EWP group?

[colleen costello]

Thnaks for all the lovely birthday wishes. I am existing in my 40's as I did in my 30's, so far... helping at school, taking care of the kids, "Same old same old." I forced myself to act today on something I hope you will all encourage me about... I sent a letter to a woman I know at our local preschool about a JOB. Now this was a biggie for me. I haven't really "worked" much at all since Ian was born. Our local public preschool serves many children with special needs and one of the directors there is a woman I just love. When I last saw her, and mentioned that Ian was in first grade, she pointed out that they have needed a "backup" person of some sort, part-time. Not even sure exactly what this meant, except it would be a social-services type position. Hey, for all I know, they need someone to clean the bathrooms... But in any case, I typed a letter to her today, pointing out that I have a degree in counseling and a desire to work part-time at a place that has the same schedule as my children. I asked them to keep me in mind... We'll see. Otherwise I will have to substitute at the schools, once the holidays are over. Not real thrilled about this option as the kids seem to save their worst for the subs... But this house has been sucking up every dollar I have, and with gas prices and food prices and EVERYTHING prices going up, we need some extra income! So I took a baby step toward that direction... We'll see how it plays out.

Lauralee, as the next member of the suite to be heading south, you must promise to keep us all informed on your packing, planning, etc. We will all be waiting for your return and looking forward to all the details. Just hearing about "capri pants and bathing suits" made me smile!

Love to all,

Colleen

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Lauralee! Great to hear from you! Your enthusiasm about your upcoming trip is catching - it's getting me psyched for our next trip.........which is almost exactly 6 months away! (It's kinda neat - it's the exact "half way mark" - exactly 6 months since our last trip and exactly 6 months 'til our next trip!) Yes, I am just about 20 minutes away from you, in Somerset!

It would be so great if you could come out for the North East DIS Meet, Linda! Fred (the same man who organized the Meet in June) hasn't finalized the date or exact location yet, but if you subscribe to the thread or sign up for his mailing list, you will find out as soon as he does. Also, it's not too late to register for the Meet - no one has made any financial obligation / reservations yet! It would be great if you and Tom were able to come! And perhaps you could "kidnap" Colleen and Elaine on the way, and bring them, too........! As for trivia........I might be too nervous to play in front of the 100's of people who are planning to be there.........but we'll see! And you are so silly - you look wonderful in that picture with Janet and that's all there is to it! It has nothing to do with cropping, angles, or otherwise! I don't remember whether I posted on any of them, but I meant to tell you in case I forgot, that I really enjoyed reading the rest of your trip reports!

Hi Colleen! You never told us - how was your Birthday and your celebration??? Hope that you had a great time! And I can't wait to hear about yours and Linda's meeting! One or both of you have to take pictures so that we can see!

45 pounds, Elaine?! That is amazing! Congratulations! That is a great accomplishment! You are going to look great in that dress, at your cousin's wedding! I'm sorry to hear that your allergies have been acting up, too. I guess it's just the time of year for them.

I wish I knew what it is that I am allergic to, out there. I suspect that maybe it's mold, since the leaves are falling off the trees, now? (That would make sense, in terms of the fact that the last time that my eye blew up like this it was on the ship - clean as the Wonder surely is, I'll bet that they can't avoid having a little mold creep in there, since the ship is at sea all the time!)

Anyway...........not too much to report, here! Just wanted to stop by and say "hello"! Hope that you're all having a nice week!

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Colleen!

We must have been posting at exactly the same time!

Lots of good luck!!!!!! Your new job prospect sounds wonderful - right "up your alley"! You would do such a great job with that sort of work! It was a great idea to send that letter expressing your interest! It sounds perfect - you would be able to utilize your training, doing something that you would enjoy, and it would coincide with your children's schedules, as well! You will have to keep us posted with any developments or updates on that front!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

It is an awfully dreary and dark day here. I drove Tom to drop himn off at bowling and his brother was going to pick him up. I am grateful to him for the break. He says we have shared custody but I seem to get the hard end of the chores. LOL Got all the plants in the basement before he left as there is no way I could have done that by myself. I send Tom to the basement and then I lug them to the basement windown where I hand them in with a series of grunts and odd sounds that are sure to attract some sort of wildlife one day. I have to start planting lighter things. I save a bunch by doing this though and have much larger plants than I could otherwise. Is odd to see geraniums blooming bright red in the middle of February though. We are blessed with a wonderous basement.

Lauralee, what a beautiful name. I wish I lived closer to Rider but I fear I am about 7-800 miles away. I live in Southern Indiana. Colleen and I live about 50 miles apart though and are going to meet, face to face, on Monday. I would twirl if I were you also. Just the idea of the looks on your dear ones faces when they behold DW for the first time is enough to bring tears of joy to my old eyes. I hope that you have gotten plenty of ideas from the boards. Bet you coud get more info , if needed, if you care to ask here.

Colleen, I bet you hear back in the affirmative soon as they could not possibly not take advantage of someone of your skills. Sounds like a perfect job for everyone concerned. I took my camera out so I might not forget to take it. That and my Disney pictures as well although most of them will not be all that interesting as I tend to take pics for my grandkids.

Rider, picking up Colleen would not be m uch out of the way but Helenabear is right on the way toward the Meet. Doubt either would want to ride with us but I would gladly make room, especially if they help with the driving. LOL I suscribed to the thread and will keep an eye out and see. I am thinking I will let the Fates decide. Since I could not possibly commit so far in advance I will wait and see how I am feeling then and if someone has to drop out, always a good chance, I will pay their money and come instead. Would be the perfect birthday present for me as I edge every closer to the 60 year mark. (Colleen, you thought YOU were old. LOL) Have you ever had the allergy tests done? I know that mold is one of them. Is one of the few times that I am grateful to be so large as I have much more space for all those pokes. (ouch)

Going to finish the yardwork tomorow, I hope, I hope. Have water fountaings to drain and cover as well as the air conditioning units. For such a small yard there sure is a lot of work to be done.

SG/Linda

 

[helenabear]

Quick hi before I head of to choir practice at church tonight.

Lauralee, you sound so terribly excited!!!! Well I usually am at this point, but I have a lot to do before I leave so if I can get some of it done between now and then, I'll be happier!

Colleen, wishing you all the best with the job!!! I Hope that if it is good for you that you will get it

Lisa, I think I might have mislead you... 45 pounds is my goal (give or take a couple pounds) for me to lose... I have about 10 pounds or so before I hit it. I have lost 34 at the moment from my heaviest so I am doing well with it. As for the wedding, I just hope it warms up for that dress
Allergies for me is the modl with the leaves... when they fall and don't get cleaned up, it gets nasty for me... especially after rain.

Need to get ouf of here quickly, but Linda, I do feel for you... it is cold and dreary here as well. I already miss summer.

Have a wonderful evening all!

 

[IASW Rider]

Hello!

34 pounds is AMAZING, Elaine!!!!! And that's VERY close to 45!!!!! You'll be there in no time! That is wonderful!

It's cold, rainy, dreary, and dark here, too, Linda and Elaine. YUCK. Wasn't it just nice and sunny and 70 degrees??? It seems like it became winter overnight.

We just brought our plants inside, too, Linda! And we're fortunate that some of ours bloom in our garage over the winter, too!

I hope that you're able to make it to the DIS Meet - that would be so neat! It's something nice to think about, anyway! And they aren't requiring a final commitment right now, so it doesn't hurt to receive the information for consideration in the future!

Well, we're off to cheer ourselves up about this depressing weather.........by going to see "The Incredibles"! Have a great weekend, Everyone!

(P.S. We're taking my father and uncle to visit Helene and Bob tomorrow, Linda - will take pictures and send your regards! )

 

[IASW Rider]

I can't believe that I keep forgetting to ask this - who are those adorable puppies in your signature, Elaine? New companions for your kitties?????

 

[helenabear]

Thank you Lisa... just seems the last little bit is the hardest to get rid of I think. But I am sure I'll get there in no time

Enjoy your afternoon at the Incredibles. Let me know what you think of it.

As for the dogs... well long story short, I was telling a friend of mine about a dog I had as a child and the breed. He went to look up the breed on Google.com (Puli is the breed) and then he sent me this pic saying he thought it was cute. I had to agree and thought if I put it in my sig, it might make someone smile.
No dogs here, much to my dismay... still just the two furbabies

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Lisa! I miss the sun and seventy degrees as well. That is my favorite temperature. The heat sucks the breath right out of me.

Please do tell Helen hi from me. I get an occasional forward from her but I don't think she has actually written me something more than a half a dozen times in all these years and when she does it is to tell me that she is busy taking care of her husband. I have emailed her and asked if she wanted the recipes but have not heard back from her. I am delighted to hear that things seem to be better and she is getting out and about some though.

My dream house would have an extra large garage. Would be so much easier to store things there and getting them and down basement steps. I can barely get myself up and down them nowadays.

I am keeping an eye on the Meet thread and we will see what happens.

Helenabear, 34 pounds is an amazing amount for someone your size especially. Any tips on how you did it? Any good recipes that will not add pounds? The black dog has hair just like mine. LOL

Back to the yardwork. I have a small one coming to spend the night tonight. I had planned for us to watch some movies but he is banned from tv for telling a 'butt" joke. He is 7, if he is still doing so when he is 70 - let me think on that one a minute. --- Of course he will still be telling such jokes then, he is a man (in the making). LOL I am sure we will come up with something interesting to do anyway. His current passion is to transcribe whole chapters of his favorite (at the moment) book. It is an encyclopedia of animals. His handwriting is much superior to mine.

His older brother was explaining math problems to me last night. I did not understand a thing he was telling me. Hope he does not ever ask for math help. 2 plus 2 is 4 and beyond that I am in a quandry, unless it is my checkbook balance and that I know very well. Works for me!!

SG/Linda

 

[lunabkat]

Hi all.

Just checking to see if my avitar shows up. I just qualified for tagfairy lottery. Woo-hoo! I didn't even know about them until today, how exciting.

Linda, i have been meaning to pm you about the millionaire, hopefully will be able to get to it today, wow, the time is flying around here. I can't seem to turn around without something to do for school or work.

Helenabear, i have recently lost 20 lbs, so i am with you in spirit on your quest. Hope to lose another 20lbs before i am done, but just breaking 200 lbs for the first time in 15 years is pretty exciting too.

Hope everyone is having a great day.

LL

 

[lunabkat]

OOOOO!

he's so cute (my kitty).

"Love to eat the mousies..." LOL

LL

 

[lunabkat]

YIKES!

How politically incoorect is that? Of course i mean NON-disney mousies. sorry Mickey.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

lunabkat, LOL. It is fine with me if your kitty eats every mouse on Earth as long as he/she leaves Mickey and his family alone. LOL I am in favor of any animal, as along as it has a zipper up the back.


What might tagfairy lottery be? I cannot believe that I do not have nary a tag at all. Surely I have said something that should have gotten me noticed. Sheer volume should count as well as being Slightly Goofier than most. (grin)

What would you like to know about Millionaire? How to win? Is easy, just get every answer right AND get them faster than anyone else. LOL There are a couple of things that you do need to know really. I could not understand how I did not even get on the boards the first time I played even though I was getting the answers right, most of the time but someone here on the boards set me straight and I will gladly pass on my knowledge. (the answer is NOT always C no matter what anyone tells you.) LOL

I just about have all the water fountains drained and covered for the winter. Was sidelined cause dear Dalton has a mishap last night. He showed up for his usual Friday night sleepover and had a jacket with some metal snaps in his hand. When he went to knock on the door one of the snaps hit the door exactly right and glass flew everywhere. In between his sobbing, he was scared, and my trying to convince my dd and dsil that walking through the glass and then through the house was not helping me (I failed) things were quite a riot. Manged to get Dalton calmed down and shoo my dd and dsil out of the house but then had to spend a couple of hours cleaning everything up. Is what happens when you are a hick who seldom wears shoes. dsil could not understand why I would not let him just sweep the glass into the front flower beds. We have different life styles, when you live out in the country I guess you do things differently. Did I tell you all of my need for a couple of buckets of dirt when I had the new sidewalk put in? When I put the request to my dd she informed me that they did not have any extra dirt on all of their fifty acres. For some a nursing home might be a scary proposition but it looks a whole lot better, to me, than living with my dear children. Bet they feel the same about me too. LOL

The pickup is loaded to the top of the bed and I still have a couple more flowerbeds to clear out. More than one trip to the dump (15 miles from here) might be necessary. The powers that be do not allow yard waste to go to the dump in interests of not overloading the landfill. Gee, does not grass etc. rot while the plastics and such they do allow hang around for milleniums? Just a thought.

Our government at work. (sigh)

SG/Linda

 

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Wow, Linda - sounds like you are having quite the productive weekend, while Tom is away! Just don't work too hard - it sounds like you've accomplished so much already - you need to have some time to yourself to relax, too!

Thank God Dalton was OK and that no one was hurt after he had that accident! It could happen to anyone - it's just good that he is all right and that no one was cut by the glass! Did you have a nice visit together, after everything calmed down?

Hope that you and Colleen have a great time together, tomorrow! You will both have to come to the Suite to tell us all about your get-together! Wish that we could all be there to join you!

Congratulations on your recent 20 pound weight loss, Lauralee! That is fantastic! It really is a great accomplishment! Keep up the great work! I think that most of us on this thread are all in the same spirit of that quest to lose a few pounds! I lost 86 pounds (88 on a "good day"! ) as of last year and have sort of been hanging steady at a "plateau" for the past year. Wouldn't mind losing just a few more! Anyway, we are just a bunch of "big losers", here on this thread! It's great that we can come here to give one another encouragement and cheer eachother on! And I love your kitty avatar! Very cute!

Hi Elaine! I know what you mean about those last pounds being the most pesky! But don't worry - I'm sure you will just continue to keep up the great work, and they will be gone before you know it! And thanks for the explanation about the puppy photo - they are very cute!

"The Incredibles" was a great movie - we really enjoyed it! And we also saw the trailer for next year's Pixar offering, "Cars".

We had a nice time in Pennsylvania, yesterday, visiting some old family friends with my father and uncle (that's the lady, Helene, to whom Linda was referring in her previous post). And now we're off to watch the Sunday football games on TV with some old ML friends!

Hope that you're all having a great weekend!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, are you lurking somewhere with the environs of my home? How did you know that I am seriously considering taking the day off and doing not much of anything today? Is a hard decision to make as it will mean having to make yet another trip to the dump before Thanksgiving though. I do have about half of my Christmas cards done as of this morning. I took over Tom's seat in the kitchen with the tv set on and whizzed right through them. This is the only time of the year when I wish I knew fewer people. LOL

Yes, I was much relieved that poor Dalton was alright. He was just scared and needed hugging. Even if he had broken the door on purpose I would not be one to be mad. My dad beat me pretty bad once for breaking a storm door glass and he was the one who threw me through it. (that which does not kill us makes us strong or at least weird-(smile)

We have a wonderful evening after I got everything calmed down and back in order. One of my fondest wishes was realized as Dalton and I laid in bed (he stole grandad's place) and were reading our respective books. He read a seven chapter book in one day last week. He is the only member of my immediate family who loves to read as much as I do.

Austin called me last night and said some things that gave me hope that he might have a better future, if he just follows through. He was at the church from 9 until after 7 last night, practicing for the Christmas play. Dalton is appalled cause he will be playing Herod. I told him that it was an important part and they needed someone with his acting skills to pull it off. He only has one more day of being grounded for his latest 'joke'. I have told him that he should only tell such to me as I am strange enough to appreciate them. Hope it helps or the kid will be grounded forever. His mom was grounded for years (it felt like) but she has forgotten such. LOL

Lisa, you and Frank are so special for not only spending time with the older generations of your families but enjoying it as well. Is a rare and wonderful thing and you all gain so much from the time well spent.

I have my clothes laid out for the meet tomorrow. Colleen, I will be wearing an apricot blouse and a huge smile!!

SG/Linda

 

[lunabkat]

Hi all,

Tag Fairy lottery is just my made up name for getting tagged on the board. Apparently you have to post at least 30 times before you qualify for the privilege of being considered for tagging and i posted my 30th yesterday - yea!

My dds went to see Polar Express last night and loved it. My neice took them and they had the best time.

Millionaire sounds like fun, i will definately try it when we are there. Too bad no ones going around our time, it would be fun to hook up in disney sometime. (12/11-12/18).

Take care everyone, talk soon.

LL

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there LL (see you are into initials like I am LOL)

If you have to post 30 times to be tagged I must be missing something. I recently did my 2,000th one and am still tagless. Maybe I had better look closer, they may done one of those printed on ones I just have not noticed cause it does not itch. (grin)

I love to see good books made into movies if they are done well. Polor Express is a great book and I am looking forward to it. I hated The Cat in the Hat, what a waste of good material and even good casting. Too much 'adult' humor to suit me. I came close to walking out and have never walked out of a movie in my life. I had my grands with me and we had been looking forward to it. Not a movie I will be buying. I did buy Pirates the other day though. Did I tell you all that they are making PORC 2 & 3 now?

Watching the Comedy Central's 100 best standups of all time. I love intelligent stand up comedy and they are showing clips. I grew up with Mort Sahl and all the old political satarists. There was a lot of satire in my day.

Please pm me with your Millionaire questions cause there are a couple of things you need to know if you have any chance to get on the boards let alone the hot seat. If I cannot win the big prize it would please me if you could.

SG/Linda

 

[colleen costello]

Hi girls! Wow, all this talk of weight loss gives me hope. I am bumbling along through Weight Watchers, creeping as I always do. Sure seem to put it on faster than I lose it... Anyhow, after too much birthday cake I dreaded "weigh-in" yesterday. I forced myself to go to the meeting. Tried hard the rest of the week, though, and managed to lose a pound. At this rate I will be thin by 2080... But at least I am trying... As posts here will attest, few and far among us are thin anymore. It's a struggle in the land of plenty, at least plentiful junkfood. Everywhere we look there are fast food joints. I pass SO many on the drive to my WW meeting, it's a cruel joke. I have never been a smoker or even a drinker, but BOY am I an eater!

Linda, I have no idea what I am wearing tomorrow but I promise it will be clean and relatively color-coordinated, and I will also be smiling. We can chow down on all those veggies at Ryan's and share pictures. In your honor I completed my little photo album today, with all my favorite shots from our last 3 trips to Orlando. Most are of the kids enduring yet another picture... I am hoping some nice waitress will take our picture for pals here in the suite.

Hope everyone is enjoying the rest of their weekend and I will report back after the marathon gab-fest tomorrow. I somehow don't expect any awkward silences when Linda and I are loose together!

 

[helenabear]

Hi all! Taking a break from setting up the Christmas stuff we have. Normally I do it Thanksgiving weekend, but I will be out of town on TG day, should be very busy on Friday and have a wedding to go to on Sat. So wiht all the cleaning and packing I have ahead of me, figured this weekend was much better to try for.

Linda, I admit there wasn't much to my dieting that really is that different. I do have a regular "menu" I have at work that I will eventually expand on, but stick with now just for convenience. I have granola bars for breakfast (the crunchy kind) and then a meal bar at lunch (Slim Fast chewey granola type is my choice) then for dinner I more or less just pick what I want. I just cut back on my calories and w/o even trying I can pretty easily stick with 1200 or so a day. Fortunately I am not a big eater so that helps. So no recipes here... just being a bit more conscious about what I put into my mouth. It's pretty easy now, but the last 8 pounds will probably require me to excersize in order to lose them easier. I'll try that later this week

Lauralee, congrats on your weightloss! That is great! As Lisa said, we are a bunch of big losers here

Lisa, talk about amazing! 86 pounds is great!!! You do look wonderful now as well (not that you didn't look good before). I am glad you enjoyed the movie. Luis loved it and I thought it was pretty good. Not my favorite, but not my least favorite either

You know I really think I need to get the book Polar Express. I hadn't even heard of it until this year I hear it is a very cute story

Colleen, I know what you mean about fast food. In our lives it is a must... I have found though that if I eat a kids meal only at a fast food place, that I do much better. Not just all the fast food, but the size of the portions... and I was shocked when I found out how many calories a small fry (let alone large) really is. We still do Wendy's often, but a new love of mine is a meatball sub! Fills me up wonderfully and a bit better for me than a combo from fast food places.

WEll my tree is calling my name... I had best get back to it.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, silence?? What is that?? LOL I love to talk. I can go days without having anyone to talk to and if it were not for the computer I think I would go stark raving mad. (maybe I have and I am not aware of it) LOL

I am sorry, no fancy photo album here. I did put a stack of my last photos together in a bag. I used to be much better at all this but it struck me that I have no one who will care about the pictures when I am gone so it sort of took the wind out of my sail. My single sister made that remark about why she did not take pictures and I had never thought about it anymore. Not sure why I still take pictures though. I did take a lot of them to show the grands what all we did. Many from Kilamanjaro for my animal boy. LOL

We are so blessed to live in a country where one of our biggest concersn is having too darned much but it is ironic as well. I feel a bit guilty about having weight to lose while there are people starving. I have lost about 90 pounds but that is nothing compared to Lisa as that is all she had to lose and I could stand to lose another 90. If we all ever start to eat healthy I fear that the restaurants will go out of business as they would not be able to make money on serving a sliced apple and a bit of cheese which is what we really should be eating. (sigh)

BTW, our WW meeting is held right next to a pizza place.



Helenabear!! You are putting up your tree? I used to be the same but this year I am seriously considering not putting up anything. I will miss my Disney window. I have many animations that the kids love but they are getting too old for such anymore. The holidays are a hard time for me, always have been. This year I am going to go out to eat with friends and spend time phoning and writing people that I love. I will wave while I am in Columbus on Thanksgiving. My sister lives in Blacklick and we are all meeting there. The older ones of us will be getting together a couple of days earlier before the younger ones join us. One sister is refusing to come but everyone else should be there and that is quite a feat for a family of 8. Hoping that the holdout will change her mind but doubtful. There always seems to be one.

If you enjoy chocolate you might check out the Momentum bars, they are low carb and low cal and so delicious. I have to only buy one box at a time as I am quite capable of eating all of a dozen or so boxes. Lots of good nutrition as well. The WM reduced hot cocoa has been reformulated and now has 30% calcium. It is a bit too sweet (Spenda) for me so I add a half tsp of cocoa to it but it is a good price as well. If I had your intestional fortitude I would not be in the shape I am. I love food. I am pickier than I used to be though so that is something. WM also has a wonderful Asian Chicken Salad for about 350 calories for a huge bowl,(deli section) that makes a wonderful meal.

Back to work, cards are almost done now.

SG/Linda