Sudokuaholics Anonymous 10

Bit noisy around here at the moment.. it was Lachies first night back at work.. very noisy greeting when he got home. Probably won't drop of to sleep easily until he's back.. he took Lana for a run and Zoe is missing them..

Tami I agree whole heartedly.. as long as they have fun..

Tricia good thinking with the car..not good to have any doubts about reliability with extremes in weather. Hope they sort the key pronto..

Big hugs back at you, Julie and everyone else.

Wasn't counting... my nose is still buried deep in old philosophers tomes... the latest to appear on my wall at the moment on TOS..

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.
~Socrates~

Have a wonderful day everyone... isn't it good that as you get older the body doesn't need as much sleep... Arrivederci

Bean.... I'm one who is a big supporter of Toyotas... because they take care of me. They always get me where I need to go and back home safe (or to a safe place if need be). I'm out in the country, and do NOT need a vehicle that's not completely loyal to me. With my back and funky left leg, I can't walk long distances to get help. And my cell phone not only needs to be replaced, but doesn't work in many rural and/or hilly areas.

MizT.... It's still raining here, and thundering and ridiculously warm still. Last I looked, it was 60℉ / 15.5 ℃!!! Crazy for mid-January!

Hi everyone.
I have been very slack in visiting here lately. The computer room is so hot,only has a fan, and I come home from work and just want to bask in the air con.
We have the boys again overnight and today.
Expecting another hot day with possible showers.Rain would be very welcome.
Judy willed me her unit, so I am still in the process of clearing it out,getting it valued and finding a financial adviser to work out what to do. The body corporate is more costly than the rates which is ridiculous.
I have booked my flight to Tasmania.Bris to Hobart 28th Feb.Flights were cheap so I took a gamble not knowing if my holidays are approved. I better wait for the return flight to Sydney until I know for sure.
I think of you all daily.It would take me ages to comment on 3 pages so please know that I care.

Hi All,
It has been said, many times many ways, no one needs to feel the need to comment on the post, especially after not being able to post for any reason Nola...and with the heat that you have been experiencing.we all can understand not wanting to go into a hot room feeling you need to comment on x number of pages...were just glad to hear from you and to know that life is moving forward. Hope you soon get your holidays sorted and are able to have a wonderful holiday...you have earned it.
I also want to thank so many of you for letting me know about the cars that you drive...it seems that many of you have enjoyed great reliability. with Toyota s...I agree that I can't go wrong if that is what I end up with...but so far, and I haven't gotten everything sorted out, I'm leaning towards the Hyundai Elantra... for many reasons....but nothing is carved in stone...will keep you posted when the deed is done. Have a great day all.♥

Morning all,
Speaking of hair cuts - I need one! I'm kind of annoyed with my hair dresser though. I had it cut in Swan Hill and the woman misunderstood me so I ended up with really short hair. I liked it as I wasn't a fuzz ball, so when I was due for a cut again I asked for it to be short. It's getting longer and longer! I think I'll get one of the young things to do it next time...

MizT, I hope they find out what is wrong with your car - and your magnetic card! That would have been annoying. I have a friend who has worked on her car from the first time she got one. And not just changing her oil and filters - all of it. It's harder now that so much of them is electronic, but I bet she still does most of it. She doesn't need to either.

I will have Tahli today. It will be a tiring day as she is into everything now, but it's a good kind of tired.

Nola, that's tough. Big hugs! I really hope your holidays are approved, though for selfish reasons - I want to see you when you get to Sydney!

Mamacita, that's a nice car too. We had a Lantra (bit smaller, not quite as fancy) and it was fantastic except for a tendency to attract dents. It got it's first parking lot dent less than a week after we got it, I think it had 5 in the end. It hit a wombat, reversed itself into a parking lot pole and went up bollards on the night it died.

You are choosing between a bunch of good cars so I don't think you could go wrong. Hope everything is sorted out soon.

June...a very sad day ahead of you.
Mama..such kind words. Your car choice will depend on so many things. Economy,reliability,availability and how soon you need it etc. I have a Hyundai Getz,very reliable and good on fuel.My last one was Hyundai excel.?? Greg once had a Toyota which was a great car. Have fun picking out a suitable one.
Suzy..Tahlia must be getting to a beautiful age where you can enjoy her discovering new things.Hope you are now safe from the fires and are keeping cool. It is awfully hot here but worse out west.

We've got spring-like weather Nola. It's supposed to warm up by the end of the week, but to normal summer temps not the horrible heat that has been going around. One 108 degree day is enough for me!

Our other car is an Getz. Again we probably would have gone one bigger if we'd known Tahli was coming along. Once the car seat and stroller are in, there isn't much room for anything else.

Tahli is discovering the world - which means she is into anything she can get her hands on! So far she says mum, dad, duck and baba - which we think may be me.

I can keep in touch on our holiday as Greg will take the lap top.It would be so great to catch up in person with Suzy, June and some rellies.
The stop in Melbourne is only for 1.5 hours,which is not enough time to see anyone there.Perhaps another time.
The last real holiday I had was to Bathurst which is many years ago now.Apart from that,holidays were taken up with hospital placements for the Nursing course or looking for work.I am excited.

Suzy....is she getting close to walking?

Renaes foster baby is 2yrs and only just starting to talk.Before this,she was so quiet and now a barrage of words are spilling out which I am amazed at.She understands exactly what is said and asked of her but wouldn't talk much, apart from Mum,Dad.
Aren't kids all so different?

2 of the 3 boys are now awake and having breakfast. Sonny has had a bark at each as they come out of the bedroom.Tail starts wagging as he realizes who they are.I have been trying to keep them quiet because Greg was asleep but am fighting a losing battle. Must get a move on.
to you all.

Stupid cat. Last Fridau she was outside and cried when she saw me. I carefully carried her into the kitchen (which was cooler). I called the vet (one close who would make the house call) and first appointment was today. The cat then brought up a hairball and has been fine since. She has eaten the 1/2 kilo of fresh prawns I bougfht for her and the rump steak I bought for ken and I for dinner on Friday night. last night when I was in bed with a book she decided to join me for about 20 minutes (a rare occurance). She is 17 years old and just skin and bone so I still expect to have the vet call after lunch. Belinda had the vet come and put the horse down before Christmas and it only cost $200 so it shows the city vets really know how to charge.
I will miss the cat but not feeding her at 3am and all the hair throughout the house. Until the last couple of years she hardly came into the house and would not sit on your lap. It will also make going on holidays so much easier.

Mamacita, I have Toyota Camry (about 4th. Camry) and Ken has a Getz.
Belinda loved her Getz but now has a Hyundi A30. She drives lots of K's to school every day so wants a small car with low petrol consumption. Petrol is much more expensive in Australia.
What you need to look at is how easy it is to get in and out of the car and ease of parking etc. I know you have a scooter but if you need a walker, will it fit in the boot. When my Sis-I-L bought a car last year she took her Mother's walker to the car yard to check it fitted before she found a suitable car.

Suzy - please go to see Les Mis - yes, it is sad but so worth the effort. It certainly wasn't the saddest movie I've ever seen - that honour still goes to 'Sophie's Choice' - a movie I have only ever seen once and could not sit through again. The idea of having to choose which of your children lives or dies. It disturbed me for years.

June - sorry about your cat, sometimes these decisions have to be made.
Jewel is fine again now - but, Bean, she has done it before, a few years ago, but was not affected as badly. Hopefully her memory will kick in next time she's tempted to go for another cane toad.
Tricia - hope your car and your key are easily sorted.
My brain has completely lost what else I wanted to say - love and hugs to all

Cars! That was it. My son had a Ford Falcon gas-guzzler that was costing him $100-$150 per week in fuel. Col went with him on Saturday to look for a near new smaller car. It took all day and visits to several dealers but eventually they settled on a Ford Focus 2.0 lite engine (1.6 was too gutless) brand new but with 2012 plates. Gave him a good deal and a good trade on his Falcon. And the price compared favourably with many near new cars on the lot - some with up to 90,000 kms on the clock. And it's great on fuel. And they threw in rust protection and window tinting for free.

Hi all!
Cars - I drive a toyota Corolla and hubby has a Mazda 3. Given a choice, I'd swap him. There is nothing wrong with my car but his is so much more comfortable to sit in, drive, has heaps more features and cost about the same to drive and buy.
Suzy, do you own a kindle. You can access heaps of free books at ereaderiq.com and pixelofink.com
- I check their websites everyday. It's lots easier than working your way through all the books at Amazon.

Hi all. Mitchell's team won and took the 1st place trophy. They went 5-0 for the day and won the championship by over 20 points. It was a nice going away present for the outgoing youth director who is retiring in a few months.

Wow, the weekend was stinking hot. I spent a fair bit of Saturday morning in the pool (forgot the sunscreen and got a bit burnt) and lots of yesterday in aircon (church, shopping, MIL) but sweltered the rest of the time.
It seems a bit cooler today - but I'm back at work in the aircon so don't really mind.

I left the dog asleep on my bed on Saturday. He was stretched out with the fans blowing over him. We have a pedestal fan on one side of the bed and a desk fan on top of the bookcase on the other. They keep the air circulating enough for us to sleep. They also have the advantage of blocking out the noise of the birds and early morning walkers who seem to chat at the top of their voices.

Tami, congratulations to Mitchell and his team.

June, condolences on the cat. It's such a hard decision to make. We couldn't do it with our old cat. She was 18, only had one eye and was full of arthritis. FIL had her put down when she stayed with them as she kept waking them up all night long - she was worse than a baby in the long run.
Cyn, my dog doesn't eat the cane toads. He tracks them around the yard and pushes them with his nose but that's all. The collie next door is always biting them and getting his mouth hosed out.... I think he likes the high they give him.

From what I've heard, the cane toads poison has a highly hallucinogenic effect. That silly collie may well like it.

Congrats to Mitchell, Tami. That's quite the win!

The temperature is plummeting as I type. It's dropped 25℉ and is just above freezing now. It's supposed to get down to 28℉ /-2℃ tonight, and not warm up much tomorrow. In fact, they're calling for snow tomorrow. Thankfully, I don't have to drive to the epidural until Wednesday when the weather is clear.

2 1/2 days to go until the epidural!

Good afternoon all...
Re all the car talk.. I'm very happy with my car..Holden Astra but not good for you Mama.. a hatchback without a lift our trunk is the way to go..much easier to slide things out of the station wagons than to lift up and out of my current car..noticed it particularly with the wheelchair and walker..
Well done Mitchell's team.
Heidi that is another day closer.. getting there... hope the slush freezes soon for you..
June... thinking about you

Suzy keep checking up on the free books on offer at Amazon.. they change them.. not sure how often.. but when they are promoting an author there are often free books there.. a lot of the books, other than the free literary classics, that I got for free are now for sale.. not huge prices but it all adds up if you are a voracious reader.
There is a really good family photo on TOS in which you have short hair...trying to think how big Tahli was to date it.. but it looked really good. D's hair looked particularly good as well [obviously since she had it cut short].. A. was in a red top/dress? ..do you know which photo I mean?

Nola..fingers crossed leave will be approved..
Take care everyone..

Hey thanks again folks...still up to talking about cars I hope. I know when looking for cars, we all think about fuel consumption, reliability, comfort of fit, trunk (hood) space, etc...but what are the extras that turn you on or off? If you could afford any of the options offered on a car...what would you like to have most? I am now down to this and still waiting for the insurance cost before choosing those I want to test drive... getting there...but February is still a long way off when wanting to jump into something like this...

IH is gone for the night, and I'm off to bed in a few. ''See'' you all tomorrow.

Hello everyone, hope you're all well. :)
Today I had my first session of Radio Therapy, which was fairly simple and easy, though may not be so good once the hair starts to fall!
I've also been re-learning other skills that seem SO simple, right up till the words disappear ... :(
Anyway, I'm back to the Sudoku ... can't remember if I said that this is REALLY good for us, so enjoy, everybody! :D

Heidi, our temps have started to fall, already through the 60's and still more to go. But we will not freeze and no snow here. See you tomorrow :)

I dosed the evening away in my chair. I changed to the bed and my eyes popped open, of course.

June, thinking of you and your cat. Her 'last meals' were a treat, send her off with good memories, perhaps? Hugs dear.

Nola, hope the holiday leave is approved as requested and you are able to enjoy your trip. You need a break.

mama, I am not one for all the extras. I have been told that my Kia has a great sound system, but you know, it sounds the same to me. Anyway, first thing I did when first I got into the Kia for a test drive was turn the thing OFF. Al would have enjoyed it, he was very critical of poor sound systems. Knowing how you enjoy music, I would think you might consider the sound system and radio options. Will you get a 'back porch' attachment for taking your scooter with you? Would be interested in what you find about that if you do, that is something I must investigate, IF I ever get my scooter.

Congrats to Mitchell's team on the basketball win. I am sure the departing youth director will have fond memories now. BTW spell check tells me that is not the way to spell your son's name. I stick my tongue out at it.

OK, getting sleepy now, so hello to everyone I missed, and best wishes for a great maeN. Hugs to each of you with extras.

Mama - I drive a Toyota Prius. As well as the obvious fuel saving of a hybrid, the things I would miss most are the Bluetooth phone connectivity, the reverse camera and the fact that all I have to do is have my key nearby (in my handbag) to lock/unlock doors and start the engine. The GPS is good but I rarely use it unless going somewhere I don't know.
I love this car so much I never want to change it. I was worried because there is an 8 yr warranty on the cell battery (as opposed to the regular battery) and I only have 1 year warranty left. Originally they were AU$20,000 to replace but rumour has it that due to customer pressure they are replacing them, if necessary, at cost price of a few thousand. If I can confirm this, I will keep the car.

Hi, Everyone! Just popping in to say Hello! I hope all is well!

Bean provided a great TOPP, and will try to 'speak' in terms that we'll all be able to understand. Mama is looking for a car. MizT isn't sure her car is completely fixed and needs her magnetic key to be fixed or replaced. Vicki has been hot, but her dog enjoyed sleeping on her bed with the fans blowing. Cyn reports that Jewel didn't learn from her first attempt to eat a cane toad, so hopefully she'll remember her second attempt. SOME temperatures are falling, but not all. SOME rain has fallen, but not enough in many areas. Tami's Mitchell and his basketball team won the tournament - hopefully making a nice memory for the soon-to-retire coach. Judy has had her first Radio Therapy and has been working on re-learning skills, including Sudoku. Good for you, Judy; keep up the good work! Heidi's epidural is in just a few days. June's cat had a couple of spectacular meals and will surely be missed. {{{HUGS}}} Nola hopes her vacation dates are approved, and so do we!

I'm sure I forgot someone, so let me apologize in advance!

Sending lots of healing vibes, positive thoughts, {{{{{ H U G S }}}}} and prayers for everyone!

Gekko my friends.
Heat has dropped, as I did.
Looking forward for a good nights sleep.
Love and Hugs.

Cyn, 1.6 litres are only gutless when you are used to bigger cars. If you've never had one, they've got plenty of guts! It's all about what you are used to. I don't think I've seen the movie of Sophie's Choice. I read the book when I was 21 or 22. Broke my heart, especially since I had just broken up with my jewish boyfriend of 2 years. I couldn't believe the coincidence when I realised what the book was about! His grandparents were killed and his mother smuggled out of Poland. I think she was 4.

Tami, congrats to Mitchell and his team! They didn't just win they WON!!!

Nola, she is standing on her own and has taken A step a couple of times. it's not long now...

So glad the foster baby is blossoming! It says a lot about your D...

June, you keep coming into my mind today. I hope everything was peaceful and not too difficult.

Vicki, I hope you get a cool change soon. We have a ceiling fan in the bedroom and hubby believes it keeps the mozzies away. I think he just can't hear them.

Mamacita, hubby's car (Hyundai Getz) is newer than mine and has a brilliant sound sytem that can play everything from a CD to a memory card and anything connected to a USB, and a bluetooth thing for handsfree use of his phone. Couldn't care less about those things, the only thing I'm jealous of is the fact he can lock his car with one of those button things - while doors are still open. The kids take so long to get their doors closed and I stand there waiting and waiting and waiting... That probably won't be an issue for you.

Judy, REALLY good for us! My neuro-whatever he was said that if I was doing sudokus I was going to be fine. I was (and am) a lot slower at them though. Sending thoughts and wishes that the side effects of your treatment are not too severe...

Broni, sleep well!

I certainly will. We've had Tahli today and she has been very demanding and adventurous. You can't take your eyes off her for a second. She went to sleep early - not surprising since she'd refused to nap, but then woke up again and has only just gone back to bed.. I won't say to sleep yet, she may be playing with us.

While I was asleep, the dogs got the gate to the living room open and had fun. They destroyed some stuffed holiday decorations, several jigsaw puzzles, a pillow, IH's dress shoes and a large wicker basket... as well as various paper things that I can't identify. All of the debris was intermixed and evenly strewn about. I now owe IH a new pair of shoes to go to church in. I suspect the culprits were the 3 juvenal delinquents. They like to egg each other on to destroy stuff. Days like this make me want to cut down on the number of dogs... drastically.

I don't need extras in a vehicle, tho' I do wish that I had one of those gadgets that let me know the temperature outside the vehicle, so I can know if ice can form on the road suddenly. Otherwise, I feel that the more technology in the car or truck, the more things that can go wrong. I just like a lot of power for pulling and acceleration, but I like a vehicle that handles like a sports car. That's why I drive a Toyota Tundra. Some day, I think I'll get a GPS so I don't have to spend so much time studying maps and MapQuest to figure out how I'm getting somewhere without getting lost. But you don't have the requirements that I have, Mamacita, so I'm not recommending a pick-up truck to you. I like CynB's idea of a Toyota Prius for you. Great gas milage, all right, combined with Toyota reliability.

Heidi, I am like you, the more whistles and bells, the more to break down. Suzy, I do love my ability to lock doors and unlock them, even from here in my apartment. Several times, Joy has needed to get something from my auto to return to her house. Unless car is parked under the apartments, I can stand at window, unlock the car for her, lock it back.

The very most important thing for me in my car is how it 'fits'. The seat has to be comfortable and it needs to be easy to get into and out of. That is why I bought my Kia, that and I can get my walker into either the back seat or the back cargo area.

OH, there is one thing I would like in a car, and Mama might also. Heated Seats! and an electric heater that starts blowing out hot air immediately! Not sure if those are available on other than electric cars now, but the technology was there from back in the 50's. I had a Studebaker, my first car, that had the electric heater, and for a car that is parked outside, boy was it wonderful! No waiting for car to 'warm up' to give you heat.

Well, I have a new magnetic key. Key is not a card, but a little round metal button on a handle. I was told that this happens occasionally, and they had to be reprogrammed. But mine would not reprogram, I got a new one. Oh dear, you mean I might get locked out on a really nasty weather day? I think I should make a list of last names of everyone I know, so I could find someone home who could buzz me in via the intercom/telephone if that happens. In the directory, we are listed last name, first initial only.

I have phoned the shop that worked on my car. He said I should check that it has water, then bring it back down and they will check further. Joy lives nearby, she can come get me and I can wait them out at her house, instead of the torture chairs in their waiting room. But not today. Too rainy and cold to be out checking auto, and I am still too achey from this front going through. It is better, the acheys, but just feel sore all over now. Maybe tomorrow.

I need to find warmer shirt, the short sleeved one from yesterday is not good today. Already changed heating system to heat, after needing AC yesterday. Heat will now come on if temp drops enough here in apartment.

I saw Tim the maintenance man while downstairs, Asked about the refrigerator shelf he left my apartment a week ago to go find. Nope, that one would not come clean, and they did not have another. I asked him about gluing this one using Gorilla glue. He said that stuff was awesome, and if I did not mind how it would look, was a possibility. I told him function of the drawers under that shelf was more important than how it looked. We will see. I hate it when he or other staff say ' I have not forgotten you', but I do not know what is going on. Communication is sometimes lacking.

OK, enough for now, perhaps later. Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Suzy, I was OK with yesterday. Two young girls came about midday and quickly put the cat to sleep. Ken dug a hole near the grapefruit tree (all our animals get burried near a grapefruit tree near all the homes we have lived in). I had a few tears as they put in the injection, but otherwise OK.
The cat did decide to climb through the fence into the house behind just before they rang to say they were on their way. Fortunately we need a new fence and the palings are rotten so I was able to remove a few and get through and bring her home.
Off to bowls today. Pleased it will not be too hot as we are playing the first round of the club pairs championship.
We will probably go out to dinner tonight.

Mamacita, the extras I like is the backing sensor and the speed bips (tells me when I am over the speed limit). We also have the Blue Ray for hubby to talk on the phone when he is driving but not something I use.