Sudokuaholics Anonymous 10

Suzy, I feel ya honey ♥

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine.
Thomas Jefferson

Bean, sorry I couldn't read between the lines, I didn't realise you were having such a tough time xo

Bean..... I had no idea things were so bad. A few ((((( HUGS ))))) given gently is the best I can do from here. Thank you for filling in the blanks so we all understand a lot better. You are very much loved and cared about by many friends. If there is anything that any of us can do, please let us know.

Suzy... Yellow alert is better than red alert. I hope they get that fire under control soon. That heat is making it far worse by drying out everything to tinderbox proportions. Very scary. Very, very scary.

The back is feeling quite good today. I do believe the epidural worked.

Heidi, so glad the back is feeling good today. Big Congrats.

Oh Suzy, scarey beyond scary, terrible. I hope it stayed yellow or below over night and that your brother is safe.

Big Big hugs to Bean. Love you bunches, hope your doc and you can do what is best and most tolerable.

I missed the 'C' part also, Broni, so if you have CRAFTs so do I. Yes, Broni, GYN, gyno same same, the female doc. You are a good guesser, translate Yankee speak.

I went down to visit the veggie man. No plums today , He had nice strawberries, but have some in freezer that need to eat. I got my bananas and pears and that with the leftover tangerines and grapes will do till Monday.

While downstairs in the sunshine, I checked my car. Took a few tries for me to get cap off the radiator, a bit tricky, but did. Water visible, turned it on and let it run a sec, poured in more, no room, after half a cup it overflowed. OK, I have water, it was not leaking to cause the smell last week, Have no idea, but will drive it later today and see if it does that smell thing again. Huuumm, perhaps I should go to the pool? Then to Aldis need cream for coffee and a few other items, after staying home for a week.

I was so sad to hear of Jammie's passing. I do feel for Jane. Even when you know it is coming, when you know they are suffering, it is hard.

Hugs to each of you, with extras. Till later.

Hi all. Sorry I have been missing for a few days. I have been reading but not much time. Mitchell is in the terrible teen years and not making life easy. He hates his high school and is failing classes. Semester ended yesterday. Today he was withdrawn from his high school and enrolled in the school he is supposed to go to. No more International Baccalaureate program. I am not impressed with the school he is going to but he says he will work harder and not get anymore F's. He has three classes he will have to retake. I hope he has learned his lesson.

Tami - oh, i hope things settle with Mitchell. Teenage years are really the hardest!
Beanie - I was with the others in not quite understanding your cryptic posts. thanks for opening up more to us. Hope things improve for you. Sounds like you're thinking more positively, that helps! {{hugs}}
Losing the plot here - what else did I read?
Suzy, hope things are better this morning.
Broni, enjoy your new car and the trip back to Brissie in it.
Tricia - I knew what you meant by GYN.

Well, our spate of birthdays are over until May. We all gathered here last night for a pizza party, mainly because I wasn't going to be cooking up a storm in this heat. Finished with a cake each for Andrew and I and for the adults and Lachlan a game of Balderdash! Hilarious game! Best of all Andrew finally picked up his new car, on his birthday - one happy man.

It looks like we will be weaning all of the calves tomorrow. That is, if IH gets back from the plant at a reasonable time. He's talking about being back by 2pm.

I still have an ugly, swollen lump on my hand from the last time we ran the herd through the chute. I hate fractured bones.

My eyes are burning. The puppies (14 months old) just got into it, fortunately through the fence, with a skunk. They just ran into the house with a pong surrounding them. Ewwwwwww.

Not here, working on the garden.

The fire that started near here yesterday is all but out as far as I can tell. It went from emergency warning to watch and act last night and down to advice today...

The other fire is still not controlled but unless we get a whole bunch of really hot days with very strong winds we shouldn't have to worry about that one up here. It managed to start the day before our catastrophic warning day and went from 4 hectares overnight to over 4000 hectares by the end of the day. It's almost 10000 hectares now, but has been for a couple of days now so it has slowed down a lot..

Nite all.

I have been reading a book. Now I am wide awake so hope I can get to sleep soon. I had chats with both Suzy and Bean today. Lovely to catch up.
i do hope you have got the smell out of the house now Heidi!

The spraying wasn't as bad as expected. Nobody got a direct hit, just a bit of the perfume. There's just a slight pong about Timmy, Sandy, Daisy May and Katy. Timmy is the worst. At least he spared me last night and was considerate enough not to spend the night snuggling in bed with me.

I don't quite have the energy to sort out the calves today, so I'm gonna give it a pass until tomorrow or the next weekend.

Wow...scary fires, stinky skunk smelling dogs, rebellious teen, good books and a better feeling back for Heidi...a real mixed bag of stuff...life goes forward on SA.
Tami, just keep telling yourself that 'this too shall pass' is more than a saying...I remember when Mich was a rebellious teen, driving me past distraction and back and I'd tell her' I brought you into this world and if you keep acting up, I'll take you out of it'....Well, she tired of hearing this oft repeated, idle threat, so one day she handed me a butcher knife, and when questioned, said simply...just take me out...I'm so tired of hearing it please, just do it....Well, realizing how silly my empty threat was, made me burst out laughing and life once again became bearable. She was still a pain in the butt, but I was better able to deal with it emotionally....hope the same will happen for you in some odd manner soon.
Heidi, your new birds are beautiful. June, what are you reading now?
Bean, when you have a chance, as busy as you are, will you try to Skype me...I think its working now.
Broni...I'm so excited for you getting the new car soon...have a great trip and a delightful time becoming acquainted with the car as you head back home.
Cyn,Gail and MzT...hello, take care..Rola...sorry about the window being broken..not good, but not that the paver man has come, you have something good to think about...we all need to remember that when a door closes a window often opens..we just need to look for it. I'm outa here...Peace.♥

Mamacita.... you are the wisest woman I know. And the kindest.

Mamacita, he threatened to run away once and I took the advice of Bill Cosby. On the Cosby show, Theo once threatened to leave and Bill said something to the effect of you can leave the way you came, which is with nothing on

Hi all of you beautiful ladies.
I have been thinking of how Suzy & June have been coping with extreme temps and possible evacuations from the fires. When I saw how hot Sydney got the other day, I felt so sorry for you. Glad the situation has now improved.
Heidi...yippee that your epidural has given relief.
I will look shortly at the bird pix.
Rolanda...temps have not been good there either. Bummer about the vandals.What low lifes.
Tami...as Mama said,these things will pass,just make sure he knows you love him.Some kids breeze thru teen years,others struggle. Communication with him certainly helps,when you have a quiet moment discussing how he is feeling.I had no probs with Renae but Paul was a different scenario.
Bean...much love coming your way.
Viv...good idea about putting the teapots for sale on the net.Will ask the kids if they will do it for me.
Broni...new car soon! How is work going? I once was like you and could handle the heat better than the cold.Not too sure anymore. Even Greg said,maybe we should move to Tassie. I gave him a dirty look....
Mostly,Bundaberg is fairly mild. Never experienced 40deg here,and it never snows.The air con has had a good work out and I hate to think what the electricity bill will be, but who cares.

Heidi, just posted a comment on the cockatiels and they ARE native to Australia. Judy's one, would chew my nurses watch when I visited after work and rewind the time. He was a cheeky boy. A friend took him and the huge cage to babysit while Judy had chemo in Brisbane,so they have now inherited him.

Morning all,
Broni, is there any chance your plans coincide with the times Nola will be down here? It would be wonderful to see you both!

Tami, I am learning that things will turn out okay in the end regardless of bumps and turns along the way. I'm sure that will be true of Mitchell, even if he messes up at the new school. If he is talented enough to get into the International program, he will get there eventually! It might take him longer to get to where he ends up, but he will get there. How could he not? Look at the example you are setting for him!!

The two fires near us are listed as 'being controlled'. I'd rather 'under control' or gone altogether, but it is far better than it was. I even took my sewing machine out of the car! Why would you choose to save a sewing machine you say? It was my mothers...

Suzy...I know exactly how you feel! Mums sewing machine has sentimental value, just like photos etc that we cannot replace.

Most of my bird species are native to Australia: Budgerigars , Splendid Parakeets , Lady Gouldian Finches , Zebra Finches , Red Headed Parrot Finches and Tricolored Parrot Finches. Now the Cockatiels. I also have Plum Headed Parakeets and Spice Finches from Asia, and Lovebirds , canaries and Bronze Mannikins from Africa.
(I see I need to add smilies of both the Parrot Finches.)

For a lack of a smilie for the Tricolored Parrot Finch, this avatar is one.

And this avatar is the Red Headed Parrot Finch.

Heidi...your collection of birds is wonderful.
We have seen on the news, that budgerigars are falling out of the trees because of the extreme heat experienced in the west. Dehydration is taking a toll on the wildlife here. Bat babies are dropping from their mothers...probably natures way, as we have millions of them, which causes agricultural destruction with growers of fruit.
Must get a move on.

They are all such pretty birds, Heidi! I still think the Gouldians are my personal favourite.
Still hot here, going to be over 30c again today, althought nowhere near the 40c+ experienced in southern states, our humidity makes it unbearable.
This will go down as the hottest summer on record.
Was really sick for most of the day yesterday with a horrible gastric bug - I'll spare you and won't go into details. Now I'm afraid to eat anything in case it happens again. Sweet black tea and 1 Sao (cracker) for almost 24 hours.

I love 'em all. Well, I'm kinda indifferent to the tiny Bronze Winged Mannikins. They're too shy and wild to really enjoy them much.

Oh good. My Parrot Finch smilies have been approved.
Tricolor Parrot Finch
Red Headed Parrot Finch

Remember this?
My Knight in Orange Armour, by Dana 2009

I stood stock still, watching
When my eyes spied a might dragon
Its neck stretched up high,
It tainted the sky
With its breath of black

A sea of panic engulfed me
I ran to my treasure trove of childhood memories
I grabbed and shoved anything I would miss
In a bag, one last time I ran around
Hoping there was nothing forgotten

Outside a fanfare was blaring
And I grabbed my bag, ran to the noise
Just in time to see
A big red steed, skidding to a stop
In front of the approaching dragon

I watched in awe, as many soldiers
Surrounded the beast
They wielded blades of liquid power
Which bit and licked
At the fiery dragon

The dragon screeched and squirmed
As the soldiers blades sliced its flesh
The dragon shrank, till finally gone
And in its place was a blackened skeleton
The soldiers turned, they won the battle
And there he stood, my knight in orange armour

That's wonderful, Suzy!!! So appropriate, too.

It was written for a class exercise after the last lot of fires went through. I was surprised by how good I thought it was when I first saw it...

Suzy...Your kids have lots of talent....how appropriate and timely it is.♥
Hi Nola, glad your weather isn't as bad as in the other areas...I too think it would be a good idea to sell the tea service....Wish I had the room...I love stuff like that and would have been happy to buy it...but alas, no room...The collections I had are about to take over my house...when he was alive, Sully use to tell me if I brought one more doll or elephant into the house he was leaving....so I finally stopped collecting any more.

Suzy, I have my grandmother's sewing machine. She bought it when I was about 5, just after she followed us from New York to Florida. We moved first and she came within 6 months.

Good night friends, I am ready for sleepytown. today has been a better day, m akes the past week worth the effort to get through to the other side.

We had a birthday party today, put on for one of the residents by friends. I do not know her story, but imagine chemo is in her recent past, her hair is only a half inch long. We had a lovely time, she brought down oldie but goodies music, there was even some dancing. I got photos, I can now blackmail people hehehe.

Eddie is coming tomorrow to look at my car. He has a few ideas shy it might smell hot onceithas run a while, but said he needed to see it to be sure. he is a mechanic by trade, works now on big trucks, but I turst his to get to bottom of this problem. Best get myself to sleep, not sure what time 'in the morning' will be when he arrives. It is nice to have friends to help out.

Hugs to each and every one of you, with extras. no time to comment tonight, but I did catch up reading. till tomorrow.

Great poem from one so young, Suzy!!

Zusy, think Nola will be there late Feb, I will be early Feb, thinking of swinging by you way on the way thru.