EWP group?

[IASW Rider]

Hi Angie!

Great to "see" you, here in the Suite! I hope that your little one has been feeling better!

Wow - I can't believe that it was that cold, down there, last week! Our weather has finally warmed up to the balmy upper 30's, and I think that it may actually hit 40 degrees, tomorrow - a real heat wave - break out the sunscreen!

I hope that you are able to find some great WDW discounts, soon! Maybe now that the new year has come, they will publicize some new offers.......!

Sorry that this is such a quick note, but I'm down at my in-laws' and don't want to take too much time on their computer. Just wanted to stop in and say that I hope that you're all having a nice weekend! Talk to you soon!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I just found this and will post it and then come back in and write a real post. SG/Linda

When I was just a kitten,
My mother said to me.
"Someday, you'll have a human pet,
They're cuddly and they're free".
She said "They're awful clumsy,
They stumble, trip, and fall.
They cannot even see a Cat, Sleeping in a hall".
"They act as if they own the place,
They're bossy every day".
"You'll learn you must ignore them
It's just the human way".
So, I took my Mom's advice,
I got a human pet.
I have named her Bev,
And she's cuddly as they get.
Owning Bev's been some fun,
And usually we are friends.
But she can be a handful,
I'm glad she wasn't twins.
Humans really aren't too bright,
Their brains are small, I guess.
While trying hard to train her,
I've not had much success.
She doesn't seem to understand,
How things are 'posed to be.
She insists on being headstrong,
Not mellowed out, like me.
She hasn't learned to lick herself,
To keep her body clean.
And when it comes to purring,
She isn't very keen.
She plays on her computer,
Just wasting time away.
When playing with a ball of string,
Could really make her day.
She's seems content to sit there,
Banging on those keys.
While I inspect her ankles,
Checking them for fleas.
When my neighbors visit me,
We sneak out to the bushes.
We laugh about our human pets,
While sitting on our tushes.
Bev's getting up in years,
And becoming rather slow.
There are a lot of cats out there,
Who'd say she has to go.
But I'm inclined to keep her,
I've considered this a lot.
Why train another human pet,
When I love the one I've GOT. !*!*

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hello ladies!!

Lisa, I must disabuse you of the idea that I am an artist. I did the drawing in my youth in darkened rooms with kind strangers who took pity on a young pregnant girl. I am afraid that I had a bad start in life and am just now figuring out where I went wrong. LOL Would be foder for Jerry Springer but think it is best left alone so the stink does not stir up. It is not good to be young and innocent in this world. Give me a second chance and watch out. LOL
We got up to over 50 degrees today, tomorrow will be in the 40's maybe but then Tuesday will remind us that it is still winter. Ugh!!! Dalton told me he wanted to go to Hawaii. Had never heard him express that desire before so I questioned him on why. "Cause it is warm and I can wear shorts". Smart kid. I called him today and told him I arranged for this weather just for him. Every child should think that their grannies are capable of anything. LOL Makes up for the fact that their parents still think I am dumber than a box of rocks. (grin)


Angelina, Mrs. Doubtfire is the movie of choice for sick kids around here also. I love it also. I would dump Robin Williams for Pierce any day of the week and I don't care that he can't cook (probably). Of course, it is his mind I am interested in. (grinz) Hope that the sickness has left your household and everyone is back to their ornery selves. Please don't give up on looking for discounts. They seem to come out a couple of months ahead of time. I get alerts when they have new codes. Would not want to miss anything.

Not sure I am getting all that accomplished. Too many things have come up. Some very good and some unbearably sad. A young lady, who went to school with my daughter, committed suicide. The poor grandma lost her daughter and grandkids in a car wreck not too long ago and now this. I don't know that I could cope with such.

In my youth I spent money and time I did not have to travel to Florida for some of the rocket launches so the latest disaster hits close to home for myself. My heart goes out to the families of those brave men and women. They rank right up there with Cortez, Columbus, and other brave explorers of the past.

I hope everyone enjoyed the warmer weather while they could and are looking forward to a special Valentine's Day. I have made plans for us to have a private dinner in the Castle while the closing parade and fireworks cap the evening. Hope that is something everyone would like but I am willing the change plans if one of you, more experienced DIS'ers have a better idea?

SG/Linda

 

[angelina]

Hi, SG, I'm glad you stopped by and posted. I have been missing you, and thought you were busy with all of your packing. I really enjoy hearing from everyone, although I don't post nearly as often as the rest of you, but I do keep up with most of your posts. Sometimes I read and get called away before I can respond.

My daughter and I were listening to the Today Show when the news broke about the Columbia. It's just devastating that this happened. I was hoping so that it was just a little thing, as I'm sure everyone was. When the Challenger went up 17 years ago I was getting ready for a job interview, and was in another room when I heard the countdown. For some reason, I just had a funny feeling, and walked into the living room and watched as it lifted off, and remember seeing Christa Mcauliff's parents at the moment the shuttle exploded. I felt so bad for her family, especially, because this was such an extraordinary thing for her to do. It's so terribly sad. The debris trail showed up on doppler rader in Shreveport and at one point stretched almost to the west end of Dauphin Island. I suppose most of that was just ash and dust.

My son's 5th grade class is going to Montgomery tomorrow to visit the Shakespeare theatre and see Beauty and the Beast. I hate it when they go so far away on the big busses, but that's part of it, I guess. I would love to go, but didn't buy a ticket because of the little ones. As it turns our, the baby is running
fever for the second day, and I am coming down with a cold.

Today was a beautiful day, absolutely springlike. I noticed that my daffodill bulbs are coming up. The cold snap last week killed most of the leaves of my agapanthus, but I'm hoping that the plants will survive and bloom again in May. Was hoping to root some hydrangeas, too, but the cold got them as well, although the buds are still bright green. Am keeping my fingers crossed.

Elaine, you and Lisa must be keeping busy. Hope things are well with you, and with you as well, Wendy, wherever you are.
Still dreaming of the Poly and hoping to go there soon. Would love to spend my 40th birthday there this summer.

I hope everyone has a peaceful and pleasant evening. Take care.

Angelina

 

[IASW Rider]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELAINE!!!!!

A great, big EWP Suite Happy Birthday wish to you, for a very happy day and a wonderful and special year to come!!

Love,
Your EWP Suite Friends!

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Great to hear from you, Linda and Angie!

And I love your idea for our Valentine's Day Suite celebration, Linda! Bring it on! I think that it will be wonderful!

Yes, we are definitely due for some warmer weather, up here. We didn't quite hit 50 degrees today, but we came close! Great relief after the weather of the past few weeks - my chapped and cracked fingers have finally seemed to heal.....hopefully we won't have to turn the heat up so high that they crack again, this winter! I think that Dalton has the right idea - let's all go to Hawaii until these cold fronts subside!

And I loved the poem that you'd posted, as well!

So sorry to hear about the lady who passed away in your area, Linda. Is that the same family whom you told us about, awhile ago, who were involved in that auto accident? Our hearts go out to that family - this is such a difficult time for them.

And for the families of those involved in the events of this weekend. I was also up early on Saturday, Angie - watching the Weather Channel, strangely enough, when they broke the news that NASA had lost contact with the Space Shuttle Columbia. I immediately switched to a news channel and began following the story from there. I also remember where I was when the Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off - I was in college, and watching it on a tiny black and white TV in my dorm room. I called my mother as soon as I'd seen what had happened - strangely enough, she didn't happen to have the TV on at home at the time and hadn't known - that's what I remember. Interestingly, the immediate development in which Frank and I live was constructed in 1987-88 and is actually shaped like a space shuttle. The street which surrounds us is called "Challenger Avenue", and all of the interior streets are named after the Challenger crew members. We live on Scobee Lane, named after the Space Shuttle Challenger's Commander, Francis Scobee. Anyway, we were glued to the television and radio (while we were traveling from Central NJ to South NJ to visit Frank's family) all weekend. That was just horrible.

I'm sorry to hear that you and your little one haven't been feeling well, Angie! I hope that you're both feeling better very soon! How did your son enjoy his class trip and the play? I know that it must be difficult to think of him - or any of your children - traveling that distance on those buses, but I'm sure that the childrens' safety is of the utmost importance to the school and that they keep the students' best interests in mind when planning such outings. I hope that he enjoyed the trip!

I'm so jealous that your daffodils are starting to come up, already! We usually don't see that here until at least April (with the exception of last year's crazily warm weather, during which they started to come up in December or January!).......and with the way that things have been thus far, this year, we'll be lucky if we see flowers before May! I hope that your weather continues to improve and that you are not subjected to the sort of freezes that we've been having up here, again, this winter!

I'll keep my eyes open for any interesting WDW / Poly discounts that I happen to see, as well! I'm (selfishly! ) determined for us all to meet at WDW, this June! Too selfish? OK - then I'm determined for us all to meet at WDW any time! I would be happy to meet you all in person there any time that's convenient for everyone!

Not too much to report from up here. All is well - we had a nice, quiet weeked with Frank's family, celebrating all of the January and February birthdays. This should be a pretty quiet week. Just got my first "call in for your unemployment benefits" notice. After I start "rolling" with that, the next step will be to see one of their counselors to seek approval for a state grant for tuition reimbursement.......then again, I'm still waiting for acceptance letters, so maybe I should see where I'm accepted before beginning my "campaign"!

Anyway, hope that all is well with all of you! Take care and talk to you all, soon!

 

[IASW Rider]

Hello!

Just bumping our thread up!

Wading through unemployment and tax preparation paperwork, today.......FUN.

Hope that all is well with all of you!

 

[IASW Rider]

Wow! You all must be out at the parks, having a ball, because I'm finding myself here, alone, again! But that's OK - I have plenty of things to keep me busy, here in the Suite! I think I'll pop into the hot tub with a glass of wine and a magazine until you all get back from your adventures!

Not too much to report here, from the snowy Garden State! Just wanted to stop by and wish you all a great weekend!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Yes, I am out in the parks, if only in my dreams. I find myself putting myself to sleep having virtual tours of the parks.

There has been much sickness here and up to 30 percent of the kids were out of school last week. Austin got it and got it badly. He is all better now, thank goodness.

Rider, is not dangerous to be in the hot tub while drinking alcohol? Think I read something about blood pressure or something. Tom has always wanted a hot tub or whirlpool tub but I have not since I know he would not use it enough and I would have to keep it clean but I do like the looks of the new swim spas. Hope it is ok but I have had a large one installed in the North corner of the fitness spa in the Suite. I need all the exercise I can get. Yes, it is the same family that has suffered the newest tragedy. Seems to work that way, some families get it all while others lead charmed lives. Please drink more water and see if that does not greatly help your poor chapped fingers. I hope that you get all your applications in order and are accepted at your first choice.

I have been walking in the mall most days but it is not the same as walking in the parks. I can manage about 3 miles in an hour at the mall but at DW, with IASW or the Great Movie Ride in the distance I can walk much further. Incentive, that is what I need. LOL

Angelina, it is so nice to see your sweet face in here. Thank you for writing about your experiences with the shuttle disaster. Some moments in time stay with you forever. It is such a sad thing. When we read about Columbus and other explorers we forget all that tried and failed and how some of the most famous finally died in their attempts to push the boundaries of their times. The astronauts are the same and deserve the respect and honor of the country. I had heard about the cold snap down south. It must be strange when you are not used to it. If it makes you feel any better we were well below 0 most days that week and then it warmed up to 50 for a few days and is back in the deep freeze now. Not much snow though, too cold. Hope the kids had a good time. I am sorry you did not get to go. I would want to do that also on those long trips.

I have rented a house on the island of Maui for a belated birthday party for our Helenabear. The flowers are in bloom and it is far from the tourist trappings with a waterfall nearby. The private plane is awaiting us as I speak. I believe that Elaine has a future as a Disney Meet Planner. It would be a full time position and would require many trips to Disney to stay current. Yep, that is what I want her to have as a birthday present. We would then have our own private tourguide for our trips then.

I am headed out to check that everything is in order for our trip.

Linda/SG

 

[IASW Rider]

Oh goody! A "field trip"! Yes, I definitely think that a Suite outing to Maui in honor of Elaine's birthday is in order! We'll have the boys pack up our bags and away we'll go!

I cannot believe that it is snowing here, yet again! 3-4 more inches predicted for today, to dump on top of the 6-8 inches that we got on Friday! This winter is just not giving us a break! Oh well......it will be another excuse to go out and play in the fresh snow, again, later! (See? Not working has totally caused my brain to turn to mush and me to regress to childhood! )

Wish that I had something interesting to report, but all is pretty quiet, here. I don't expect that I'll hear from either of the schools to which I applied for another month or so, so I'm going to stop expecting something to be in the mailbox so soon. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised, though! I have some meetings with Unemployment / the Re-employment Program / The Workforce Development Program (who handle the training grants) next week, so we'll see what they have to say......!

How are all of your home renovation projects coming along, Linda? Once again, I think that your mall walking is fantastic - and a great way to window shop, too! You can stop in a bunch of stores and pick up clothes in smaller and smaller sizes, as you're walking along, too!

Well, sorry that this is so short, but I'm making my first attempt at stuffed cabbage downstairs, as I write, and I want to make sure that my leaves are not getting scalded! We've decided to actually cook for Passover, ourselves, this year (usually my parents cater the meals to make it easier, and Frank and I heat everything up), so I'm beginning to practice a few dishes, 2 months in advance!

Hope that you all had a great weekend!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa, please do not complain about life being boring. I have had much excitement in my life and will take boring any old day.

I am making a path through the house as I cannot get out to the mall today. I take a tour through the game room, around the pool table and thru the hall and around the dining room table and back, makes a nice figure eight. Sounds silly but I just made a half mile that way and was able to walk much faster than I do in the mall on the hard and sometimes slippery floors. I enjoy walking and if it were not for my fear of dogs I would do much more of it. The tiny town we live in does not have many rules and regulations. A larger town will offer more.

I read where you could freeze the cabbage and the leaves would peel right off without having to cook them. I am lazy so I am always looking for hints like those. LOL Hope it comes out great. Are you making extras for those days when you just plain don't feel like cooking?

Too many other things going on to get much done in the home improvement line. I get a bit done here and there though. I have a student coming at 3 so I have to do what I can before then.

Can you guys smell the Passion flowers blooming behind our Hawaiaan residence? I took a walk along the path down to the water today and sat on the beach until the sun came up. Been a long time since I was able to do that. I am sure to lose a lot of weight with all that walking and the fact that poi tastes like wallpaper paste. Lots of fresh fruit around t hough and tastes a whole lot better than that waxed stuff we buy in the grocery back home.

Have a great day and hope the snow abates soon.

Linda/SG

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

I like your idea of walking, right inside your home - that doesn't sound "silly" at all! I think that that's a great idea! And it's great that you have your pedometer, so you can track your progress and your steps, as well! I think that that's a great alternative to having to go out some place to exercise - I always exercise right in my house - I enjoy that much more than going to a gym or some place where there are tons of people around. That's kind of my "me" time, where I can just sort of be "inside my head" and not have to think about anyone or anything else.

I agree with you - poi DOES taste like wallpaper paste - it looks like it, too! Maybe we can all take some walks on the beach - I understand that walking in wet sand is really good for one's calf muscles!

Thanks for the frozen cabbage tip! Well, my stuffed cabbages didn't come out perfectly - they could have been wrapped neater and the leaves could have been a tiny bit softer.....but they were all right! I always make enough of any dish for at least 2 (sometimes more) meals, and I try to alternate "themes" / ingredients each day so that Frank doesn't get bored (or so that he doesn't eat too many peppers or tomatoes too often, since they tend to upset his stomach). I think that I may try a cabbage casserole with (ooh!) RED cabbage, tomorrow, and sneak some of the soy "ground beef" into it!

Anyway, all's quiet here! We did get some more snow, today, but none of it stuck to the streets - it only added to our existing accumulation on the grass, so that's not too bad. Another opportunity to play in the snow, if the mood strikes, I guess!

Hope that you're all having a good night!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Lisa!

I have already had an early morning stroll around the pool table this morning, half a mile. LOL The scenery is not too much though. I have found out that I cannot walk with a companion as my breathing is much improved but not enough to walk and talk at the same time. I would just as soon get my walking done as soon as possible and then sit down with a nice cool (non caloric) drink and have a chat with someone.

I am going to do a search right after this and send you an easier cabbage roll recipe. You got better things to do.

It is snowing again right now. Reports are that this same system dumped about 3 inches of snow in a bit over an hour in Indy so I am wary. Afraid I am about to miss my 3rd week of TOPS. Not a good thing. I celebrate the first year anniversary of my diet today so I am trying to get off on a good start.

There are so many things going on in the World and I cannot wait to see how they come out. The Diamond Horseshoe Review has long been one of our favorites. Have heard people say that it is almost as good as Hoop De Do and a whole bunch cheaper. Have always wanted to get one of the balcony seats. Maybe next time. Just don't take any food out with you when you leave the show you will think you are in the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds". Ugh!!

The Great Movie Ride is being freshened up. They could double it and it would not be too much to my way of thinking. Can think of a lot more movies to feature. Anyone have a favorite they can think of?

Have some phone calls to make before I get started on this day. Austin will be here for a bit this evening and I am looking forward to spending some time with my buddy.

Linda/SG

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

Hi Angie, Elaine, Wendy, and anyone else out there who happens to be peeking into the Suite!

Happy Anniversary, Linda! Just think of how far you've come in the past year........and how much more progress you are bound to make in the upcoming weeks and months! I always think that it's better to look back and "revel" in the accomplishments that you've made than to necessarily look ahead, sometimes. This is certainly a time for you to celebrate all of the great strides (excuse the pun! ) that you've already made! You should definitely treat yourself to something special, just for yourself, to mark this wonderful occasion! In the mean time, as soon as we all return from Maui, we'll have "Spa Day" in the Suite, in your honor!

Thanks again for the great cabbage rolls and cabbage soup recipes! We're going cabbage crazy, in this house, this winter - I don't know why, but we've become "addicted" to cabbage! My father told me that he bought some cabbage soup for Passover, and I told Frank and we collapsed on the floor laughing - watch out - CABBAGE FEVER is catching!

Are they really re-habbing the Great Movie Ride, Linda? I didn't know that! If I had to choose some new films to add......I would choose my 2 favorites, of course: "Saturday Night Fever" and "The Way We Were"......and then I'd add "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", some Mel Brooks movies (maybe "Young Frankenstein" or "History of the World, Part I"), some Woody Allen movies (maybe "Annie Hall", "Manhattan", or "Sleeper"), and then some classic Bette Davis, like "All About Eve" (which is already represented in the film finale of the attraction) or "Now, Voyager"!

Absolutely nothing to report from freezing, windy, more-snow-on-the-way-this-weekend New Jersey, today! Just went and had my car serviced and took care of some chores around the home. Frank now has an "alternate work arrangement", where he works 9 hour days 4 days a week, then has every Wednesday off. Even though we had errands to accomplish today, hopefully we'll be able to do some fun things together in the middle of the week on his days off, in the future!

Hope that you're all having a great evening! Talk to you soon!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa/Rider

It sounds like a good thing to have Frank on a 4 day week, no downside that I can see. Less gas and more time together. You will be able to get chores done midweek and have your weekends for fun. Hooray!!

Thank you for the kind words on my weight loss. I lost 5 whole pounds yesterday. I don't know how it happened but I got very sick yesterday afternoon. We had went to town to see "Chicago", pretty darned good but I have to admit I sort of liked "Moulin Rouge" a bit more (had a lot of songs that were strategically placed IMHO).

We went to Texas Roadhouse for a dinner shop and I started feeling badly. It was not the food because I was feeling badly before. I barely made it home and was sicker than a dog then. Am still a bit wonky today but the good news was that the scales were a full 5 pounds less this morning. I am sure that it was not all 'real' weight as I have had recent unexplained gains. One thing for sure it is not worth it to get sick like that again even with another weight loss. Not sure what it was but I am willing to never find out again. Ugh!!


Since you like cabbage so very much maybe you will enjoy what I tried last week. I took a nonstick skillet and sprayed it with Pam. Coarse shredded some cabbage, onions and peppers (multi colored) and sprayed them with a bit of ICBINB spray and sauteed it until browned and a bit crisp. I then took 3 wedges of Laughing Cow Cheese and put t hem in the skillet and covered it with a lid until it was all melted and then tossed it all. It was wonderful tasting and was only 2 pts for the whole shebang. You can find the LC cheese in round containers over in the dairy department in some stores. The low cal is 2 pts for 3 while the regular is 1 pt per wedge.

I had read on the boards that they are rehabbing the Great Movie Ride but just to clean it up and not add any more to it. (sigh) I loved your suggestions, a lot of them would be on my list as well. I love old movies. One of my Fab Four is Willie and his favorite movie is Willie Wonka. I am going to buy a DVD to put away for him someday. I keep a journal and write notes to them from time to time. One thing for my dil, she has given me an incentive to stay well and live longer. See, told you there was a good side to every bad thing. Unfortunately, seems to be bad in every good thing, as well.

Ice storm due here tomorrow. Am supposed to have Dalton overnight while sil takes dd out for Valentine's Day so I hope it improves by then. Will only have to worry about the morning commute for loved ones. Never could figure out how Madeline Murry O'Hare could possibly have been an atheist since she was a mother, a poor one though so maybe that explains it all. (smile) I have discovered what I am - a Theist. Is a new word I learned recently.

I have got to get dinner done so I can play trivia with a clean conscience. Have come in second the last 3 games so surely this is my week to win? They are planning a get together in North Carolina next year. There will be people coming from NZ, and all over the US so I am hoping to be able to go. Would not be a bad distance for us and we enjoy Asheville so much. We often stop at Grove Park Inn and eat in the dinning room. It overlooks the mountains and is a wonderful place. Ummmm,wondering how far from NYC that will be? A trip toward there where we can catch a tour bus would be a dream come true. Have not heard anything from Donna so I don't know if she is planning on NYC this year or not. She tends to go where she gets a bargain trip.

Can't wait to hear all that exciting things that you and Frank will get up to with all your new found time.

Angelina, so glad you enjoyed the little joke I sent you way. Knew you would like it. LOL

Helenabear, where are you girl? We miss you a bunch. You are our sparkplug.

Jstmee, hope you are not snowed in and trying to thaw a path to your computer.

Linda/SG

 

[IASW Rider]

Belated Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone! And hope that you all had a great holiday weekend!

So sorry that I have not been around in so long, but as I've told some of you, I've had such problems getting on to the Boards, lately! UGH! Every time I've tried, over the past few days, the pages have not fully loaded, and have always literally crashed my AOL! I figured that I would try accessing the site via Internet Explorer instead of the AOL browser, tonight, and it miraculously worked (although it's running ridiculously slowly). I'm just happy to be back here in the Suite and hope that this is not just a lucky coincidence and that I will be able to get back onto the Boards again, tomorrow!

How are you feeling, Linda? Whatever that was, I hope that it doesn't plague you, again! Thanks for the new cabbage recipe and for all of your kind words, too! How did that dish turn out? It sounds great! I love Laughing Cow cheese - brings back great memories of my childhood - we seemed to always have it in different shapes and flavors, back then! And I'm a big fan of "Willy Wonka", too! In fact, years ago, when I was Frank's boss at work (?!?! ) - years before we started dating - our unit was trying to think of how to dress for Halloween (our department was having a costume contest), and Frank suggested that we all dress up as Oompa Loompas! But too many people complained about having to paint our faces orange.....so we all dressed up as the characters from "The Wizard of Oz", instead! We even decorated our work area with a Yellow Brick Road on the floor, and a tornado (created by pointing desk fans upwards at miniature people and dollhouse furniture suspended from the ceiling) in my office!

Glad that you enjoyed the movie version of "Chicago"! I loved it, too - in fact, I think that it is now one of my favorite movies of all time! They did a great job of adapting the play for the film, and I thought that everyone in the film did an amazing job!

I hope that you are able to go to NC for your trivia reunion! And....I hope that you are able to make it to NYC, this year, of course, too!

Not too much to report from the Garden State - just digging out from our 27+ inches of BLIZZARD OF 2003! The snow started melting, today, in our balmy 38 degree temperatures.....but we discovered a leak in our roof, as a result - I guess that they didn't seal it very well when they replaced our roof, a few years ago - we wound up having actual piles of snow in our attic - LOVELY. And wouldn't you know, the leak was right over my side of our master bedroom closet?! And I had no place to put all of my clothes - we had them hanging on every available door and rod in the house! I hope that our homeowners association will send someone over to fix the roof, soon - in the mean time, we have the actual leak under control.

Well, I'd probably better run - I have a charming meeting with Unemployment, tomorrow - just and "orientation" sort of thing. So much red tape - JUST GIVE ME MY BENEFITS, ALREADY! Sorry - just had to get that off my chest! Then on Friday, I have a meeting with the division that handles the training grants. Please keep your fingers crossed for me that they won't give me a hard time about starting school in the fall.....I can't help it - that's when the programs begin!

I hope that all is well with all of you! And please forgive me if (for whatever reason) I am not able to check the Boards or post again, soon - please know that that would only be because I am unable to access them - I try several times every day, to do so, but most times lately have been unsuccessful!

Hope to see you all again soon, in the Suite! Have a good night!

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi All!

Hope that you're all having a great weekend!

I've been a little down in the dumps. Long story short, I had those meetings with the Workforce Development people, yesterday, and learned that basically, there is no chance of my receiving a training grant. That's because they claim that I am in a "demand occupation" (finance) and should be able to find a job in that field (yeah, right. What planet are they on? Don't they hear or read about how every bank and brokerage firm have been laying off thousands of people, for months?! They're not exactly hiring......). So even though I want to study the subject matter of another demand occupation (nutrition), they won't pay for it. And unless I actively pursue a job in finance, they will deny me my benefits. I am so frustrated - I feel "trapped" with no options.

Then this morning, something happened that I should have been thrilled about - I received my official notification that my old alma mater, Rutgers, has accepted me for enrollment in the fall. I should be celebrating, but instead, I'm all sad because I know that there is no way that we can afford the tuition and day to day living, with no assistance and with my not having an income for the duration of my study. UGH. Life isn't fair. I know that there must be some way that we can work it out, but I don't want us to live "uncomfortably", worrying about every bit of money that we spend, or worrying about paying the bills, etc. I just can't see not having an income for the 1-3 years that it would take me to complete a second Bachelor's Degree. Or even for the 1-2 years that it would take me to complete the Associate's Degree version of the program, at the County College to which I also applied. Maybe there's a way that I could work part time and go to school part time. It would be great if I could get some sort of job in the field.....but I doubt that that would be possible with no experience and no education in the area. It's like a Catch 22. I just think that I would shoot myself if I had to go back to a boring job in financial services and sit at a desk and be miserable all day.......like I essentially was for the past 15 years.......when I (sort of) have this opportunity to change careers all together, now. Frank is being extremely supportive, as always - he's convinced that we will figure out a way to work it out and wants me to go for it, no matter what. Oh well, we'll figure it out, somehow. In the mean time, I'll try not to think about the logistics so much and be happy (and amused) that I was accepted back into my old school.......on (almost) the 15 year anniversary of my graduation from it!

Sorry - I don't mean to whine or bore everyone to death.....

Moving right along, on to other pleasant accomplishments, I needed to buy a new pair of jeans, since I had absolutely none that fit me..........and was able to buy a pair in a size that I have not fit into since 1993 or 1994! I was so shocked and amazed that when I got them home, I cut off all of the tags and put them into my scrapbook, for posterity! I'm going to wear them for the first time tonight, as we're going to a party thrown by one of our old friends from work. I haven't seen any of the people who will be there (most of whom are people who either do or did work at ML......some of whom are some of the "BADMEN" that I dated in my single days, who broke my heart on various occasions, through the years) in a long time, so it will sort of be like a "high school reunion"-type situation. It's nice to be able to walk into an occasion like that, feeling like I look pretty good (even though I'm dreading the inevitable questions like "so, what have you been doing with yourself?" "Are you looking for a job?" "Why don't you start having babies, now?"). Frank and I have already decided not to stay very long and have already planned our "escape excuse"!

That's about all the news from rainy, snow-melty NJ! Hope that all has been well with all of you! Have a great weekend and talk to you soon! Thanks for "listening"!

 

[IASW Rider]

Wow - sorry that that last post was such a "downer'!

I'm feeling a little better about things, now - I have a few ideas of what I might be able to do, so that I would be able to go to school and still have some sort of income. Maybe get a job at a hospital or even at Rutgers (which might assist with the tuition), and go to school part time. Or alternate part time and full time semesters, or something like that. I'll figure out a way to make it work, somehow. Maybe I don't necessarily have to do the whole degree at once - go to school for awhile, take a break and work, whatever. I'm going to set up an appointment to meet with someone in the Department, who could tell me exactly how many of my credits will transfer, so that I'll be able to assess how long it will take me to finish the degree, then I'll go from there in terms of planning the best way to do it.

Anyway, I'm feeling somewhat more hopeful than I was, the other day! So sorry to "dump" that on you all!

Anyway, the rest of the week has been pretty quiet. I can't believe that we are expecting yet more snow, on Thursday! What a winter! Just as our huge piles from the blizzard have melted down to manageable sizes, more snow is coming! Unbelievable!

I hope that all is well with all of you, out there! Have a nice day and talk to you soon!

 

[angelina]

I have been locked out of the DIS since last week, like lisa, who has been kind enough to help me sneak in through a window, LOL. I now know how to use Explorer.

I hope everyone is well and warm wherever you are. We are alternating between beautiful spring-like days and cold and rainy ones. I have had a bad sore throat for a few days, and woke up this morning with no voice. None at all, which I'm sure everyone enjoyed, since I was unable to bark orders. Instead of going out, I stayed home and did laundry, and I'm sure one of the piles hit me in about the same place that Lisa's snow did on her!

Lisa, sorry to hear about your difficulties in getting a grant for your classes, but I think you may be on to something by working at school and taking advantage of a possible discount. When I worked at the local university, I think we were reimbursed for half of the tuition, as were children of employees. Good luck pursuing that.

I hope the snow expected Thursday isn't anywhere near as bad as what you had the other day!

SG, I'm sure you're making a lot of headway in your quest to throw out and pack up. I am slowly bagging up outgrown clothes to send to the church this weekend. I have so much clutter around, and it makes me crazy, but I just can't seem to throw things away like I should.

Well, I'm making a pot of chicken soup for myself for dinner, and it's time to check on it.

Take care,

Angelina

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Angie!!! I'm so happy that you were able to get onto the Boards and back into the Suite!! We missed you!

I hope that you're feeling much better by now, and that your sore throat has gone away! Please tell us about all of the fun Mardi Gras events that you and your family have attended and are planning to attend over the upcoming week, if you have a chance! I love hearing about them!

Well, we are expecting 6 - 10 inches of snow, tonight.......sadly, I'm starting to get used to this - it seems strange when we DON'T have a major snow storm at least once a week, now! I'm so grateful that I don't have to drive to work in it, though......poor Frank.

Well, call me crazy, but I officially accepted my admission to Rutgers for the fall! Now, the pesky part of figuring out how to pay for it and support ourselves (and, of course, NOT have to give up our WDW vacation!).......! Things are looking up, though - I'm hitting some "bumps" along the way, but am trying to keep a positive attitude and truly believe that things will work themselves out. At least I have a good 5-6 months to get everything in order.

Spent all day yesterday in South Jersey, visiting Frank's Great Aunt in the hospital. It was depressing, but I know that it was good for Frank to be with his family, down there, and I'm glad that we went. He is very close with his Great Aunt, and the situation does not look hopeful. Still, we keep praying.......

Both Frank's and his sister's birthdays are next week, and I am going to surprise them both (well.....at least my sister-in-law......Frank has kind of figured it out.....) with tickets for us to see the new Cirque du Soleil show, "Varekai", which will be coming to the NY area in the spring. I hope that that brings some smiles to their faces during this difficult time for them and their family. I am really looking forward to seeing that show - the only other Cirque show which I've seen in person is "La Nouba", down in our favorite place! We have "Allegria" (which Frank saw live) and "Quidam" on DVD, though. We're totally addicted to "Fire Within" - the "making of 'Varekai' " series that's on Bravo. So it will be neat to see the actual show that we've been seeing planned!

Anyway, hope that all is well with all of you and that you're all having a nice week!