"Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"

[Skywatch_NC]

Mary,

So very sorry to hear of your Mom's accident...she's in my prayers and thoughts. Lots of TLC will be the best remedy to help her along in her recovery, Wxbuddy! ((((HUGS)))) for her and you and the family!

I know the perfect thing for this weekend for some R&R...the movie "Because of Winn-Dixie" opens across the nation this Friday!! Even your Mom would enjoy it!!

My folks and I plan to see a matinee of it this Saturday!

http://www.becauseofwinndixiemovie.com/

Karan,

Thank you very much for the English Breakfast tea idea, too!

Have a Terrific Tuesday, S2KBuddies!

Eric

[Miss Mary]

Hi Eric - thanks so much for the prayers for my mom. She is on so many prayer lists - oh my, at least 5 I know of! And one here too!

I saw a big improvement in her mobility yesterday. She's on only Advil for pain. Stronger Rx pain meds made her very sick. Everytime I answer a call from one of her friends and update them on how she's doing, I say she's taking either ibuprophen or Motrin (my kids prefer Motrin). And I have to hear - I'M ON ADVIL!!! I sigh and try to explain that they're all the same. In fact, we buy generic ibuprophen over here. To which I get a gasp - only Advil will do for my mom. LOL Will I be this way when I'm older....mmmmm. Anywho, she was eating and up and about more. At this point she's trying to see what she can do still. That was a very good sign! She's right handed and of course she broke her right arm. Isn't that usually the way it is? She's still so mad she didn't exit the Cathedral by a set of rear steps that are inside, not outside. That way she wouldn't have slipped on wet, slick steps. Hindsight really is 20/20.

Thanks again for the prayers my S2K family. They did work b/c my mom could be in more pain and possibly even needed surgery. The Ortho doc told her - now if you were a pitcher for the Reds, you'd have surgery, but since you're not, this will heal on it's own just fine. We all had a chuckle about that.

Mary

[furluvcats]

Mary...wow...when it rains it pours...I hope bright skies are all thats around the corner for you guys...hugs and prayers sent your way...

As for the camping trip...well, it got postponed...
We remembered AFTER we paid for our site, that the big Wide Open Snowboarding event was starting this weekend up on the mountain, and the kids had no school on Monday, so we decided to head up the mountain early Sunday morning to get in a full 2 days of boarding for the kids, and watch the events...our friends Art and Vicki went up with us with their kids...thie son is best friends with our kids...and we stayed the night up there with our nephew...had a killer time...much fun...the kids snowboarding skills are amazing...they are going on black diamond runs and doing jumos and rails etc...this only means something to you if you ski or snowboard :O). We're sooooo proud of them! Planning on going back up there this weekend for the end of the competition and so the kids can get in some more boarding... I have some great pics if anyone wants to see them.

So, we spent our Valentines Day in the snow...with good friends, enjoying watching our kids board.....great weekend in all!

The tent is still pitched in the front yard...drying out from the rain...but we DID manage to take down all of our Cmas stuff since the kids were having their party at the house on Sat...the party went off perfectly...their best party yet! A zillion kids came and they are already asking when the next one is....perhaps St. Patty's Day? I can make green punch...lol

Son has a new girlfriend as of the school dance on Fri..he took her out to dinner that night too..an older girl this time...sweet girl...his best friend is going out with her best friend, so they feel like they are lucky little 7th graders to be going out with such pretty 8th graders...remember how that was? lol

Hope everyone is having a good week...we have our nephew visiting again for a few days so I'll be busy entertaining again!

32 days til spring! wooohoooo

[Pburgh]

Good Morning,

It's a snowy day here in the Burgh. Many "spin-out" accidents on the ride to work. I've brought some firewood to keep this place nice and cozy.

Eric, I'd love to see that movie. It looks like it would be a lot of fun.

Miss Mary, how's your Mom doing?? I hope you've gotten some rest too. You guys are still in my prayers.

Furry, sounds like you had a terrific time. Do you ski or snowboard or are you like me. I used to ski but now I just sit back with a hot toddy and watch the fun. That way the only pain I experience is from a headache and not a broken bone!!

Well, I'll put on a fresh pot of coffee, brew some Earl Grey and get back to work.

Have a great day everyone!!!
Karan

[Miss Mary]

Hi Karan - thanks for asking! She had one good day then a bad day yesterday. Now I have a cold or whatever viral thing Laura had last week (that now has left her with a nice cough!). My mom said stay away b/c she doesn't want to get it. She has a parakeet that a close friend will take for a week or two. She's stocked on food and is retired. I told her she can just rest and take it easy. I'm hoping to go over tomorrow, if I'm better. Just don't want her to catch what I have. We had my husband's aunt's funeral last night. His 82 year old dad came up from Florida of course. We all had dinner before the memorial service. He was sad b/c he's the last of his generation in the family left. We all said he's going to be around a long time. I emphasized his positive attitude. For example - he just bought a new convertible! Yup, that's my FIL. He's certainly not sedate, oh no. Wish my mom had 1/10th of his attitude....oh well, what can you do. My mom has pieces of masking tape stuck to the bottom of all sorts of nicknacks. For such and such, when I'm gone. I know she's thinking it will make things easier for us when this time comes, but it sure seems like she's waiting to die somedays. I just hope to be grateful to be alive when I'm my FIL's age (as he is!).

Mary

[azskyman]

First of all, Mary, so sorry about all the tough times surrounding you this week. Sometimes it seems that the most difficult days come in bunches...and your last two weeks have shown that clearly. Hope things improve for you, your family, and your neighborhood soon.

Other than an occasional quick punch, I have not checked in for a while. I had surgery on the veins in my lower right leg on Monday (more than 15 1-inch cuts from my knee to my foot-OUCH!). I have taken the last three days off to get myself functioning again. Will be at work tomorrow and walking around the neighborhood this weekend if weather permits. Should be good as new before our trip to Illinois in late April for my dad's 90th birthday!

Otherwise doing ok here in Phoenix. A wet winter it has been! And more on the way.

Our youngest son in San Diego is doing fine and readying himself for his federal freight forwarder's exam. A tough test, he'll be studying over the next couple of months. Along the way he's struggling with relationships...trying to understand why they are so darn complicated!!

Older son Jason is now living and working in L.A.. He is in the honeymoon period when people are just sizing him up before the big test comes later this spring. A tall order for him, he's trying to keep all things in the right perspective.

Speaking of perspective, you moms of young kids would appreciate that our daughter-in-law Deborah is struggling with Emma and Olivia...a tall order to be a full time mom in a new town with few friends and others to count on. A little post-partum going on too, we think!

Enough about our family...we are glad to be here this February in 2005, and for all the difficult things (two surgeries in two months are no fun, for example), we try to appreciate the days we have.

A friend I made in Vietnam wrote me a note describing his recollection of the time he spent there. His son finally (neither of mine ever have) asked him to share some details with him..and he sent me a copy of what he had remembered.

In the middle of his recollections were a few words about one night when a mortar round slammed the hooch right next to ours. He remembers helping two of the wounded men in the dark of the mess hall next door...getting names and tags and other information while awaiting the Med-evac unit. He described it perfectly...remembering too that those men were so drunk that they did not really know how badly they had been hurt. Most important to me, he remembers that there was someone else in the pitch black of that night there beside him.

I reminded him in a followup email that the person in the dark room with him was me.

It was as though the flash of 35 years came back to both of us...each remembering vividly the moments that night, but neither remembering til the email that we were there together.

George has been to the Wall twice and cried both times. I have been there only once...and cried while there as well.

The gifts of life come to us in the strangest of forms and most unexpected of times. His email after 35 years was a gift.

I hope that Storm2k's evolution will leave us all a Wall to come to together somewhere down the road.

For now...it's nice to share our days and weeks right here on this thread.

[furluvcats]

Mary...hope Mom is feeling better and that things are looking up for you and yours...hugs...Steve...a quick and speedy recovery to you my friend...and hey...lay off the pain killers dude...hee hee

We took our nephew up back home to Big Bear today and went through rain, sleet and snow to get him there....fresh powder is definitely welcome as we are looking forward to another great Sun/Mon of boarding...Cali is fslling apart again with this latest of winter storms...more homes sliding down mountains in Anaheim, massive flooding abounds in almost every community...traffic jams are causeing lengthy delays for commuters, etc etc...when it rains here, the world starts falling apart...everything is either a hill or a valley...mudslides in the hills, flooding in the valleys, so its a true mess! We just go with it and count our blessings that we were raised in states where rain is an everyday common event, and you're brought up with the sense to be able to drive in it...so, I went from playing in the snow to partially sunny skies today, with everything in between...gotta love So Ca...

Have a good weekend all...

[StormCrazyIowan]

Good morning all!

Only 2 days to go, only 2 days to go! Then finally I am away from Wal-Mart for 11 days! Honestly, I wish it were more, because as my stomach grows, I'm finding it a lot harder to work such long shifts in a fast pace job like mine. Can't leave yet though, my only source of insurance, so I will take time to relax and enjoy at least part of this vacation! Half of the time I will be in Texas, and once I get back I will (attempt, lol) putting together the baby's room. I have soooooooo much stuff in there that needs to go somewhere else, but I have no clue where! I'm sure I'll figure it out though... I just have one question about it: how the HECK did I accumulate so much stuff in one year on my own?!

Anyways, it's still nice and chilly in my neck o' the woods, so I restored the fire. Enjoy and take care all!

[furluvcats]

Hi...checking back in...these storms are wrecking So Cal, but we remain safe and sound. Had a good 2 days up on the mountain...the snow was simply a einter wonderland...one of the most scenic sights I've ever seen...I have so many gorgeous snow pics...131 hee hee, so if anyone wants to see a touch of beauty email me and I'll send a few along.

I do have to brag...(call me Kathy Lee), hee hee...At Big Bear there is a place called "The Park"...where the young hot boarders have rails and boxes etc...to do tricks on...Chloe' took my 20.00 dare and went and tried a rail box for her very first time and pulled it off like a pro...and landed it! We got a cool pic of it and sent it to school with her today....she's got bragging rights for sure...her older bro. then tried it several times and wiped out pretty hard...so...yeah Chloe....a VERY impressive job done! :O)

[isobar]

Awesome job Chloe!!!

Hey Kathie Lee, oops I mean Shannon ... I heard on TWC that Temecula had an F1 tornado this weekend. How far was it from your place?

Enjoy your vacation Jacki!

[furluvcats]

Hey Donna...lol

It was several miles away from us...but that same system rocked us and woke us up and made us turn on TWC!

[Miss Mary]

Kelly - enjoy your time off!!! 11 days is better than just a weekend huh? I remember getting bigger in my pregnancies and slowing down. You can't help it. I could never relate to the women who said they had 'easy' pregnancies....oh please! There's no such thing.....he he. Rest up, enjoy it!

Fur - oops, as Donna said, Kathy Lee - tell Chloe way to go. Really surprised my youngest daughter isn't so daring still. She was a few years ago, when her best friend still lived across the street - a boy several years younger than she was. He moved to Minneapolis but they still keep in touch. He stayed with us a few days one summer even. Since her dad is a tad younger than I am (LOL!), we've joked she ~could~ marry her friend someday....she absolutely hates when we tell her that. But her friend Chris would manage to bring out the tomboy in Laura. I don't know how he did it, but he did. Laura loves skiing and I'm really surprised she hasn't tried snowboarding Fur! Tell me, is Chloe all girl or is there a bit of tomboy in her?

Oops, call me Kathy Lee #2 I guess......LOL

Let's see....my mom. OMG, I'm exhausted when I return from her place. She has me doing things I know she can still do - walk down 4 steps, unlock her inside mailbox to retrieve her mail. Wipe down her bathroom sink (her left hand/arm is fine!). I know she can't do heavy duty cleaning, no one wants her to, but at this point all of us are getting a little annoyed at her approach to a broken arm. Even her Ortho doc told her just yesterday at a check-up just how lucky she is. He began going down the list of what could have happened to an 80 year old lady who rolled down 6 steps, wet slick steps in the rain, outside a Cathedral that are slate, not poured concrete. Broken hip(s), leg(s), ankle(s), concussion. My mom tuned him out. We both laughed and then sighed. Finally my mom was forced to listen to him. Does she think she's lucky? Oh no! She's milking this for all it's worth. Meanwhile, I have so many responsibilities back home. Isn't that always the way - when it rains, it really pours!

Well, I'll manage. Always do somehow. Couldn't be worse than facing cancer/surgeries way back when. The memory of that time always makes me see a situation on the bright side - unlike my mom. Now you would think she'd remember what ~I~ went thru too and be grateful this is a 6 week heal phase. But no.....

Oh well, you can't change people - that's another thing I've learned in my wise old age.....LOL

Thanks for letting me vent a bit my S2K family.....you are the best you know!

Mary

[pojo]

Another joyous day of school... oh yea

My germany trip is quickly approaching... I leave 5 March get back on 19 March. I can't wait. I will not be in the states for my birthday... 23rd Birthday in Germany!

If you get a chance to see Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby... go see it! Awesome show... saw it last night here on campus. It was amazing.

[isobar]

Mary, That wisdom, for example being grateful for a 6-wk heal phase vs something more serious, is something that you have a unique perspective on. Looking on the bright side doesn't seem to come naturally to most people. I hope to pass it on to my kids.

My husband and I just had our 20th anniversary yesterday. We're heading to Cincinnati for the weekend. Anything going on in Cincy this weekend, Mary? Jim said there's some kind of laser light show that's done to Pink Floyd music. Now just that alone is worth the trip for me! I'll be sending you a PM.

[Miss Mary]

Donna - look for some visitor links to Cincinnati I PM'ed you! It would have been just great to hook up but I'm at my annual women's retreat this weekend. My youngest daughter is participating with a friend for our school district's science fair. Initially she had wanted me to come to it on Saturday but I can see it on Friday, during set-up time. I was going to try to work out having them spring me from the retreat for a few hours to attend. It was so complicated she said it was okay. Somehow I don't think she'd take it too well if I met a wx board friend for coffee either! Enjoy your trip. Our wx will be cool but no precip. You're safe there. Happy 20th Anniversary!

Mary

[furluvcats]

Awww Mary...too bad ya'll can't meet up...Donna is one of the people from here I'd love to meet...after all, we share the Daytona area...and the gypsey moving around the country thing...lol How's mom doing today? Enjoy your retreat...

Happy anniversary Donna and hubby! How awesome!

We are drying out today...finally...clear blue skies which are very welcome!

More company coming tonight through tomorrow...Big Bear nephew and his 2 roommates are coming for a visit, so we're looking forward to hosting them, as they've hosted us up on the mountain alot lately...I think the kids and I will head back up the mountain with them for the weekend and leave hubby here to work...

Daughter has a new b/f this week..hee hee...a nice boy from church/school who is a Christian and not embarassed to let it show...gotta love that...but um, his family and friends call him..."Squirrel"...and this isn't even Arkansas! lol She's supposed to teach him to snowboard this weekend...we'll see...the kid is hilarious tho...everyday when I pick the kids up from school, he waits for me, and jumps in my car w/o me even being aware or holds on to the back and rides along as I mozie on down looking for a spot to park...funny! I wonder who her b/f will be next week? They are sooooooo fickle in JR. High....

[Miss Mary]

Shannon - I agree, Donna is definitely among friends here I'd love to meet someday! Wish we could have worked a visit out....I won't even have a car at my retreat - someone is dropping me off then picking me up on Sunday. Nina and I usually share my car so to take that away from her and park it in a retreat center's parking lot all weekend long would be torture to a teenager!!! LOL I said don't worry, you'll have a car.....he he Smiling at your dating woes with Chloe. Because none of that has started here. We have a family rule they cannot date until 16, even for a dance. Unless it's someone we know well. We often use what happened to me as our best example of this - exclusively dating my first husband my Junior and Senior years of HS. Forgoing any fun outings with my friends. I just practically ditched them, for whatever he wanted to do. Crazy thinking....we married when I was 20. Again, crazy thinking.....so both my daughter have said how relieved we have that rule in place. It's gotten Nina out of jams before, b/c her parents are so strict....LOL Not saying this dating rule is for every family but in our case, Jim and I both decided casual dating when old enough would be fine. And so far it hasn't really started up. Comparing what I did - wrap my entire world around someone else at age 17 - I think it's great my girls are on their own. But again, these are just my wacky opinions!!!

Donna - enjoy your weekend in Cincinnati. Pack warm clothing. It was 15 this morning! Brrrr......

Mary

[therock1811]

Mary, That wisdom, for example being grateful for a 6-wk heal phase vs something more serious, is something that you have a unique perspective on. Looking on the bright side doesn't seem to come naturally to most people. I hope to pass it on to my kids.

My husband and I just had our 20th anniversary yesterday. We're heading to Cincinnati for the weekend. Anything going on in Cincy this weekend, Mary? Jim said there's some kind of laser light show that's done to Pink Floyd music. Now just that alone is worth the trip for me! I'll be sending you a PM.

Donna:

Here's a list of EVERY event this weekend for the city. Enjoy your trip to my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Happy Anniversary!

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/calendar/results.asp?sid=0&kw=&comm=Downtown&cat=&range=weekend&start=&end=&venue=&presenter=&att=

[Miss Mary]

Donna - how did your weekend trip to Cincinnati go? I hope you and hubby had a very good time!

My retreat was so nice. A real break. I highly recommend retreats to anyone who needs a break from their normal routine. I used to dismiss retreats since I thought they'd be very religious. I'm private or quiet with my Faith, not out there spreading the word. Just my style. Not criticizing anyone for doing the opposite - to each his own. This was 5th retreat and it was very rewarding. I've found my style - spiritual talks, social time with other retreatants. Quiet time to myself. I'm just not the type to speak in front of a group. No way!

But sadly we learned this retreat house is closing in May. So this was my last trip there. It has been open for decades and run by Friars. Like the Priesthood, the Friars are greatly in need of young men entering vocations. And that just isn't happening anymore. So many Priests and Brothers are working far beyond their retirement years b/c they are not great in numbers anymore. I wonder what will happen to the Catholic Church with so few Priests in just a few decades? That's another topic, for another day......

Didn't take long for that retreat-peacefullness to diminish once I got home. Mom this, Mom that....LOL It was really tested taking my youngest out for a one piece swimsuit for Gym class today. She tried on no less than a dozen and then had to try on the 2 or 3 she liked, for a second time. I joked it was a good thing she saved this errand for when I returned home. Her dad would not have had much patience with that shopping errand!

Have a nice week everyone! And when you can Donna, check in. Looking forward to hearing how your trip to my city went. I'm sure Jeremy is also!

Mary

[therock1811]

I am actually Mary. We want as many details as possible, without needing to edit (don't need the behind the scenes stuff, ya know what I mean?).

Well I am at another crossroads in my personal life. The short version is I have to make a huge decision, soon.

You see, back in August I broke up with the girl I thought was my girlfriend. She didn't have the same feelings about me, and that ended my hopes. Or so I thought. Because I still love her. Yes, I just said it. And the fact that it didn't, and still won't, work out between me and her is causing me pain. My dad said last night that I should "remove myself from the situation"(in other words, stop hanging around her). Maybe good advice, I don't know. What do you think? And if it is, how should I go about doing that, without hurting anyone's feelings in doing so?