After Hours·5,453 discussions

Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Locked

As promised…

So how the heck has everyone been anyway? It’s been a long old winter here and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see spring arrive.

As I assume some folks are as well, we’re gearing up for our next high school grad’s prom and graduation (my oldest). It’s been a tough year for her, but we’ll be glad to see her make it through. She hasn’t decided what to do next, so I think she’s going to take a year off before making a career path choice.

The other children are all doing well. Darryl’s son will finish his studies at MUN around Christmas time and his daughter will be starting her teaching studies at St. FX in the fall. My other daughter will start grade 8 and our daughter will start grade 2. Hope I didn’t loose anybody with the list of kidlets (clarification: 2 of his, 2 of mine and one of ours). It can get a bit helter-skelter at times with keeping tabs on all of them, but we wing it the best we can.

Winter is over and I’m finally back to work with the road construction company I was working for last fall. The first couple weeks were a bit scary….stressed myself out a bit trying to remember everything, but it’s finally falling into place.

Darryl has been well too, thank goodness. He’s been checking out Sleep apnea the last few months because he’s had trouble staying asleep at night. They did have a breathing machine here for a while, but that didn’t work out so well. I’m sure he’ll comment at some point over the next few days, maybe he’ll elaborate 🙂 . We just celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary as well. Being the absolutely, most loving husband, he cooked me lobster and steak and made a decent ceaser salad for supper that evening, and gave me a new ruby and diamond ring. I was ecstatic!!! It’s very pretty and the supper was to die for 😀 !

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it….so….what’s YOUR story? 🙂

Topic

We just had our eighth wedding anniversary…

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

We’ve had a thousand things keeping us busy, but I do think I probably cooked dinner that day. And then I helped my wife pick out a bicycle… and it’s so good that every once in a while she’ll take it for a spin, just because.
Psst; Way make a person look bad in comparison, Darryl!
Our eldest daughter is starting school in the autumn, so that’s certainly exciting.
In other news we now have to study up on Ehlers Danlos…
Summer is here, now’s the time for enjoying it, we can complain about the heat and the sunburn when it’s winter again 😀

Fifth anniversary huh? Wouldn’t have been six days ago? ]:)

nope

In reply to We just had our eighth wedding anniversary…

June 3rd…. 🙂 was a good one without a doubt. I do have to ask…what’s Ehlers Danlos?

Keep a box of tissues around for the Mrs., I cried when my kids started their first day of school, they grow up so fast too…take lots of photos 🙂

I googled it

In reply to nope

Not good.

Potentially liveable though.

In reply to I googled it

At least we know, now.

Was this

In reply to Potentially liveable though.

Out of the blue?

Or, had you seen over time accumulating clues?

Either way, may God give you spirit.

Well… it’s something that’s active from the get go…

In reply to Was this

so, the clues were there.
Now they fell into place…
If something like that has to be, at least it’s good to know about it. Fitting on diagnoses is no fun at all.

My heart

In reply to Well… it’s something that’s active from the get go…

It goes out. It goes almost too many times this past. I have family, too. They are running up against it. So much, I will have none left for me when my time comes. Which is probably a good thing. I go without the personal travail.

That way

In reply to Well… it’s something that’s active from the get go…

Thoth’s feather will be the heavier.

It’s a syndrome of symptoms caused by abnormal collagen.

In reply to nope

You can see some info here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002439/

I hope it isn’t too terribly bad for whomever Ansu is reading up on it.

At this point…

In reply to It’s a syndrome of symptoms caused by abnormal collagen.

it is that it is.
We’ll find ways to live with it, the alternative… well, there isn’t one, is there?

The sucky thing about it is that it never skips a generation, apparently it’s a dominant gene – degree of symptoms vary, though. That’s where we’ve got our fingers crossed.

Ha, we have the same numbers then…

In reply to nope

6/6/3 and 3/6/6 (or 6/3/6, depending on notation style).

Tissues, check. Gotta practice with the camera, we always take less photos than we later feel we should’ve.

Well I’m not about to admit to how many Wedding Anniversaries I’ve suffered

In reply to We just had our eighth wedding anniversary…

But suffice to say that [b]SWMBO[/b] oldest is 36 or 7 this year so we have been married for maybe 1 year now. :^0

That would get me into no end of trouble if [b]SWMBO[/b] ever hears that I said that. As I constantly refer to the Kids as [b]Hers[/b] and she was asked was she married before meeting me. I just said you dont need to be married to have children and when we got home she beat me up again. 😉

But Ive been with [b]SHMBO[/b] for a lot of years now and all I can say is that if you commit Murder you don’t get that long a sentence and you most certainly get Time Off for Good Behavior

But if this helps I did remember her Birthday this year and because I did that she started in on me as to what have I done wrong this time. I cant take a trick and I most certainly am not offering to do anything now as Ive had enough pain & suffering for this decade.

But if this helps I don’t remember my own burfday either so its really strange when I do remember hers. :0

Col .

Our 5th anniversary is approaching in August…

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

in the meantime, we had 2 graduate high school, my youngest son and my stepdaughter. All through now with that part of education on our brood, hehe.
Also been busy getting the purchase finished on our business, new provider
numbers, contracts, etc., still working on some of those. That hasn’t left as much
time to post comments at TR, but I still read daily. I guess since the deal has gone
through I can at least let you know what the business is…it’s an old-fashioned
drug store, even has a fountain! Located in a small rural town, been in its current
location since 1908!
Well, guess that catches up a bit. Our weather has been a bit odd, we didn’t get
very much spring rain, as a result my flowers didn’t really bloom until just the past
2 or 3 weeks…have an Easter Lily that still has white blooms! Now the heat has
settled in, about 10 degrees F warmer than “normal”…whatever normal is anymore!
C U L8R! Wiz <{;-)

This Cafe

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Does it have serving wenches? My Viking raider is secured at the dock. My men and I are thirsty for spirit of every kind, kith, and kin.

You there — Purple, you say — shake a leg.

Being the polite hostess

In reply to This Cafe

that I can be…I’ll hop right to that santee…hard workin’ men folk need a little waitin’ on i s’ppose 😉 there be food and mead on the table shortly

Food and mead, thanks so much

In reply to Being the polite hostess

but an ale might suit me better if you have any.

Spirit

In reply to Being the polite hostess

Don’t forget spirit. Ansu may have need of spirit.

yes indeed

In reply to Spirit

We’ll have to keep some spirits around for Ansu 🙂 . I did a bit of quick reading on Ehlers Danlos this morning, will have read deeper later (almost work time here). Sounds like it can be difficult but one is able to live with it. I keep Ansu in my thoughts. Here’s hoping it’s not difficult a trial for you and your family.

Then Happy Anniversary, all y’all.

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

And good luck with the medical conditions.

You guys are just so sweet.

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

So, CPAP wasn’t helping Darryl? Just in case, FYI, it makes a great deal of difference in function to have the mask properly worn by the individual, and to have the head and neck in a position conducive to keeping the airway open.

I’ll ask my old man and some other folks for sleep apnea tips for you.

Bitter – Sweet … hehehe

In reply to You guys are just so sweet.

That would discribe it better….you’d get a kick out of us “bickering” and picking on each other.

As for the sleep apnea, no….the CPAP just didn’t work out so well…it might be okay for someone that doesn’t move much while asleep but it’s sure not designed for someone like me….the d@mn thing near strangled me twice in the same night…the hose got all tangled around my arm and around my neck…geezz…not good at all !!

Any tips/hints you come up with would be great…..I have an appointment with a specialist in July and plan to explore other available options.

Other than that, things are good….I got a sunburn today…it was sort of scarey seeing that big yellow thing in the sky, we’ve had almost nothing but rain & cloud for the past couple months.

Mattress can help…

In reply to Bitter – Sweet … hehehe

I found out that I slept really poorly on one mattress, then I switched to just a 10cm foam mattress on the floor, and that helped. Used to be so that I moved around a lot, or my back would be sore when I woke. Now that I got a different mattress, I sleep in pretty much the same position all night through, and wake up with no pain.

Come close as you can

In reply to Mattress can help…

To the sleep of innocence. In your case, this will take some doing.

In Finland that’s called "Outo valo-ilmiö"

In reply to Bitter – Sweet … hehehe

“strange light-phenomenon”
This year has been very sunny, oddly enough… still wet enough to support a billion mosquitoes per square meter, though.
Stay in the sunshine, wear light colors and just try to ignore them… otherwise a person just ends up stung AND bruised, from trying to smack the critters dead as they land.

Havent forgotten.

In reply to Bitter – Sweet … hehehe

Just haven’t connected with my dad yet.

edit: Re: Bickering.
At least once in the forum, you did this “bicker” thing, which I found to be incredibly sweet. I dunno, it’s like, you can feel the love, if you know what I mean. The bickering interaction also shows art and cleverness. It seems to be an effective form or communication. [Of course, I recognize that I see a tiny window through the internets and my own mental filters.]

(Wow, look at all those instances of “you” with implied antecedents. Yeesh.)

Anyway, I just think that you two are very cool.

sleep apnea

In reply to Bitter – Sweet … hehehe

I had sleep apnea and didn’t realize it. I just thought I had insomnia and that caused me to keep waking up. Well, last year I had to have surgery on my eye, and they had to go through my nose to get to the part of the eye they needed to get to. In the preop, they found that they couldn’t get through my nose because I had a severely deviated septum. So I had a dacryocystorhinostomy with a septoplasty and a left and right medial turbinectomy. In short, I had a nose job and a tear duct repair.

The surgeon who did the surgery said that 75% of all people of northern European descent have deviated septums bad enough to restrict their breathing. When the surgery was done, I started sleeping through the night, stopped snoring, and immediately dropped about 15 pounds. So, it would be worth it to see an ENT and have them scope your nose to see if it’s causing you to have restricted breathing.

dacryocystorhinostomy + septoplasty + left and right medial turbinectomy…

In reply to sleep apnea

That might even sound more painful than it was… provided the painkillers were the good stuff!
But wow, sounds scarily great.

Not so bad

In reply to dacryocystorhinostomy + septoplasty + left and right medial turbinectomy…

I was only on painkillers a couple of days. The worst was that they had to break my nose, then I had to have a stent running from my eye to the inside of my nose for 60 days. I was just happy that I could see and that I could breathe. Both of those things were something I was having trouble with for years before the procedures.

OK, not so many DIY tips.

In reply to Bitter – Sweet … hehehe

You may already know:
You probably want to keep your head as upright as possible without bending your neck. There are special pillows available, but even a decent wedge pillow can help. Or an adjustable bed.

Don’t be too overweight, nor drink alcohol to excess or frequently.

If using CPAP, there may be hose/mask/tubes system that works better for you. But maybe not, if you’re a thrasher. Then again, maybe your lively sleeping habits might be changed if caused by some other, possibly linked, sleep disorder which can be diagnosed and corrected.

Shop around for the right doctor. If your previous doctor just prescribed you a CPAP and said, “Have at it”, he is probably the wrong doctor. Various organizations may be able to suggest good doctors, including…

Sleep clinics. Have you ever had your sleep observed clinically? They can help a lot just by finding exactly what is happening when you sleep and when you experience apnea.

See, ‘ol Poppy has MS, so he isn’t capable of moving around much in his sleep, which makes wearing the CPAP easier in that respect. But he initially had trouble with CPAP because the doctor sucked. Better instructions, help, and a different setup made a huge difference. Going to a sleep clinic for three days made a huge difference – yeah, it took three days to get a handle on what was up with his apnea, (he was experiencing apnea more than once a minute) but I’ve known other people locked underground for months due to other severe sleep disorders, so relatively not too bad.

No matter what, good luck with the apnea.

Lets see…

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Last week sucked. I was rear-ended by an 80 year old lady that apparently didn’t have the foresight to stop when all the other traffic did :_| $1200 in damages to my car ($400 just for the broken tail light assembly). Luckily it didn’t total it (its worth about $1800 on a good day) I have an older car and after the accident and all the exchanging of paper work with the police, I drove away; she was towed. That’s why I like a car that is made of steel, not this plastic crap.

She had no injuries, but I tweaked my back a bit though; sucked because I am cleaning out and painting my deceased uncle’s house. Good thing for naproxen and acetaminophen; after working at his house it flares up a bit.

Other than that, not much else to report on. Hope everyone is doing well.

PS: Happy Anniversary Purple & Darryl !!

I had an anniversary back in March

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

While in the midst of getting ready to move, I had my 2nd anniversary…of breaking my neck. Ah, the wonders of getting in a good hospital with a doctor that knows what he/she is doing…and having nursing staff who actually care. So, I still walk, breathe, feel, smell, and move. So, I’m fortunate.

Happy Anniversary, Purple and Darryl.

In 2 more months, my parents celebrate their 54th anniversary. All they get is a visit from me this year. I am too broke right now to afford anything else. lol

thank you

In reply to I had an anniversary back in March

….happy anniversary to you as well, and a big thanks to the wonder doctors that enabled you to still be with us 🙂 .

As a parent, the best gift our older children can give us is coming to visit…means more to us than any gift could…I’m sure your parents feel the same way. Hope you have a great visit with them 😀 !

Happy anniversary

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I’ll say it now, because I have no idea if I’ll remember to in August.

It’s been hectic here. Two new customers, increased workload, what new help we get isn’t where I am. Get those calls closed now. Oh, and, of course, overtime is NOT authorized.

And, adding insult to injury, the new TR format keeps getting in the way of keeping up.

I got an award today…

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Okay, so it was a .jpg of a ribbon with the text “outstanding”… but it still felt good 🙂

Clap, clap, clap

In reply to I got an award today…

.

Yep keep it up Santee

In reply to Clap, clap, clap

Everyone needs the Clap. 😉

Col

Crap, Crap, Crap

In reply to Yep keep it up Santee

…and the Crabs too :p

Y’all are flamin’ sick.

In reply to Yep keep it up Santee

]:)

Possessed

In reply to Y’all are flamin’ sick.

May be the word you mean…

and this would be new and shockin…

In reply to Y’all are flamin’ sick.

how? 😉

woo hoo

In reply to I got an award today…

“pat one the back” even the small acknowledgements can make a person feel pretty good… 🙂

I’m getting an award tomorrow

In reply to I got an award today…

My paycheck….not a big reward tho. :^0

Cafe Closed

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Due to the Stanley Cup Finals, Purple’s Catch Up Cafe will be closed for the evening. If you break in and drink all the coffee and eat all the grub, please at least put all the dirty dishes in the kitchen. Thank you…signed…Management =) now…go Bruins~

Only

In reply to Cafe Closed

If you tell us where you hid the rum.

rum’s under the cupboard out back

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

just don’t drink all my scotch and we’re all good

I already drank the rum

In reply to rum’s under the cupboard out back

:^0

bahahahaha

In reply to I already drank the rum

you brat…now they’ll be chasing me down telling me i didnt’ have enough in stock :p ~

Sorry…

In reply to bahahahaha

I can’t help I drink rum like a fish. 🙁

Next time, I’ll bring my own case of Captain Morgan Private Stock…and, guard it with a gun! :p

BTW, I have scotch with me next time. 😀

Better be a flintlock…

In reply to Sorry…

and keep a bodkin handy, too.

Hmmm…

In reply to Better be a flintlock…

Nah…I’m not going for era-presentation stuff.

I’ll keep the glocks. 😉

ewww

In reply to Sorry…

I don’t do the Captain…yuck for me…but Bacardi’s, now that’s a different story 😉

You really should try…

In reply to ewww

Mount Gay Extra Old + Canada Dry Ginger Ale

Tasty

By the Papal Powers invested in ME (and everybody else) by the POEE…

In reply to bahahahaha

I hereby transform this here spam to grog.
Swill it while it’s hot!

Busy time

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I guess I can sum up the past few months as lots and lots of bad things have happened with health scares in the family, among other things. Luckily, the health scares have all had the best outcome possible, even though I thought I lost my Dad a couple of times.

I’m a naturally pessimistic person, so I’ve really been trying to focus on the positive, which is that Dad is going to be OK, the other person who had a serious health issue came out of the situation healthier than he went in, and the other stuff is things that I can’t do anything about, so I’m trying to just let it go.

So, positive.. We got raises, I have a job when many don’t, I’m reasonably healthy, I have been losing weight, I have an awesome family, babies abound among my friends, friends have moved on to their dream jobs that they’ve wanted and worked towards for years, and so far, the tornados have missed my area (knock on wood).

Well Boston won…..

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Admittedly I haven’t been a huge hockey fans since the 80s when a couple of my classmates played for my favorite team, the Montreal Canadiens.

But I watched the Olympic games regularly – love the style of play, more passing and speed, less bump and grind.

I went into this series, having watched a few games, but in general favouring Vancouver. Now, I still remember the Todd Bertuzzi incident (see youtube), and it still bothers me. But in general I like the Vancouver style. BUT they seem to have lost their mind during the series, while Boston stepped up its game and wiped the floor with these guys.

So many good stories, the goalie who made the league in his 30s, and was almost cut last year turns out to be the MVP of the playoffs. Luongo, the Vancouver goalie, criticises his style, but can’t seem to keep the puck out of the net himself. Vancouver takes out a key Boston player in a late hit(long after he didn’t have the puck), and Boston rallies instead of folding.

Great drama, and Boston deserves the cup, no question.

What happened in Vancouver after the game, is shamefull. I know its caused by a small number of people, but it was handled badly by the police, and puts a black mark against a city which made a great name for itself for the Olympics.

here here

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I pretty much resemble your remarks to a T.

Todd Bertuzzi…now…there’s a subject that could become taboo in our house. The mear mention of his name and I go off…He’s one person that shouldn’t even be in the game, afterall, it would only be fair considering Steve Moore will never play the great game of hockey again.

It was indeed a good series for Boston, they stepped up their game every time Vancouver tried to push them out. I truly wanted to see Mark Recchi get one more cup and Tim Thomas and Thomas Kaberle get their first. Not to mention Brad Marchand (good Nova Scotian boy) who was instrumental in the winning of game 7. Way to be Brad, Nova Scotia couldn’t be prouder 🙂 .

As for the folks in Vancouver, indeed, shame on you. WTH was that…makes me sad because we’re a better country than that and it’s a beautiful city now marred by such a childish outburst.

sigh….I’m done ranting now…back to work for me…happy Friday everyone ! 😀 !

Here

In reply to here here

(slides a shot of rum her way)

It will cure what ails thee.

thanks santee

In reply to Here

i needed that 🙂 i feel much calmer now.

evenings

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Well, we ended our yesterday quite nicely. Darryl and I, along with my daughter Holly, spent the evening outside in the back yard. It was a nice evening, not too chilly, but i did need a sweater. Today, the girls and I are going to buy some more solar lights; there’s about 9 there already, but I have a vision 🙂 . I’ll see if I can get some pictures put up somewhere so folks can see what I’ve been doing on my off time.

Oh, I forgot to add, Apothic Wine…blended red out of California…yum!

Have a good one good ppl!~ 🙂

added: http://www.apothic.com/wine.html

Yo !

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Cyclones at sea. More boats putting in. The bar will be crowded. The talk may not be small.

Only the minds

In reply to Yo !

But hopefully not the beverage containers…

Speaking of…

In reply to Only the minds

I bought a set of 4 Guinness pub pint glasses the other day…$6.

I now have Guinness pint glasses like from a pub that have the old Guinness slogans on the side opposite of the Guinness branding.

My goodness, My Guinness 😀

Nice!

In reply to Speaking of…

:-bd

WOO HOO!!! Long weekend :)

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

So it’s the first long weekend of the summer, and not only here in Canada, but also in the US. How cool is that eh, most of North America is in party mode 😀 !

Here’s my game plan: well, I got up, that’s gotta count for something. Coffee (you really don’t want to talk to me until I’ve had at least two cups, ask Darryl, he’ll tell you). Eat; gotta have food energy to walk up to the PARADE! Watch said parade. Come home and have some lunch, gotta refuel to play in the back yard. At some point, I have to cook the fixings to make potato salad and mix up my hamburger with stuff for bbq’ed hamburgers at suppertime. Watch fireworks!!!!

So that will be the highlights of the day. In between all that, I expect my middle daughter to be delivered by her dad, one of my brothers and his lovely wife, and possibly another brother and his sweet fiance to show up bearing food stuff of some sort to eat, drink and be merry 🙂 ! And of course, there will be the odd quantity of alchohol http://www.mynslc.com/Products/PID-1009416 http://www.mynslc.com/Products/PID-1013343 and http://www.mynslc.com/Products/PID-1011784 considering it’s going to be a decent day and a decent weekend.

As for the rest of the weekend, who knows, anything could happen! So….what’s YOUR “game plan”?

I’m glad you got a nice weekend.

In reply to WOO HOO!!! Long weekend :)

I’ll be working on things.

Yay for holidays? 🙁

Have fun tho. Drink a beer for me.

awww

In reply to I’m glad you got a nice weekend.

everyone should be having a long weekend…its just wrong to have to work 🙁 . Well I hope you have a decent weekend none the less. As for the beer, will Smirnoff Ice do? I’m not so much into beer during the summer; but if someone is to have one for you, it’ll have to be Darryl. 🙂 (((Hugs))) to you and wishes for an easy weekend.

Just got back from a day trip to Myrtle Beach

In reply to WOO HOO!!! Long weekend :)

Work.

On call tomorrow and Monday; already got calls for tomorrow. And I think I’m getting a toothache.

It just doesn’t get better than this… 😐

Rejoice

In reply to Just got back from a day trip to Myrtle Beach

You have teeth.

A few

In reply to Rejoice

😀

Oh, and…

In reply to WOO HOO!!! Long weekend :)

Happy Canada Day. Enjoy your parties.

Just got back from the family picnic

In reply to WOO HOO!!! Long weekend :)

It was so much fun seeing everyone. The weather was a little warm, but we had bbq’ed sliders, chicken kabobs and hot dogs, potato salad, corn, beans, etc. It was a regular food fest! :p We don’t get to see each other that much, so we spent the day talking, playing games with the kids and just enjoying the day.

I plan to relax and refresh the rest of the weekend. Do a little gardening and go swimming. Its finally hot enough here to go swimming.

Hope you’re enjoying the rest of your weekend. Sounds like you had a great picnic too.

AV

Sounds Nice AV

In reply to Just got back from the family picnic

We did pretty much the same thing. There was just a few of us here, one of my brother’s and his wife, Darryl, myself, and our little girl, for supper. We did bbq’ed steak, burgers, hotdogs, tossed salad, potato salad, and macaroni salad. We also were blessed with a beautiful day.

After supper, one of my other brother’s and his fiance showed up and my middle daughter was delivered by her father, as predicted, to watch the fireworks (some of us get on the roof of our add-on to see them, but my sister in law always takes Sarah across the field for some Aunt/Niece time).

Now that Canada Day played out exactly how I had hoped, I plan on doing as close to nothing as possible. Yesterday was grocery shopping and laundry, today…who knows…it’s going to be another really nice day http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/ns-25_metric_e.html Hope everyone has a great day too.

ps. I think I’ll spend some time gardening too AV, it’s so relaxing 🙂

mission accomplished

In reply to Sounds Nice AV

now…back to work…Happy Independence Day to all our American friends 🙂

an oldie

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

but i still think this soo funny http://www.misshappy.net/monitor.htm

hi Purple

In reply to an oldie

🙂

hey jck

In reply to hi Purple

how’s things in your neck of the woods? It’s hot here…blah…and humid 🙁

Ha. Miss Happy has some cool pics there as well.

In reply to an oldie

Damn clever street artist, what?

Hey Purple and Darryl. Hello from Pennsylvania.

hey seanferd,

In reply to Ha. Miss Happy has some cool pics there as well.

is it just as hot and icky sticky down there as it is up here? I think we’re all wrapped up in that “cone of heat” or whatever they’ve dubbed it as. I’m not a fan of this kind of heat, humidity and i just don’t see eye to eye so to speak. But it sure is nice weather for our tomato and pepper plants, i think we’re gonna have a ton 🙂

my attempt

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

to revive a place where there is no talk about guns…no guns allowed, please check them at the door.

Can I bring my shovel & axe?

In reply to my attempt

Just in case they’re needed to dispose of those entering with guns strapped to their hip?

Nah

In reply to Can I bring my shovel & axe?

Just a clue by four…..

No need…

In reply to Can I bring my shovel & axe?

With those x-ray backscatter scanners and metal detectors that were just installed @ the Cafe, we just hit a button and the floor opens up to a chute and the offending persons go on a long ride to a bottomless pit :O

i like

In reply to No need…

that new feature 😀 !

Further deterrence

In reply to i like

Anyone caught a’wearin will be given a warm fuzzy hug by yours truly! 😀

Sharks

In reply to No need…

Is there at least a pool full of sharks at the bottom? Kind of like the elevator in one of the james bond movies that dumped the poor villain wannabe into the shark tank?

I don’t know about sharks…

In reply to Sharks

A shark would um… end it too quickly. How about a pool filled with piranha? Ever see them eat a chicken (google it)? seconds I tell you, seconds.
{insert evil laughter} ]:) ]:) :O

Piranha?

In reply to I don’t know about sharks…

We’re it, man.
We – are – it! ]:)

certainly my darling NT

In reply to Can I bring my shovel & axe?

~

Man-O’-War

In reply to my attempt

Remember?

It’s tied up outside at your dock, all guns trained on the place.

We will, however, come in with cutlasses only, in deference to your sensibilities.

Ah, close enough!

In reply to Man-O’-War

C’mere you!
{{{{{{{[i][b]FUZZY HUG[/i][/b]}}}}}}}}

Now that’s a picture!

In reply to Ah, close enough!

Who has the negatives?

lol

In reply to Now that’s a picture!

that would be too funny 🙂 . I bet I could find ppl that would pay to see that 😉

Whats with all the gun posts lately anyway?

In reply to my attempt

I don’t understand why some people can’t stay within the “take your guns to work day post”. I’m waiting for Yosemite Sam to show up soon. :^0

AV

well i’m just not sure

In reply to Whats with all the gun posts lately anyway?

but it seems every comment becabill has to make on the gun thread he feels the need to take “off line” to the water cooler…i dislike it…

Right, you two!

In reply to well i’m just not sure

You said the G – word.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{[i][b]FUZZY HUGS[/b][/i]}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Best idea, ever! I could get used to this thought police gig 😀

lol

In reply to Right, you two!

you nutjob…and yes, i was not going to mention the “g” word; i had a momentary lapse. 😉

The Chanterelles made a second crop here…

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Been raining a lot, but if it means I get to have more chanterelles, let it rain.
I am not enormously fond of mushrooms (I would be, but my throat seems averse to the idea), but chanterelles are a different matter.
Do you know what I’m talking about?

A bump by any other name is still a good deed, eh?

yes yes indeed

In reply to The Chanterelles made a second crop here…

and i do like mushrooms…haven’t found one yet that i didn’t like 😉

We had some Tylopilus felleus last month…

In reply to yes yes indeed

probably an acquired taste, if even that 🙂

If you don’t have those over there the finnish name translates into Bile-Boletaceae (Boletaceae is a family of generally very good eatinshrooms).
The bile-like taste is quite strong – burning, even.

that might not be a good one

In reply to We had some Tylopilus felleus last month…

maybe cooked in an appropriate dish, but not in my salads; I don’t think i could get by the taste of that. Portabellos are my favorite so far, especially in a tomato based sauce with zucchini…yum…

It’s great for flavoring pure alchohol…

In reply to that might not be a good one

if you want to make sure nobody drinks it, ever. But the alcohol will most likely numb the taste buds enough that it won’t work very well against the dedicated.
Beyond that I think even the Irons Chefs will have severe trouble putting it to use.

Happy Friday everyone :)

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

hope its a good one

So far so good

In reply to Happy Friday everyone :)

Bright, chilly day out side. Quite refreshing from all the nasty humidity that we’ve been having lately.

i hear that

In reply to So far so good

you must be on the east coast as well. We had terrible sticky days while Hurricane Maria was making her way up the coast, now we have a nice cool northerly system pushing down; it feels soo nice after all that warmness 🙂 .

Hi

In reply to i hear that

Hope you have a nice one.

has been good here

In reply to Hi

a few chilly nights but nothing too bad. The days are mostly still warm still, so that’s a bonus 🙂 . And to date, no hurricanes…not even a bad tropical storm where we’re at. I’m thankful.

How’s jck these days ?

Dreary, cool and breezy here

In reply to Happy Friday everyone :)

Feels good after all that heat.

It’s the danish genetics

In reply to Dreary, cool and breezy here

Dreary, cold and breezy was what made them run for the longboats soon a seed was in the ground – and dreary, cold and breezy was what called them back when the seaways season was over. Yearning for home.

Why they liked gold too… looks great in the autumn dark. 😀 😀 😀

Shines real nice in fire light…

In reply to It’s the danish genetics

Ooh! Pretty! B-)

just like a crow

In reply to Shines real nice in fire light…

you like the pretty shiney stuff 😉

True. Unlike Jay Garmon,

In reply to just like a crow

crows have no defense against teh shiny. In fact, they are more susceptible than average. (Maybe -5 against teh shiny.)

We had a great weekend

In reply to Dreary, cool and breezy here

Not hot, but bright and sunny.

Took the kids apple picking, and did a little hiking afterwards. Saw blue jays and woodpeckers.

Ours wasn’t too bad

In reply to We had a great weekend

Not bright or sunny, but not hot, either. That’s a welcome change.

It’s been overcast pretty much completely here since Thursday. The sun poked through for about 10 minutes this morning.

Another great weekend

In reply to Ours wasn’t too bad

Our Forecast, as late as Friday Morning, was for showers, but we awoke Saturday to a gloriously sunny day. Took a drive in the countryside and noticed some leaves turning already (sigh). It wasn’t too hot or two cold.

I need a beer.

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Actually, make that a very large Akvavit with a beer sidecar.
Someone else can be the human dart board for a while…

not having a good one?

In reply to I need a beer.

and it’s only Monday…not a good sign eh.

nothing to do with work though

In reply to not having a good one?

work is what saves the day right now. Maxwell and crony McPoach can both go and get bent.

ahh

In reply to nothing to do with work though

i got ya…there are days eh…POW! to the moon 😉

Hahahahah!

In reply to ahh

Thanks, I needed that! 🙂

any time Ansu

In reply to Hahahahah!

happy to oblige 😀 !

Hey, PS, you know you’re on the Swag List, don’t you?

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

On the ‘TR Community Central’ newsletter.

no i didn’t…

In reply to Hey, PS, you know you’re on the Swag List, don’t you?

holy moly…i must go look 🙂 thanks Palmy..well, i think that just made my day so much nicer… 0:-)

They went and done it again…..

In reply to Hey, PS, you know you’re on the Swag List, don’t you?

Remember 2 years ago?
http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-314826
Now we’ll never hear the end of it 😀

stop

In reply to They went and done it again…..

your whining 😉

But

In reply to stop

I do it so well 🙂

oh ok

In reply to But

well i’ll say it anyway..not as well as i do…i’m more practiced <:-)

And it usually cost me a lot more money

In reply to oh ok

when you’re whining 😉

:)

In reply to And it usually cost me a lot more money

0:-)

Man, now I’m sorry I said anything.

In reply to And it usually cost me a lot more money

Can’t you two take your cooties over to ZDNet? 🙂

lol..

In reply to And it usually cost me a lot more money

sorry Palmy…I’ll kick him here instead ]:)

edit to add: and i don’t have cooties, my doctor told me so :p

let’s see what folks think about this one

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

sorry, this is something i have a huge opinion on http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/09/20/philadelphia.fracking.protests/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

Next they’ll claim they’re giving away free fuel….

In reply to let’s see what folks think about this one

since people will be able to pour high-octane tap water straight into their car “gas” tanks.

Creating jobs is nice. Risking to turn a living, working community into a refugee community (not living, not working) is not so nice.
That’s my two cents.

Darryl and I

In reply to Next they’ll claim they’re giving away free fuel….

we saw Gasland…it was horrific…if you ever get the chance to watch, it’s a good one to watch. Get’s down to the nitty gritty so to speak.

You may also enjoy

In reply to Darryl and I

http://yellowstoneriveroilspill.mt.gov/

Oh, yeah. That’s constantly in local news outlets in PA.

In reply to let’s see what folks think about this one

And it sounds like many drilling and exploration ops were half-scams as well, abetted by the state commonwealth. Seek to actually enforce regulations, and they all scream bloody murder.

Fracking

In reply to let’s see what folks think about this one

That’s what has caused a small town in Arkansas to have earthquakes that are big enough to shake houses and wake people up several times a week. Granted, no one was hurt, but how would you like to suddenly start having near constant earthquakes? The two companies swore they weren’t causing it, but the authorities made them stop for a month. Hmm… the earthquakes stopped. What a coincidence!!

Caught pants down!

In reply to Fracking

Fracking awesome…

35th anniversary & last son off to college & bought a mustang convertible

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

It’s been a big year. The last of our four children just went off to Haverford a couple of weeks ago. Our niece moved in, though, and is attending junior college in Pittsburgh, so we’re not as alone as we’d otherwise be. And, we still have the poodle and the beagle and the fish.

The neatest thing about a convertible is leaning over the side to put a case of beer in the back seat. I don’t know why that feels so wonderful and spiritual, but it does.

Even neater

In reply to 35th anniversary & last son off to college & bought a mustang convertible

Sitting on the top of the back seat to watch a movie at the drive-in and reaching down between your legs to get a beer from the cooler…

I’m heading to the booze store in 12 minutes

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I have gone from a job with too much to do and a boss that expects miracles to spray from my arse…

To a job where I get assigned a project and finish it within hours…and a couple times…minutes.

I feel like Jesus at my new job. Even the department boss came to me and said “You did a great job on that software.” and I was like…did I just hear a compliment? Been years. lol

But sitting idle is not what I like to do, and there’s only so many times you can read about the idiocy involving Windows 8 and what not in a day.

So, I’m going to acquire a large bottle of margaritas and a bag of ice.

Have a good night all.

Don’t let it get to ya!

In reply to I’m heading to the booze store in 12 minutes

Compliments are nice, but I know you won’t let them dull your edge.
Hang in there! Stay sharp. 😉

And check yourself for symptoms of postcomplimentary stress syndrome 😀

I’m more likely…

In reply to Don’t let it get to ya!

to figure that someone is buttering me up…rather than sincerely complimenting me

I don’t get the big ego. I had women in life make sure I never will have one of those again. B-)

Visitor: Oh I love your new sofa upholstery… is it leather?

In reply to I’m more likely…

She:”Well, I hate to brag, but it’s genuine egohide, and it’s domestic, too!”

margaritas???

In reply to I’m heading to the booze store in 12 minutes

shudder…i tried one once a long time ago…way too salty for this chick…but hey, if it works for you, that’s all that matters…be well my friend 🙂

Salt…

In reply to margaritas???

is for french fries :^0

I do margaritas blended with ice, and poured in glass with no salt near it.

B-)

now that

In reply to Salt…

i may well be willing to try… 🙂

oh yay

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

cough cough…happy monday….errr…or at least have a good day 🙂

You said the M word

In reply to oh yay

And here I was still enjoying the memory of my weekend….

sorry James

In reply to You said the M word

but none the less, the “M” word is always inevitable. I do hope you had a decent weekend though. It was nice here yesterday, but a tad windy; was still nice enough to mess around in the garden for what could be getting close to my last few times.

On a good note…I was swagged today 😀 ! yay…thanks for the nifty flashlight Soni, I absolutely love it!!!

Ours was beautiful

In reply to sorry James

The weekend was pretty great, sunny, warm, but not too hot. Not bad considering they predicted rain. Took a short hike, did some driving in the country.

Hmm I don’t think I have one of those flashlights, guess I will have to earn one somehow.

Spent my weekend

In reply to oh yay

cleaning up the office from where I fell through the ceiling…

Well, most of it. Saturday morning I spent parking buses for the local high school’s band competition. Managed to stuff four acres of buses, trucks, and equipment into three acres. (Hey, it’s easier than parking airplanes in one way: no wings. But pilots pay attention to ground guides, because pilots pay for damages…)

So…

In reply to Spent my weekend

hopefully the drivers didn’t cause too many damage to you or other ground guides… I’t imagine that even a little scuffing would suffice to spoil a weekend.
What’s this falling through the ceiling? Roof or floor?

Roof

In reply to So…

Old house. Old roof. Bucket dump downpour. New Leak. I was going back to the floored part of the attic when my foot slipped off the joist. I was eight inches from the plywood…

Good grief

In reply to Roof

Sounds like one of those slow-motion moments.
No bodyparts skewered I hope…

Nope

In reply to Good grief

Skinned the knee pretty badly, though.

But the ceiling is constructed in such a way that my size 12 (European 46) foot knocked a 4-foot x almost 3-foot hole in it. Since I had blown insulation in the attic…

I use a 46 or 47 myself…

In reply to Nope

so yeah, that’s not a small footprint 😉
Our roof is metal… I’m afraid my slow-motion moment wouldn’t involve going through, but rather slipping and sliding, then a short silence and a very painful “thump”/”crunch”.
Less to clean up inside the house though 😉

I won’t even go up on the roof

In reply to Nope

I’ll leave that to the pros. The pitch in that area is over 45°.

I was confused

In reply to Nope

because you said “roof” – but now I saw you also said attic… which makes the whole insulation thing make a lot more sense.
Of course, in Danish, ceiling is “loft”, and attic is also “loft”, while roof is “tag”.
In finnish ceiling is “katto”, and attic is “vintti”, while roof is also “katto”.
Which might help explain my confusion – that is, if a natural steady state required explanation.

songs that come to mind…

In reply to oh yay

Rainy Days and Mondays…
I Don’t Wanna Work…

I feel so…meh. 🙁

Mondays are always busy for me

In reply to oh yay

I swear gremlins come in over the weekend and flock with the network. How could something be working perfect on Friday and then on Monday its all flocked up? Nothing has changed since Friday. I just don’t get it.

I just plod through Monday and look forward to the weekend.

AV

It’s lonely in Louisville

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I’m the only one here.

Not a bad drive up, though. Left MB at a little after 7 and got here a little before 6. And that includes meal stops, potty breaks, and coffee refills.

Louisville

In reply to It’s lonely in Louisville

The city has been evacuated?

If you run into Apotheon, give him a great big wet kiss on the lips for me.

I see it now

In reply to Louisville

Nick, standing in the middle of the main street of Louisville, poncho and all
Tumbleweeds idle by
Silence is baking in the sun
How will it all end?

and his cowboy hat

In reply to I see it now

tilted a little sideways to keep the hot sun outta his eyes 😉

And with his trusty

In reply to and his cowboy hat

cable tester & crimper in a low slung holster on his hips. 😀

ba-hahahaha

In reply to And with his trusty

only you could have come up with that i swear 😉

I could have too…

In reply to ba-hahahaha

but, I don’t feel like trying anymore.

I was thinking of alternative careers.

ranch hand
dock worker
lawn maintenance

I think I’m getting Oliver syndrome. You know, the guy on Green Acres.

Faaaaaaaaaaarm livin is the life for me…… B-)

How the hell did you know?

In reply to And with his trusty

:^0

To put it gently

In reply to Louisville

That himfella he not here. And even if he was, you can darn well kiss him yourself! I ain’t doing it.

But I [u]am[/u] claiming to be ‘Troll-in-chief (acting)’ on my name tag, though. Jason, Toni, and Sonja all got it… 😉

Okay…I’ll bite…

In reply to It’s lonely in Louisville

What’s going on in Louisville?

It’s the live event

In reply to Okay…I’ll bite…

Which we’re not allowed to call a conference…
It’s a bit like social media, except like… live and stuff.
Sounds scary 😉

Jest aside, it’s the annual TR meat and grete.

They’re still having that?

In reply to It’s the live event

From my recollections, the “Off Topic” crowd was more than half the attendees…I could be wrong though.

I’m shocked they have enough people going to make it happen.

How many were gonna go from the off-topic this year? just Nick?

Well I know….

In reply to They’re still having that?

More of who isn’t coming…
GG, JD, Shelley OS, Me…
I don’t think its all the same reason, I have some personal stuff going on….

It’s just me this year from the old community crowd

In reply to They’re still having that?

Most of the rest of the attendees this year are local or regional. But other than contributors like Deb Shinder and Justin, there are only one or two repeat attendees other than myself. We did our own name tags this year, so as I said above, I’m claiming the title of ‘Troll-in-chief (acting)’ for the duration.

I did get a chance to bend the ear of David Slade, who is in charge of product (he replaced Brandon), and Jason about the forums and the ease–or lack thereof–of tracking posts and peers. There are some enhancements coming down the pike that will likely fix some of those issues. These include receiving an email when somebody responds to one of your posts AND the ability to reply to that email and have the response posted on the site. David says they are still working on how to get those to post within the nesting limit.

we would have loved to

In reply to It’s just me this year from the old community crowd

it’s just not in our financial cards right now…nor can i get the time off from my work…having a seasonal job makes it a bit tough to make plans to go anywhere for about 8 months of the year 😐 . Hope you have fun though Nick 🙂

That’s great

In reply to It’s just me this year from the old community crowd

This intel will come in handy, I’m sure.
Now if you can pick up some actionable dirt on various PTBs, that’d be excellent 😀

The time I went

In reply to That’s great

I got no dirt. I got nice people and hugs.

I take that back. Jason did not hug me.

I didn’t hug him either

In reply to That’s great

I’m just sayin….

As for the PTB, the people in the TechRepublic office are great. I wouldn’t be digging up dirt.

You people are spoiled by Ruby McMurdoch

In reply to That’s great

I am quite content with stuff like :
*Favorite Brand
*What he or she likes to eat but really shouldn’t
*Who to ask to get which things fixed

-you know, social engineering 101, aka the brownnosers toolkit.

Hm.

In reply to It’s just me this year from the old community crowd

Well from your description and from the look at things…

I think if Sonja and I ever get together for margaritas, it won’t be at that event.

Now I just gotta remember…Purple and Darryl have to be there too…kinda like chaperones. :^0

chaperones?

In reply to Hm.

oh no…not me…i’ld be busy keeping Darryl busy trying to look after me 😉

Sort of like

In reply to Hm.

the blind leading the blind 😀

yes dear

In reply to Hm.

something like that 😉

Chaperone or no

In reply to Hm.

She’d eat you alive…lol

I’m fairly certain she could drink you under the table, don’t ask me how I know that.

In past years

In reply to Hm.

The Friday afternoon after it was all over was shopping time for the ladies. Somehow, I don’t think Purple would be any different…

This is right across the street from the hotel.

no no no

In reply to Hm.

did someone say “alcohol”…and yes James, given the right something to drink, i’m good for a while 0:-)

edit: as much as i like to shop, i would rather socialize 🙂

drinking prowess

In reply to Hm.

I’m not the drinker I used to be, so that’s highly likely Sonja could drink me under the table. In my hayday though, it would have been a contest.

I drank enough Guinness my first night in Ireland than my friend who’s Irish was shocked. I think his reaction to how many I had was “God man! 14 pints?” :^0

My record though is 17 long island iced teas in one night. That was done in Tampa Florida in July 1997 in about a 7 hour period.

I will never forget my buddy Dave saying: “You better not fall down, cause I can’t pick your big a$$ up.” :^0

Dave is 5’4, and would stand on his couch and get in my face and tell me “Don’t think I won’t kick your a$$!” He is a trip. :^0

Now, I just chill with a Guinness or two in an evening. Drinking got too expensive now. A half-decent bottle of single malt is over $50. A good bottle of single malt is $80 or more.

I won’t go to drinking Boone’s Farm or MD 20/20, so I just have to take it slow B-)

Sonja would be out before you

In reply to Hm.

She had a single glass of the wine I took her and was nicely buzzed. ;\

My all-time ‘high’ was a Saturday night in a little German bar called the Jever Fass. I drank 21 liters of beer over an eight-hour period, then got up and walked out. I didn’t walk straight, but I walked!

And I know how you feel about the single malts; the ones I like start at three figures and go up…

single malt

In reply to Hm.

http://www.mynslc.com/Products/PID-1010354 this is still my fave…although glen fittich runs a close second 🙂

I’d like a very large coffee…

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

BTW, don’t you just hate it when you keep almost dozing off while driving on the motorway… and coming to at 140 kmph?

Completely unrelated, today I spent the whole day taking one of our dogs for a 190km trip to a specialized clinic for examination.
I was hoping to make it back home to finish off a translation job, I still had 1000 words pending.
But no, we started with x-rays because our insurance company won’t touch anything to do with bones not growing correctly. Xrays were clean, so syringomyelia rose into the prime suspects group – need MRI to make sure.
Talked to the insurance company representative, who failed to find a reason to reject payment outright.
MRI it is, three more hours. Syringomyelia. Steroids to slow down progression.

The good part was that I had decided at the last moment to grab my laptop with me, and the clinic let me sit and work in an unused examination room, so I made my deadline.
And we even made it back in one piece (each).

woo hoo

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Happy Friday once again good ppl <:-) !

No wonder they named it after Freya

In reply to woo hoo

“Is that a cudgel in your pocket, or is it just Friday?”

If there is a scoreboard, it hasn’t filtered through to Google yet.

hard to say when it may appear

In reply to No wonder they named it after Freya

Soni is at the conference/gathering this week i believe…??

Methinks

In reply to hard to say when it may appear

The formal agenda for today finishes at noon so people with a long way to travel can get started. But knowing Soni, she will be hanging around giving out hugs for a long time. I haven’t had one in a long time now.

For what it’s worth…

In reply to Methinks

all ya have to do is say the “g”-word.
Probably not what ya had in mind though…

i have no doubt James

In reply to Methinks

~NT 🙂

There were only a few of us from out of town

In reply to Methinks

Most attendees were day-trippers. It didn’t take long for everyone to disappear. Went back downstairs about an hour ago and the conference room was deserted, as was the lobby.

Aww… that reminded me of a good book I didn’t like when I was a lil’ kid.

In reply to There were only a few of us from out of town

“Palle Alene i Verden”

I found a short description of it in a book review:
“There???s a great Danish picture book called Palle alene i Verden (Palle Alone In The World or as it was translated to English Nils All Alone) by writer Jens Sigsgaard and illustrator Arne Ungermann about a small boy named Palle who discovers everybody else, including his parents, have disappeared, leaving him alone, the only person in the entire world (a rather existentialist version of Home Alone). Well, Palle has fun doing all the things he was forbidden or prevented to do before and he, of course, ends up missing everyone, his parents in particular.”

Here’s a link to an image of the cover: http://members.dandy.net/~mrbooks/30293.jpg

Now it’s of course “Nick all alone” 🙁
Hang in there!

Thats too bad

In reply to There were only a few of us from out of town

I’m surprised TR didn’t really advertise the event on their website like they did in the past. I haven’t seen much about it.

Its hard to get there if you live a distance away and its expensive. I think TR should consider Skype or some kind of video conferencing so that people that live a long distance can still at least be there virtually.

AV

now that would be cool

In reply to Thats too bad

Although it is our plan to make it down within the next couple years. I’m gonna suck it up and get on a plane i think.

note to self

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

if i’m ever due swag again, i think i would like another light up pen…

Tigger is back!

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/103-349013

Go give the girl some love, people.

yay!!!

In reply to Tigger is back!

that makes us very happy indeed 🙂 warm fuzzy ((((hugs)))) all around and bigger ones for her ((((((((((hugs))))))))))) Tigger

It’s Friday!!!

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Thank heavens….it’s been a long week. Happy weekend everybody 🙂

You don’t know the half of it…

In reply to It’s Friday!!!

….and yes, it can only get better.

Long two weeks

In reply to You don’t know the half of it…

We’ve been dealing with my big girl (she’s 18) with a broken hand for the last two weeks. Darryl had to take her to a plastic surgeon in the city to have a little titanium plate and 6 little screws along the bone under her baby finger. All from a moment of complete stubidity/anger. She has to see an occupational therapist this coming Monday.

During the course of all that happeneing, I decided it would be a good idea to help one of the guys at work take some boxes off his truck. They had jackets in them (they are really nice btw, company jackets for all employees) and it’s not that they were heavy, but awkward; all I succeeded in doing was pulling the muscles across my shoulders, back and chest. It didn’t bother me until two days later, I haven’t been able to do much since without some sort of twinge.

When I came home for lunch yesterday, I got word that a dear friend passed away. He had been fighting cancer for a couple years now but lost his battle late Thursday evening. It makes me sad but I know he’s not suffering anymore. He has done more on this earth to help others that I’m sure he’s earned his wings in Heaven already. RIP JT, I’ll miss you like crazy.

On the bright side, I have a little girl that I have to get ready for Halloween. So today will consist of buying treats and likely some form of witch costume. Looking forward to a girl day 🙂

These things shall pass….

In reply to Long two weeks

I’ve broken my ankle on an icy sidewalk in the past, got through it. When I look at my brother, t-boned by a motorcycle, two years off work, I think, well I guess a broken ankle is almost trivial.

I will PM you on the other stuff, it isn’t for public consumption.

First weekend off since I got back from vacation

In reply to It’s Friday!!!

And I may get to work anyway…

Who needs a life?

pssttt

In reply to First weekend off since I got back from vacation

Nick…can’t you turn off the phone? Or do you have to keep it on?

hope you have a little time to yourself though, we all need it now and again.

Have to leave it on

In reply to pssttt

Don’t have to respond to pages, but do have to answer phone calls. So far, thankfully, there haven’t been any!

[knocking loudly on the computer desk…]

but

In reply to Have to leave it on

that should be a good thing shouldn’t it? have you at least had a decent weekend?

Yep, it were good

In reply to but

Back to work today, though. And who knows what will happen, then?

I haven’t visited the cafe much.

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I could use a big ol’ piece of warm apple pie, and a cup of coffee, please.

Been pretty busy for a couple years with hubs and MIL health issues. Been a remarkable time, I’ve b\itched a lot over on FB. Moi? :0
MIL passed today. A goad is gone.

G retired in June of 2011. Gack! Save me! Save me! (in my best David Lee voice).

I’m getting a new kitchen.

Life goes on.

my friend

In reply to I haven’t visited the cafe much.

you can have whatever is on the menu…on the house..

Too

In reply to my friend

Break out the flagon of rum you keep for me under the counter.

done

In reply to Too

glass?

Pewter

In reply to done

.

Only way to go…

In reply to Pewter

with rum.
Stonewear for hot grog.

Mmm….

In reply to Too

Hot, buttered, please. 🙂

Thankee, kindly.

In reply to my friend

This place had a friendly feel from inception. 🙂

You’ve had a lot on your plate as it were.

In reply to I haven’t visited the cafe much.

Don’t worry bout the FB stuff…just keep on getting through.

As for me, well its been a roller coaster.

Some of you, but not all of you, are aware, I’ve been separated since late July. Adjusting to new realities. I miss the kids, painfully much, though I do have pretty open access, its not the same. I used to wake them up every morning, and I miss that. Financially, things are very difficult since my ex hasn’t work since shortly after our oldest was born.

But I am rebuilding those relationships that fell by the wayside during the marriage. Some of my old friends have basically picked up where we left off. I went to my high school reunion and reconnected with people I haven’t seen in decades.

Life does go on. And it tends to be mixed.

I’m sorry to hear that, James.

In reply to You’ve had a lot on your plate as it were.

I wish you well. Mixed. Yup, that it is. 🙂

((((hugs)))) for James and Boxy

In reply to You’ve had a lot on your plate as it were.

all around…sounds like you folks need it more than i…

Update on the girl with the broken hand..no more docs apps. I think she’s very happy with that idea. Darryl is taking her to looks at cell phones today; we’re trying to wrap his daughter and my oldest girl into our family plan to give them both a break financially. One’s in uni and the other just finishing high school so every little bit helps.

James, I feel for you too. Darryl and I both have had previous marriages, neither ended well. Just remember there are lots of folks out there that care and are willing to lend a shoulder or an ear. I don’t have my kids with me, but we talk or text often. And when it’s doable, we do shopping a little here and there.

Boxy, i can’t even imagine how rough it’s been for you. ((((hugs)))) big special warm fuzzy ones…don’t forget to take care of you as well.

Hang on to what’s important.

In reply to You’ve had a lot on your plate as it were.

You’ll make the best of it, I’m sure of that.
Best of luck.

Oh, I’m sorry to hear that

In reply to You’ve had a lot on your plate as it were.

It must be very hard to adapt to. {{{HUGS}}} Its especially hard if you have kids. I remember when I went through my separation and divorce many years ago. It was pretty rough and I didn’t even have kids. You’ll come through it. It just takes time.

I’ve never gone to any my high school reunions. That must have been pretty trippy. Yeah, life is a mixed bag, for sure.

AV

You need some major {{{HUGS}}}

In reply to I haven’t visited the cafe much.

I’m sorry to hear about your MIL. I sure hope hubby is doing better. What a tough time you’ve had lately.

At least you’re getting a new kitchen. That wil keep you plenty busy for sure!

AV

Thanks to all

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I am enjoying the reconnection process. I’m seeing my own direct family, father, brothers, cousins, neices etc. more often.

Its not easy. Seeing the kids is great, but painful at the same time. But I try as much as I can to talk to them and keep in touch.

I’m sick of winter already and it hasn’t even started

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

We’re having a Nor’easter snowstorm in NJ today and a tree fell on my car. I can’t even walk outside to look at the damage because all I hear is trees snapping at the weight of the snow.

I actually saw the tree fall on my car from inside the house. I stood helplessly glued to my window and prayed that it wouldn’t wreck my beloved Pontiac. I got pretty lucky, but I know I have dents from the impact in some places. Here’s some pix.

http://photobucket.com/OctoberSnow

My yard is an absolute mess. My trees have been snapping off all day long from the weight of the snow. Geez, I can’t wait for the gusty winds later.

AV

aww geesh AV

In reply to I’m sick of winter already and it hasn’t even started

🙁 that’s just plain shitty…no other way to put it. We’re getting pounded a bit too but we still have power at the moment and we’re getting nothing but rain. There’s no real trees around us either, so that’s a good think. It’s pretty windy though but i don’t think it’s going to be near as bad as what you got. Hang in there my friend, hope you and yours (and the car) are OK .

Aw jeez….

In reply to I’m sick of winter already and it hasn’t even started

Good thing though, that you were safe inside, and not out driving, getting caught in that stuff… we’re getting the spiky tires next week, then we’re prepared.
So far it’s been really surprisingly unsnowy here, though. Here’s hoping for a light winter for everybody!

Whoa.

In reply to I’m sick of winter already and it hasn’t even started

No fun, there. Sorry to see that. 🙁

yikes

In reply to I’m sick of winter already and it hasn’t even started

I woke up to frost on the windshield for the first time, but the sun came out and it got up to 50 or so. Went for a hike, and did manage to work up a sweat.

Believe it or not

In reply to I’m sick of winter already and it hasn’t even started

The car had no dents, no broken windshield. I was saved by a branch on the tree that lessened the impact. Between that and a few inches of snow, I had no car damage. I was incredibly lucky.

Aside from that, I was not so lucky. My property is a wreck. I lost several trees and branches on most of them. I’m going to need a lot of cleanup. I probably won’t have power until the weekend, so I’m staying at a hotel. It beats sleeping in a dark, cold house.

AV

Nature is full of wonders…

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

for example, I just took our dogs for an evening stroll.
One of them disappeared for a long while.
Finally saw fit to appear again.

She had found a nice carcass, you see. I’d say by the smell of her that it’s been quite far gone already, perhaps reduced to a black gooey mass, like that one mouse I saw them chow down on in the summer…

Whoo-ee. Now we’re back home.
I gave her one of those chewing sticks, hoping that cleaning out her mouth would help.
Now it smells like she’s had chicken broth.
With carcass in it.

Ugh.

one word Ansu

In reply to Nature is full of wonders…

ewwwww!

I am really bored

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

I have a job. I sit in my office. I wait to be informed. Usually, no one does for days unless I go ask.

So, I’m ready to move to the most remote place I can still have power and running water and a working toilet and things won’t crawl into my house at night…and still make a living.

Perhaps Latin America…or Saskatchewan…

Frustration…it’s a terrible thing.

If you haven’t been to Saskatchewan in January

In reply to I am really bored

Then reconsider.

Ask Shelley(she just got back from a trip), she grew up there.

Its cold, and dark, and flat and not many trees.

First time I went there, the rental car agent told us not to lock our doors, or the locks might freeze. It was minus forty.

There are places in the deep woods of Ontario I would go to, but they are only a few hours drive from a big city. That would be ideal, far enough from civilization to have peace and quiet and no traffic, but close enough for an occasional shopping trip or concert, or even a flight to a warm vacation spot.

There are some really isolated spots in Ontario, like the villages on James Bay/Hudson Bay, where there are no road connections and you have to fly in and out. As you can imagine, the price for perishable food is very expensive.

Oh yeah

In reply to If you haven’t been to Saskatchewan in January

I know it’s remote and impossibly cold.

But due to frustration, I think I’d prefer it right now.

Get me one of those little survival cabins, go out every couple of days and stockpile wood, and make snares to catch food.

It’s preferable to the every day in city life to me. I got tired of living amongst millions. And now, I’m tired of living around 125k where they don’t hire enough cops. Been here 6 months, and already 4 of my coworkers have had it happen.

I’m wondering when I’m next. Hope I’m home, cause I got the rifles in a special hidey spot ready to fire.

My uncle did that for a time

In reply to Oh yeah

After his wife died early, and he had early retirement, he got some land and built a cabin in the woods. Cell phone and laptop powered by solar. Wood stove for heat and cooking. But he was only 20 minutes from a small town. He used the library for books and some movies. He had more to worry about from bears than thugs. He did hunt and snare.

But then his health deteriorated from a genetic disease and he moved down to the city to be closer to his kids.

The big cities in Saskatchewan do have some crime issues, worse than Toronto on a per capita basis.

Don’t ever be next, y’hear!

In reply to Oh yeah

The problem usually goes beyond the number of cops. It has to do with expectations. Knowing what to expect is one thing, knowing what one ought to be able to expect is important too.

I think people ought to be able to leave “getting robbed/burgled” out of their list of “things to expect”. Making it inconceivable is a bit far fetched, but I really think getting robbed should be at least surprising – is that too much to ask?

On the other hand, it’s easy for me to talk, I live in a well-ordered town of 20000. It’s right on the border of a bigger city (200k), but it’s not quite a suburb.

Good day to you all

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Melbourne cup day today!
Couldn’t be a better (worse) day for it! Fortunately, though, I get to miss out on the melbourne public holiday…

I can only hope it rains on you all – feel my spite!

Otherwise, how is everyone going here in TR land? Long time since i’ve been over for a visit! What’s news?

day off

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

Well, i’ve gone and done…i’ve taken a day off work 🙂 I know, sounds kinda silly, but it’s a big deal for me. I returned to work after my off season break in May so I’ve been back for 7 months. During the time i’ve been back, i’ve had two stat holidays off and a couple hours for doc’s appointments. Today we woke up to a little girl with a nasty little cough so i deemed it necessary for her to stay home and then elected myself to stay with her.

My Grandmother’s estate has finally been settled and inheritance dispersements have been started. She wasn’t wealthy by any means, but she had aquired enough in the 95 years of life, hard work, and caring for others that she left a nice little nest egg for her family and ensured that her expenses were taken care of so that none of her children would have to worry. As a young girl and a young woman, i spent a lot of time with her and would like to think that a lot of her values rubbed off onto me. So i think I’ll enjoy the day with my stuffed up girlie with Grandma in my thoughts. Peace everyone, have a memorable day 🙂

Good for you.

In reply to day off

Its necessary to do that once in a while.

I actually have vacation days I haven’t scheduled yet, but its use them or lose them.

My Grandmothers are both long gone, but I remember both of them well and fondly. I learned a lot from both of them.

it felt good

In reply to Good for you.

We did run out to the drug store and pick up cough medicine for the cough, then we came home and vegged around all day…kinda…it was a beautiful fall day here so i stripped bed clothes of beds, washed, then hung out to dry and managed to get a full load of laundry out as well. So i at least feel like i accomplished something instead of hanging out all day and watching Harry Potter movies 🙂

I need a day off.

In reply to day off

I have 5 days off for thanksgiving, including the weekend.

I get to drive 3000 miles in that time and pick up stuff to bring back with me.

No rest for me. 🙁

Glad yours was nice. 🙂

thanks

In reply to I need a day off.

I am sorry jck, that you’re not going to be able to do that max relax. As much as I love to drive, 3000 miles would not be fun. Have you ever heard the story of our trip across country? I had this grand idea that I would take a job on the west coast (over 6000 km from where we live). It was the middle of a very hot summer in a car with no A/C, i was in my first trimester with Sarah, got there and was revolted at the job site (East Hastings, Vancouver), and promptly became more of a bag than i already was. We drove back to Mission (which is a very pretty little town) where we spent three days in a questionable hotel and all i did was cry. Looking back, I fell really bad for Darryl and my brother Colin for having to put up with me. They took me home.

That had to have been one of the biggest errors in judgement that I ever had but i think it strengthened my love for the little town that we live in and the appreciation i have for the wonderful family and friends that we have here. I know i could live nowhere else at this point in my life.

Jck, I wish you at least a little time to relax over your holidays. We all need a little down time, and I’m certain you are more than overdue 🙂 .

Thanks :)

In reply to thanks

Yeah, I have no friends here. Closest one is 80 miles. Closest relative is…7 hours away?

It’s okay here, other than the drastic climate change and the high crime. 45+ summer days, 0 and below winter days. And, my neighbor coming over and asking if I have something for a toothache “stronger” than ibuprofen.

I understand where you’re coming from though. Next summer, I might look around for jobs while on vacation back out toward the Carolinas or even down in Texas and Louisiana to be closer to my mom’s side of my family who I grew up with.

And, Christmas won’t be merry. This will be the first Christmas in my whole life that I didn’t spend Christmas day with my parents. Considering mom and dad both are in declining health, it’s really gonna suck.

I hope yours is nice. I don’t know if/when I’ll make it back here after today. I am starting (after 7 months) to finally get work on projects…and it seems I’m troubleshooting and fixing and optimizing everything…including other peoples’ tasks.

I think it’s time to become self-employed. lololol B-)

Could this be anyone we know?

In reply to Purple’s Catch Up Cafe

http://notalwaysright.com/any-sliver-of-hope/14542 (Note the location…)

LMFAO! :^0 :^0 :^0 :^0 :^0

Hehehe

In reply to Could this be anyone we know?

Sounds like a smart fellow, in any case 😀

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