Thread Drift

Hey Salsa,

I always enjoy NZ...except the weather. It rained 80% of the time we were threre. We went to my fave cafe in Rotovegas called The Fat Dog :) , visited friends I haven't seen for almost 2yrs and found that some of the horrible Auckland motorway system has finally been improved. Even the infamous "bridge to nowhere"(kiwi ladies will understand) in the Waikato has been completed!!!!:eek: finally!!!

We also have two friends/couple seriously thinking of moving here from Auckland :) They have nothing to lose moving & Perth was one of the three places to choose from.(the others-INdonesia, Europe & Aussie-main reason is the gent(chris) is a diving instructor...)

Right..The Queen-Helen Mirren's awesome & I highly recommend the film. You may wish to take kleenex with you as the footage of the flowers etc after Diana's death is still quite sad for me. I remember where I was when she died & it's still sad seeing images of the outpouring of grief.

Ps-salsa i found a litte item for ya & will send it along with all the other items I need to send folks!!!

c

:eek: Watching 80's videos on my computer..What on earth were artists on back then?? Don't answer that..:cool: :eek:

I was watching the banned version of "Relax"by Frankie goes to Hollywood :eek:

Just plain weird...

c

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Originally Posted by crazycanuck

The dvd bit is dead..:(

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This may be a bit technical for you but my dvd drive recently died and I revived it by giving my laptop a good thump. This prompted it to recognise the drive as new hardware and re-install it. Worth a try:D

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Now that Saddam is dead, can the US leave Iraq and my brother come home? In the last 4 years he's only been home a total of 6 months.

And why did we put Saddam into power in the first place all those years ago?

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It was never about Saddam, it was always about the oil...and about some people making a LOT of money.

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Originally Posted by Lisa S.H.

It was never about Saddam, it was always about the oil...and about some people making a LOT of money.

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Yep. And now I guess it comes down to whether the new Dems in Congress have grown enough spine to stand up to Bush and his gang of war profiteers. Hang in there, Knot, Knot's brother, and all the other soldiers, families, and Iraqis waiting for this war to end. Let's hope it ends SOON!

What makes me wonder is this: if so many people in our country are so unhappy about what's happening over there, why can't we change it? Why are our voices seemingly unheard? Why can't our elected officials do what we elected them to do (represent us)? I know- that's a rhetorical question because of the games that are played in that big white building on capitol hill. I hope that with the change in power that we can start to make our exit- and focus on what's wrong with our own country. I hope the new dems have the backbone, and the pull, to turn this thing around.

Knot- even tho I'm against the reasons for us being there, I love our soldiers, support what they do and pray for them everyday. I hope that he (and they) can all come home very, very soon. We live in a military town, and I see the sadness of the war all around me. Let's bring those boys and girls home!!

Sorry so political... I live in a very "red" state and I'm a very "blue" person. I don't get to voice my opinion anywhere around here without great opposition and arguments. Thanks for letting me vent! :)

Even my brother questions our reasons for being there. He just does it very very quietly... Most of the guys have the same opinion we do, they just can't say anything.

And yes, there is a HUGE distinction between supporting the troops and supporting the way they are being used. They know that. We know that.

It's an ugly complicated situation our government has gotten into, and it's gonna be awfully hard to get out of it.

The president of this country has entirely too much power. Not entirely by constitutional design - more by congressional abdication. DoW is right, our congressmen need spine. I also think we need to impose real qualifications for presidential candidates - elections have been a poor way to pick. Maybe require at least 1 term in the senate so the candidates have a record on foreign policy. As it is, those with no record can get elected easier, since a voting record yields more negative advertising potential.

Knot, I really hope your brother and all the others can come home soon. Doesn't look good for now unless the Dems tighten the purse-strings.

It's precipitating here. I think it's a combination of snow and sleet - mostly sleet by the sound of it. About 31 degrees. Now it looks like graupel. Changing by the minute.

My weekend project: a bicycle cover for my daughter's bike. I didn't order the fabric until 3 days before xmas, so this is a late present. She gave me the bike measurements and the location of the lock (will leave a hole there).

Your daughter's lucky, Deb. My old bike was covered by a plastic sheet held down with bricks!

Is 6 o'clock too early to go to bed? I'm stuffed.

Just now took the dog out for a run and showered and got dressed. And it's LUNCH TIME. I want a nap.

Holiday weekends by myself are faaaaaar too lazy!

I love lazy weekends. It is warm and dreary here. I am about to have a late lunch and a nap sounds very nice. :) Dinner is in the crockpot and the house is back to it's pre-Christmas state. All is well.

Jen- :eek: :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D Just because. ;)

X- :D Thanks, much. PITA. :D

CWR- Hope your weekend's going okay- don't go postal... ;):D

Life is good; So good. :D

from Edwin- "Alive"
...ain't it good to be alive; to feel the sun strong against your face; strawberry blond waves of silky hair spills over me like the milky way
ain't it good to be alive....
ain't it good to breathe the air; another spin around the sun; on this speck of light in the universe; a little peace of love in everyone :D

just found a CD my DOL made for me awhile ago... this is the 1st song on it, and it feels good today.

hi TD. I haven't been around much. first our power was off for 3 days after big windstorm and now our cable/internet and phones still aren't working. :mad:

we finally broke down and got a generator. we're in a redwood forest and trees are always knocking down power lines, so we'll be out of power a week a year.

sounds like everyone is having fun or hanging in there. sals, what's up w/ the contractors?? bmo3 sorry about the migraines. that just stinks. I am "typing" on my treo since we don't have cable, so it's hard to catch up on all the posts.

I did a 50 mile ride today - my fourth ride since coming off the meds. I am super slow on hills because the dr. wants my HR below a certain #, but I actually felt good. now I am relaxing w/60 pound lab on my lap. :)

happy almost new year TD!!

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Originally Posted by maillotpois

hi TD. I haven't been around much. first our power was off for 3 days after big windstorm and now our cable/internet and phones still aren't working. :mad:

we finally broke down and got a generator. we're in a redwood forest and trees are always knocking down power lines, so we'll be out of power a week a year.

sounds like everyone is having fun or hanging in there. sals, what's up w/ the contractors?? bmo3 sorry about the migraines. that just stinks. I am "typing" on my treo since we don't have cable, so it's hard to catch up on all the posts.

I did a 50 mile ride today - my fourth ride since coming off the meds. I am super slow on hills because the dr. wants my HR below a certain #, but I actually felt good. now I am relaxing w/60 pound lab on my lap. :)

happy almost new year TD!!

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HA!!! Your FOURTH ride. That is so cool. I'm sure the Lab is helping keep your HR down, too.

The contractor does good work but does not communicate at all. So we keep getting surprised by delays that we would otherwise have been able to prep for, or by coming home to conditions that aren't quite livable. Arrrr. For example. The drywallers were supposed to do their thing the week before Christmas, when I was with Mom in Albany, Chris was on a work related boat trip, and cats were boarded. Chris got home Friday night the 22nd to find that the drywallers had just started, the house was not livable (and really, you can't live there during the whole drywall process--which is taking a couple of weeks, actually), and we had nowhere to board the cats for a few days because the boarding place was booked for Christmas and we hadn't thought we'd NEED to keep boarding them. So Chris went to a hotel that took cats. And our cats are OLD and have medical needs--shots, subq fluid, etc. The contractor knew all this. I flew home on Christmas Day with several flight cancellations and lost luggage (retrieved two days later). We're now back in the hotel by Paine Field watching Boeing fly its planes around, and will be here through next Thursday (or longer, of course). Cats are back at boarding place now that the Christmas cat rush is over. Anyway, the point of all that is if the contractor WOULD JUST CALL US, we could plan for such stuff, but he never does, no matter how many times we're ranted at him about it. The work will be excellent but I would not hire him again because this lack of communication makes it all so much harder than it needs to be. We've managed to dock him some of his profit for not calling to move deadlines, so that makes me feel better (but I'd rather not have to do it in the first place). Oh well. As Trek420 says, they never call, they never write...we just want it to be done, already.

Watching the Boeing planes take off over our hotel room is fun. I'll take all the OT I can get at this point...and the house will be so cool when it's done. And how fun to hear you've done four rides already. I love that.

Hey, MP, glad to hear you're up to 50 miles!

Salsa, I have a present for you. I printed this out and hung it in my kitchen in a frame that used to have a pic of DD, four years old, at Sanibel Island. She's been replaced!

Today I caulked up all the windows on the north side of the house- now I need a big rain storm to test them out.

Next Saturday is a 200k ride, and the weather looks WARM!!

Nanci

hi td GALS
I just got back from a 32.4 mile ride in 34 - 40 degree sunny (sort of) oregon.
getting caught up on your conversation here and i heartily approve of all your sentiments, not that anyone needs my approval.
I rode my bianchi and although i was usually last, i was not so far behind to be a burden to the rest of the riders.
next we are supposed to go shopping, but no one else has appeared here in the lobby.
MP i didnt know you guys were having windstorms too! what a season we're having!

oh, and throat singing? Tibetan monks do it. they make one noise with their throats and another with their mouths. it's very strange. i think the noise also is happening on both the inhale and the exhale. My son has always been the master of making annoying noises, you should hear the noises he can make with his french horn. i'm so glad he doesnt play drums!
well, i guess i need to find where the shoppers went!

bummer salsa! well, it WILL be wonderful when it's done and well worth the hassle I am sure. good that they didn't permanently lose your luggage!!

Knot-do you mind me asking if there's a way to send your brother a card? I'm not sure if you can tell us where he's stationed in Iraq for sec reasons but wherever he is, i'll keep him in me thoughts.

Did any of you ladies get to see Gerald Ford lying in state? Is it a big event in the US or has it been overshadowed by the many other interesting events in the world?

MP-give your doggie a hug.

Nanci-where have you been dear?

c

THAT is my handsome boy Choco! What a stud.

CC, Ford has gotten plenty of attention. Whether we agreed with his actions during his presidency or not, the contrast between his general approach/effect on politics, with the current admin, is being noted.

Mimi, I see you are slowly being made a part of winter riding. Seems to be working pretty well for you! How are your tootsies?

CC, yes, it is a big deal here in the states. But he will not be anywhere near my house, so I will not see him. But I think the coverage that I've seen has been most favorable.

Happy New Year's, TD!

(I won't be around tomorrow, so gotta say it now.)

hmmm. I am neither a "red" nor a "blue" person, though I live in a very Blue state. I have at times a great deal of difficulty in seeing a difference in dems vs reps, in that they both spend lots of our money on things I wouldn't, and they both ultimately make the government bigger and more complicated. Granted they do so in very different areas, and generally I like the blue areas more than the red areas. But I am not a big fan of the two party system.

I also have mixed feelings about the use of the military; I have been closely involved with all kinds of military personnel for over 10 years due to serving in the USCG Auxiliary and because of my career in network security. In fact I now work for a company that sells mostly to the military. Anyway, I have a very high regard for the vast majority of the troops who are very hard working, decent, even idealistic people. But it bothers me to see our money spent on for example lots of high tech stuff (some of it quite obscure), while the people on the ground or in the boats can't get parts to make the darn things run or protect them. I also think that the individuals are taken for granted by the people in DC who have no #$% clue about what it's like to be a soldier, sailor, Guardsman etc.

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What makes me wonder is this: if so many people in our country are so unhappy about what's happening over there, why can't we change it? Why are our voices seemingly unheard? Why can't our elected officials do what we elected them to do (represent us)? I know- that's a rhetorical question because of the games that are played in that big white building on capitol hill.

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I dunno, because we mostly let them get away with it? By re-electing the same people 20 times, by not letting them know how disheartened we are by their choices etc? I am not exactly involved in politics, so I am to blame also - it's my own fault for being more content to say post on TE than pester some congressperson about stuff I in theory care about. :). But on some level, we gotta look in the mirror if we don't like what we see representing us....

Sorry to sidebar.

On a different note, wooo I got my hair cut today, the way I had it years ago. I am like, hey, why didn't I do this sooner? :) But I decided I wanted to do this a few weeks and was waiting til 2007 was right around the bend, something I could do to start 2007 on the right note! Also I guess to make sure I really wanted to (cuz it's nice n short)!

And now our little cat is watching the TV. I think the cats like Sunrise Earth more than I do!

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Originally Posted by crazycanuck

Knot-do you mind me asking if there's a way to send your brother a card? I'm not sure if you can tell us where he's stationed in Iraq for sec reasons but wherever he is, i'll keep him in me thoughts.

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I don't know where he is. He's on a Navy ship that was stationed near Iraq. Now his ship is being moved to where it can keep an eye on Korea... He's actually very safe in the grand scheme of things. They took away his leave time for New Years (he was gonna come home for a bit) because of the unstable situations. I always worry. I'm relieved he's being moved away from Iraq. In the big picture, being moved toward Korea is probably even better than getting some time off and then going back to Iraq. Less chance of violence.

I've learned not to ask for details much.

Thank you for thinking of him! Someone on here had a contact that was in Iraq, to send cards and such to soldiers who are actually on the ground. Does anyone remember who that was?

Edit: hey, Trek, you were in on that thread, because you were talking about phone cards for the servicemen and women.

urghghghg...it's 35c...:) :eek:

Another question for you ladies..have you ever been to any of the presidential libraries? Are they interesting places to visit? I'll have to google & see if i can do a virtual tour.

Knot-good to hear your brother's ok & will be further away from harm. I don't mean to be intrusive but when's the last time you saw him?

Way off topic..it seems the world lost some amazing folks this year....

I'm sitting here pondering the idea of surprising Ian for his birthday with tickets to the Indy 500..and wondering how i'm going to do it..kind of hard to hide purchasing plane tickets isn't it..We have 5 months to save..The added bonus..two summers!!!

c

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Originally Posted by crazycanuck

Knot-good to hear your brother's ok & will be further away from harm. I don't mean to be intrusive but when's the last time you saw him?

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Last spring. He has matured a lot in the military, I think it's been good for him. But I do worry.

CC- I have been to the LBJ Presidential Library here in Austin, TX. I was pretty young but remember it had a lot of stuff. One person I know who has been to four of the libraries liked it the best. I lived less than a mile from the Bush Library and never went. If you are a history fan, you would probably find them interesting.

Since LBJ's time in office was quite interesting, his library is as well. I think there is a big area dedicated to the Kennedy Assasination. I could be wrong, I was 9 when I went.

Knot - being Canadian, I feel fairly far removed from the Iraq war, although I do hear lots more about Afganistan as Canadian boys are being killed there regularly. Now I will have your brother in my thoughts as well. Let's all pray (or whatever) that some miracle happens and the idiots all over the world finally realize that war is not the answer.... :(

Crazy - too cool that you met Ian in Kelowna. I didn't realize that. Was he living here at the time?

KG-He'd actually been in Canada no more than 3 weeks when i met him...I thought he was cool & we kept in touch..the saga continues..

Aggie-how's the new bike?
I would love to check out a presidential library one day.

Am online checking out tickets for the indy 500...I wonder how much grovelling i need to do for ian to let us go home in may...If not, we could always go to the Stampede in July..

I just wanted to give my dearie a nice birthday gift...I see alot of saving ahead in 07...

c

CC- I will have to wait until tomorrow to tell you all about the new bike. The short test ride felt great. Tomorrow I plan to do about 50 miles, that should really be the fun stuff.

I just saw an apartment one block from my last place in College Station was hit by a tornado! No one was hurt, but the residents have been displaced. Crazy. I am glad it is Christmas and a lot of the students are gone.

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Originally Posted by crazycanuck

Another question for you ladies..have you ever been to any of the presidential libraries? Are they interesting places to visit? I'll have to google & see if i can do a virtual tour.
c

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I've been to both the Nixon and Regan libraries here in Socal. They're both interesting
Nixon - not an official (government seal of approval - he resigned in "disgrace") has the house was born in on the grounds - reminded me a lot of the house my mom grew up in.
Regan - lot of movie stuff(he was an actor before getting into politics) and the airplane (i Think it's a Boeing 707) that he used as Air Force One(The official plane) along a presidential limousine.
They both have a section devoted to their wives - and not just the usual stuff (inaugural gowns, Presidential Dinnerware,etc) I'm trying to remember if the Regan covers Jane Wyman(wife #1) as well.

It's a fine line we walk between what is right and what is wrong but who is to say what is right, and what is wrong? We fight to help those who cannot help themselves, we fight when there is nothing left to fight for. And what is there left to fight for? Hope. Hope that a nation will once again live in peace and find leadership they can believe in. Can we help to achieve that goal? Maybe not, but can we really hurt it?

Whether or not you are for Bush or against him, pulling out of Iraq right now might be very detrimental to the cause......... It might save lives; but it could cause the loss of many due to the resulting choas.......

I grew up an Army brat of a Viet Nam vet; my brother has been in the army for 22 years... he WAS the front line of Desert Storm....... and whether or not he agrees with Iraq, he is ready to do what is expected of him.....

Oof, WA summers would make me a slug. 35C is way too hot for me.

By the way, you guys, the Beeper is holding her own (remember, our Siamese with kidney disease?)---on subq fluids twice a week, her kidney values are pretty decent and stable for now. The vet says when a serious problem does come, it'll come pretty fast--but for now Beeper is doing well and enjoying life (although very pissed off about being boarded again--better than having to hide from the plumber and the shop vac, though).

We have a really fabulous view of Mt. Rainier and the Cascades from the hotel window too. Quite a backdrop for watching Boeing jets be tested.

I can never figure out whether to pray for sunny winter weather here or grey--when it's sunny, it's colder and my toes get cold on the bike; when it's grey, it may be warmer but may also end up wet and I ride through water-covered goggles. OK, all together now---um...doesn't really matter which one I pray for, since I'm pretty sure my own personal prayers do not actually determine Seattle weather. Ya think? Huh.

Nanci, is Zee still biting?

Just a song for you ladies:
(no i'm not a Johnny fan :eek: )

"You're the voice"by John farnham..an oldie but still a goodie...

We have the chance to turn the pages over
We can write what we want to write
We gotta make ends meet, before we get much older
We're all someone's daughter
We're all someone's son
How long can we look at each other
Down the barrel of a gun?

You're the voice, try and understand it
Make it noise and make it clear
Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o
We're not gonna sit in silence
We're not gonna live with fear
Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o

This time, we know we all can stand together
With the power to be powerful
Believing we can make it better
We're all someone's daughter
We're all someone's son
How long can we look at each other
Down the barrel of a gun?

You're the voice, try and understand it
Make it noise and make it clear
Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o
We're not gonna sit in silence
We're not gonna live with fear
Oh-wo-wo-wo, whoa-o-o-o

ooooh We're all someone's daughter
We're all someone's son
How long can we look at each other
Down the barrel of a gun?

You're the voice, try and understand it
Make it noise and make it clear
Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o
We're not gonna sit in silence
We're not gonna live with fear
Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o (X3)

We're not gonna sit in silence
We're not gonna live with fear

Salsa - glad to hear your kitty is holding her own. We did sub-q fluids for our Kitsa for a long time and she managed to have a comfortable life during that time.

Thanks, KG. Much appreciated.

I've decided I'm going to go for a ride tomorrow since it's the last day of the year. I am posting my intentions here so I am less likely to bail tomorrow when reality hits. :rolleyes: :D I have not been on my bike outside since November 9th and I am missing it SO much. It's supposed to be -3 tomorrow (hmm, high 20's?) and I do not have warm enough gear (could use some shoe cover thingies) so it may not be a long ride but I will feel good if I can at least get out for 10k or so. There's too much snow up where I live so we will put the bikes in the car and drive down the hill to get onto the flats where most of the snow has been pushed to the side and there's pretty clear pavement right now. I think I'll take my mountain bike to be on the safe side. Wish me luck!

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Originally Posted by kelownagirl

I've decided I'm going to go for a ride tomorrow since it's the last day of the year. I am posting my intentions here so I am less likely to bail tomorrow when reality hits. :rolleyes: :D I have not been on my bike outside since November 9th and I am missing it SO much. It's supposed to be -3 tomorrow (hmm, high 20's?) and I do not have warm enough gear (could use some shoe cover thingies) so it may not be a long ride but I will feel good if I can at least get out for 10k or so. There's too much snow up where I live so we will put the bikes in the car and drive down the hill to get onto the flats where most of the snow has been pushed to the side and there's pretty clear pavement right now. I think I'll take my mountain bike to be on the safe side. Wish me luck!

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Go go go! You'll be happy that you did, and distance not important.

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Originally Posted by CyclChyk

It's a fine line we walk between what is right and what is wrong but who is to say what is right, and what is wrong? We fight to help those who cannot help themselves, we fight when there is nothing left to fight for. And what is there left to fight for? Hope. Hope that a nation will once again live in peace and find leadership they can believe in. Can we help to achieve that goal? Maybe not, but can we really hurt it?

Whether or not you are for Bush or against him, pulling out of Iraq right now might be very detrimental to the cause......... It might save lives; but it could cause the loss of many due to the resulting choas.......

I grew up an Army brat of a Viet Nam vet; my brother has been in the army for 22 years... he WAS the front line of Desert Storm....... and whether or not he agrees with Iraq, he is ready to do what is expected of him.....

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Soldiers and sailors very bravely do what's demanded of them. I admire them for that. I do not admire those who lie us into wars, putting the soldiers and sailors at risk for no good reason. As for what will happen when we pull out(not if, there is no if, eventually we WILL pull out) ... well, the future is notoriously hard to predict. Could get worse before it gets better. Things very quickly went evil in Cambodia when we were chased out and it took our old "enemies" the Vietnamese to put them straight again. But things got better fast when we pulled out of Sudan (or was it Somalia? so many wars, so hard to keep track. and I wonder how things'll go now we're backing another invasion there). As of now, Iraqis are largely of the opinion that we need to go and that our presence is only making things worse.

Happy new year from Down Under :D

c

Happy New Year cc! I'm sure I'll be sleeping when midnight hits in California:rolleyes:

KG - I know a fellow that lives in Kelowna who rides his "Battle Trek" during the wintertime. 'Course, right now he's basking in the sun in Mexico.

Today I'm going to the movies - by myself. This is a big deal for me. I can go into a restaurant, and eat a meal by myself; yet I have never been able to go to a movie on my own. I've already bought the ticket - no bailing out! I'm going to see Children of Men.

My big New Year's Eve plans:
go look at running shoes
clean my house (it never ends...)
take dog to the dog park (brrrrrrr, it's down by the bay and the ferry dock)
watch "Zoolander" at my friend's house
kiss my dog at midnight (I'll likely be on the phone at midnight with someone I'd rather kiss than my dog, but what can you do?:p )