW, cute moderator hat.

MP-your last marathon? Maybe you will change your mind next year? I do agree cross country running is much better than asphalt.

(Talk amongst yourselves. I need a little time to vent were children cannot hear mom's pity party. No answers are needed, I am just talking to myself.)
I want to bike and I want to swim. Augh. At least I can run, right? So what if I need to tell my mind to move my left side, I am out there, right? It will get better, it could get worse, but why dwell. Now stop feeling sorry for your sorry butt and take a shower.

Resume TD....

[Kitsune06]

Now now, Trek... be kind to the cows.
There are varying degrees of 'dumb' in the animal kingdom...
[edited because no one needs to see my animal pet peeves]
Oh, yeah, Trek, there's a vast, rich world of "stupid" out there, and it's not just limited to cows.
Aren't we lucky?
moo.

[Trek420]

Bikingmomof3 "I do agree cross country running is much better than asphalt."

stupid question: are there cross country marathons? or are they all on asphalt?

keep telling your mind to move your left side. You will get better. You're just creating new neural pathways. You're an athlete, this is just another part of training.

[KnottedYet]

has no-one posted anything on TD for 5 hours!?!? Whoa. Spooky.

[Kitsune06]

I know. :( My thought exactly, but I jabber enough on all the other threads I didn't want to be the *first* person saying anything in awhile. It's so *dull* here tonight...

[Lise]

Good grief! I go cheer at the marathon and then make out for hours with J. and you people go berserk! :p

I will answer the first question: How do I stand it when women make poor choices around childbearing? I stay as "in the moment" as I possibly can. I try to help women feel proud of the bodies, their babies, and make the best choices they can. And I have the luxury of transferring someone out of the midwifery service (to the docs) if she's acting in a way that's dangerous for herself or her baby.

As an infertile midwife, I made my peace some years ago with the fact that there's no "justice" in who conceives, only biology. Sometimes pregnancy and birth can be a positive life-transforming experience for a woman/family, and I try to help that happen. The rest I do my best to accept. I do have moments when I walk out of a patient's room and put my head in my hands. I know that many women were abused as children and feel ambivalent/detached/hateful about their own bodies. I try to help them be as connected to their babies as I can. But I realize that I'm just a blip on the radar screen of their lives.

People get pregnant. Life goes on. I work hard to help women find safe, effective contraception so they can *choose* when they want to have babies, if at all.

MP, looking forward to the marathon report! :D L.

[salsabike]

Aw, Lise. NICE job in that post. Beautifully said.

Ho ho. Glad you were making out.

[KnottedYet]

I started reading TD over again from the very beginning.

Damm funny.

[Kitsune06]

it takes a freakin' long time, Knot. I was at 4 days, then lost my place over the weekend and gave up. That was when TD was around 168 pages. =P

[salsabike]

Oh, thank God, the doc was right. 48 mile tandem ride today, no problem with broken toe pain because soles are stiff and you don't use that part of your foot anyway. What a relief! Improved my disposition considerably, as Mr. Salsa would be the first to attest. (went bathroom fixture shopping yesterday in the walking boot; got fixture ambitions WAY above my station; got very tired and grumpy to boot. Urg, please pardon an unpardonable pun).

BMomof3 (I write this a different way every time)--The med side effects seem to be diminishing? If your BP stays at level X for Y amount of time, can you then bike and swim? Did they set clear criteria for you to track? I am looking forward to your first post after you get back to those two things, and I am sure you will. Also, I like Trek420's post about building new neural pathways, just another part of training. Think that's right.

MP. Yuh. Running was never my thing. Amazing that you did a marathon. You are a formidable athlete, I think.

Hiya, Quill! Nice to see you here.

That whole thing about animals reacting to shadows and painted lines is fascinating. Our cat Nina MUST sit/sleep in a visually defined place, whether it's on a sheet of paper, or a thin square of fabric, or whatever. I expect there's some pretty cool research on animal visual perception. Amazing stuff.

Kit, thought your comments on childrearing were eminently sane.

Did PR really, really do that on the bus? I am not at all a delicate flower, but I find that DISGUSTING.

Am guessing Chickwhorips did NOT get burned at the stake by the villagers last night.

Nanci. Nice century report--congrats. Is this part of the brevet series? What triggers hibernation for Fagalo in Florida? Is there enough noticeable weather change to do that? If he comes inside, does that hold off hibernation?

Haha, Knotted! Pretty fabulous day out there today, wasn't it? Especially after that elephant got lifted off your brow a few days ago...

[Kitsune06]

Knot- the Trek fan club is on page 212, and a brief summary of the first chunk of TD is on 218. :D

Salsa- "Eminently sane." Hm. Thanks ...I think. :D Glad you could go out for a spin. (I'll pardon your pun if you pardon mine)

Lise- ooooh making out. :D I feel like we're in highschool. *giggle! titter!* No pics, tho, thanks. :)

[Xrayted]

Well Knotted, I've been working my way through TD steadily for weeks now and I'm not even close to being done. Pheww! This whole now-ex GF thing has been hammering at you for a long time. I'm happy for you that you finally did what you needed to. No matter what the circumstances, it's always hard. BTW, very nice to see you so overjoyed today! I think it's sunk in, has it? Here's hoping you find a nice young woman (when you're ready ;) ) who is good enough to deserve someone as wonderful as you.

I'm staying away from the child raising issue. No kids (love kids, just don't have any) so officially, I have no opinion.

Snap - my dog did the same thing. I had to pick her up and carry her across. This is the same dog who would hang out the window or off the side of the boat until the point where she'd all but fall out but still wouldn't walk across a bridge. :confused: Gotta love them tho.

Trek420 - glad the table is ok. Furniture isn't cheap. :D BTW, Did ya put the beer in the yard? I'll be over with a straw. I'm a cheap date so one plate oughta do it.

BMo3 - hope it's not a cold. I know you'll be back on the bike soon. Are you allowed to ride on a trainer? Keep after that left side. It'll come around and remember what it's supposed to be doing. Give it time.

Nanci - did ya wash the hand yet? :eek:

Sorry if I missed anyone! Take care and be safe.

-X.

[Xrayted]

Wha? How did I miss Lise making out? So, I take it he's pretty good since you said you were making out for hours. At least someone is getting some face time around here! :D I may have to live vicariously through you.

[Nanci]

Yes I washed it!! I'd been washing and disinfecting it and wiping tables and stuff with cleaners all day!! This morning it smells like pancake syrup. I don't even have any in the house...The other one matches, fortunately.

Yes it gets cold here! The forecast, which I don't quite believe, is highs in the low 70s all week, and lows in the low 40s. It was 90 yesterday. I think the diminishing hours of daylight and the cold and the dwindling food supply trigger hibernation. If we bring him in, he stays awake, though we could probably get him to hibernate inside by keeping him cool and withdrawing food, too. But I wouldn't want to. If he comes in, he lives in the bathtub on a rug with a box to hide in.

[Pax]

Lise - Thanks for the reply, sounds like a positive way to go about a job as challenging and rewarding as yours.

[Nanci]

Lise, you're so smart!

Salsa, you should see the research on pigeon visual perception.

From Wikepedia:

In a famous article in 1995, Watanabe, Sakamoto and Wakita described an experiment which showed that pigeons can be trained to discriminate between paintings by Picasso and Monet.

The birds were first trained on a limited set of paintings: when the shown painting was a Picasso, the pigeon was able to obtain food by repeated pecking; when it was a Monet, pecking had no effect. After a while, the pigeons would only peck when shown Picasso paintings. They were then able to generalize, and correctly discriminate between paintings of the two painters not previously shown, and even between cubist and impressionist paintings (cubism and impressionism being the two stylistic schools Picasso and Monet belong to). When the Monet paintings were shown upside down, the pigeons were not able to properly categorize anymore; showing the cubist works upside down did not have such an effect.

In 1995, the authors won the humorous Ig Nobel Prize in psychology for this work.

In a later paper, Watanabe showed that if pigeons and human college students undergo the same training, their performance in distinguishing between Van Gogh and Chagall paintings is comparable.

Similar experiments had shown earlier that pigeons can be trained to distinguish between photos showing human beings and those that do not, and between photos showing trees and those that do not, among many other examples.

In all these cases, discrimination is quite easy for humans, even though the classes are so complex that no simple distinguishing algorithm or rule can be specified. It has therefore been argued that pigeons are able to form "concepts" or "categories" similar to humans, but that interpretation is controversial. Nevertheless, the experiments remain important and often cited examples in cognitive science.

[Trek420]

Kitsune06 "it takes a freakin' long time, Knot. I was at 4 days, then lost my place over the weekend and gave up. That was when TD was around 168 pages. =P"

I'm not doin' it, I'm just going to wait for "TE TD, the movie"

[mimitabby]

I think you guys are impressive, trying to read so far back into this thread.
I can't do it.

I was, however on the Marinoni website. They make beautiful steel bikes.
a guy here in my building has one. he complained that he didn't have enough gears though (that was the only thing he didn't like about his bike)


I am so happy to hear that Salsa is riding again and wish BMof4 could too.
Speaking of a lot of kids, I just heard that Nancy Pelosi had 6 kids in 5 years!

Nanci, when I was a teen, i could smell the smell of onions on my hands for days after my step mother asked me to cut an onion up and put it on a slab of meat to roast in the oven.. I didn't like so i wouldn't do the chore.. (what a brat I was)
I never smelled maple syrup on my hands after washing though.

KY, I am so glad that you are feeling better. Life is good, even though we're going to get rained on this week.

about babies, Lise, you are right, it's just biology. If we try to make sense of it, we're going to have headaches. the only requirement for having babies is enough health to bring it to term. That's how a species continues. We as human beings have tried to interject our morals, religion and opinions upon the process, and we just can't. Evil people can produce babies, as well as nuns (who say DARN!) and grandmothers who say OOPS and little girls who are still whining about having to do their homework. And some gals with the best intellects and instincts can't.
I always wonder about the little souls who ask to be born into the arms of a mom who is drug addled. I knew a kid like that.
There was this young woman with a heroin problem. she had already lost 1/2 an arm to tracks... She had this baby boy. (she was clean at the time) he was a beautiful child, and when he was very very small, i had an opportunity to watch him (and her) she was a careless jerky kind of person, but this little boy was sensitive and very aware. he was about 4-5 months old. He followed her every cue..Having had 2 babies myself, I was startled at his acuity and the way he was tuned in to his mom.
She had a nice boyfriend, someone with plenty of sense and clean time..
Fast forward. Mom is dead. Boyfriend adopted the boy, the boy is doing very very well. She was really a terrible mom, but the boyfriend was a great dad.
The kid is in highschool now, taking college classes.
ohwell, no more storytelling for now.

[KnottedYet]

I'm not doin' it, I'm just going to wait for "TE TD, the movie"

Honey, you and I were there from the very beginning. We don't HAVE to read it again, but it really is pretty fun!

[Nanci]

Mimi- did you ever try, when cutting onions, sticking a small slice on the top of your head- then they don't make you cry? Works for me!

I can also smell stuff in my pee- onions, coffee, asparagus- anything strong flavored.

My mom never let me do anything! No cooking, no laundry, no dish washing...I got to pick up apples in the yard for 10 cents, and mow the yard, starting in sixth grade, for $1.