Sudokuaholics Anonymous 9A

SA9A, and all the little ships at sea.

You're going to try for the TOPP, aren't you Heidi?

You did it!

Good Maen everyone! Heidi: Sorry about the accident with the dog. Remember, we are here if you need us!! Sending gentle hugs to you. Glad to hear Frosty is doing well. I had turtles as a kid and they would eat lettuce, etc.
Hello Theresa! How are you?
Had more to say, but need more coffee. I'll try to check in later today. TTFN

Gail, be my guest, my lost pounds are all yours. I am not hunting it! This has been extremely slow, but it is moving in the correct direction, that is good.

today I am looking through closet again, hunting any short sleeved shirts I might wear for spring. We had one spring day already, back to winter today though. It was COLD on my walk today!! Windy, very damp, couldy, it looks like snow but too warm for that. 2 weeks ago would have welcomed this mid 40's day, but after having mid 60's and sun, this feels cold again.

There will be shopping in my future,and I have not liked what is in the shops at all lately!

Reading, should not be replying, typing is not good. Catch youlater,

Hugs.

That's why I type very slowly with my left hand, MizT. I'm not used to using the mouse with my left, either, but it's my only option other than not posting. And THAT'S not gonna happen!

Morning MzT! (Suzanne, Heidi and Theresa, too!)
MzT - shopping - how exciting. It is great to go out when you can feel good looking at yourself in the mirror when you are trying clothes on. Hope the selection improves for you.
Snow again here today - and power! I'm in heaven!
Heidi - what did the neighbors do? Hope their pup has crossed the rainbow bridge now and is at peace.

Theresa - I hope to go to Churchill, Manatoba some day...but I see that you are still far east from Winnepeg (which is where we would most likely drive to). You are so close to Montreal...do you speak French?

Hi all, I managed to get myself sent to the naughty seat early this morning. I was trying to post something my niece had put on FB yesterday, I should have read it and thought about before trying to put it here.

Here is the post, ammended so I don't get sent to the naughty seat again....
Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater, give her sperm she will make a baby, give her a house she will give you a home, give her groceries she will give you a meal, give her a smile she will give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what she is given. So if you give her any cr*p, be ready to receive a ton of sh*t... Pass it along if you agree

What's naughty about that?

Not sure but can only assume it was the full words where I have put the *s. I never thought about it when I first posted it.

The cattle community has a best beloved writer named Baxter Black, DVM. He has a national column called "On The Edge Of Common Sense". I think I'll share a new contribution of his here....
Ain't Ranchin' Fun?
Well, it's calvin' season across the broad expanse of Bovamerica. Some, below the Little Ear Parallel, began a few weeks ago, and others, north of Calgary, are still waiting for their pipes to thaw. I've always enjoyed calving season. It's the equivalent of a farmer riding a combine across a sea of ripe wheat, or the quarterback calling his first play in the big playoff game.
As a columnist, I particularly enjoy calving season because it is a regular renewal of stories that keep me believing that I cannot make up stuff that is worse, goofier or more frightening than what really happens.
Let me introduce you to Irvin, Good cowman in central Idaho. His heifer-calving set-up was typical: a big lot with a yard light, a small calving shed, a set of panels and stanchion to restrain the beasts, a couple overnight "jugs", and a bigger adjoining pasture to turn out the pairs. Irvin and his wife sacrificed to afford their cow herd, and it was a great source of pride to them. They love their way of life.
Irvin took his turn at the midnight heifer check. No. 132 had broken her water bag two hours ago. He pulled on his rubber boots because the lot was thawing and getting sloppy near the shed. He switched on the yard light and started through the heifers.

Morning all!
Brenda, must be the 'swearing', though it's barely swearing by most standards, especially in that context.

Vici, glad you have power back! I can't imagine being without power when it's really cold - unless you have a fireplace?

Heidi, loved your 'that's not gonna happen comment'! Thank you for letting me know about your turtle. Someone told you they are considered pests here - that's what happens when things are transplanted...

Back in the corner was No. 132. She was pushing but nothing showed. Better bring her in and have a look, he decided. No. 132 roused but was reluctant to leave her spot. Irvin slooshed, waved and hollered as he sloshed around in the sticky mud, trying to drive her into the shed. In one quick move he dove to the right and the mud sucked off his left boot! She turned back! He dove to his left to cut her off and left his right boot in the mud! Losing his patience, he grabbed his 16-foot bullwhip that he kept coiled on the fence. He did a thrust and a parry; faking out No. 132, then, as his piéce de résistance to drive her under the shed, he reared back with the whip, caught the electric line and followed through with the cast, jerking himself out of his socks and pulling the line down! This left him on his back, in the dark, his bare feet sticking up like two giant Tootsie Roll pops.
When his wife heard him crashing around in the bathroom, she went to check. He was squatted over the toilet, his coverall legs rolled up and a bare foot in the water. He was scrubbing away at the muck with a wooden handled bucket brush.
He looked up at her, smiling, and said, "Ain't ranchin' fun, Honey? Ain't ranchin' fun?"

Hi all ... almost supper time here.
Vici, yes Manitoba is still a far way away. I am sort of halfway between Toronto and Montreal. I can speak a bit of French, at least enough to get by. I did go on language training when I worked for the federal government, but that was quite a few years ago. The small town I live in is basically unilingual English, so I don't get much chance to use it.
Off to check on supper ... hope to pop in later again. I like this site.

Hi again!
Heidi - great story...gotta love it, huh?
Brenda - that is so cute - I have seen it on an e-mail before and loved reading it again. Sorry you got the boot!
Hiya Zuzy!
I meant to mention earlier that I was thinking of Tami and her busy weekend. Hoping all is going as planned.

Theresa - good to see you. Hope your supper is yummy. Have you been to Churchill to see the Polar bears? I would love to go, but sometime when they are there but it is NOT the height of the tourist season...plus - I would like to be there when the Northern Lights are most prevalent...and I think that is NOT when most people want to visit!

Great posts Heidi!

Cattle humor, Suzy.

Hi everyone, I am home and taking a few minutes to relax. Mitchell did fabulous in temple this morning. He did not look nervous at all and did all his stuff perfectly. He had to do the blessings and everything in Hebrew. The party after was great. The food was excellent and a good time was had by all. The only problem was my Idiot Uncle.

I see you're on site, Tami. How'd it go today?

What did the Idiot Uncle do? I know you were expecting something stupid from him.

It's not what he did, it's what he didn't do. He feels that everyone should respect him because he is old, he is my moms younger! brother. I am tired of playing his games.

OK... so you already knew he was a jerk. Now more people know. He's only hurting himself. How does that saying go? "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."

My female Canary has laid her first egg!!!!

Good morning all.
Tami - nice to see you here - does this mean the Bar Mitzvah is over or was that just a preliminary thing?
Heidi - my son-in-law is also trying to use a mouse with his left hand - and eating with a splayd!
Vici - I would love to see the Northern Lights. Recently I saw a program made by Joanna Lumley (Patsy in AbFab) where she went deep into Scandinavia to see them as it had always been her dream. When she did see them, I had tears in my eyes, sitting there watching it on TV. It must be overwhelmingly beautiful to be there.

Cyn... we can occasionally see them here on clear winter nights. We don't have all the lights from cities interfering. But they're so distant that it takes a while to figure out what they are. I'd LOVE to see them from the arctic circle.

Heidi - I remember, as a child, our family was driving on the highway (such as it was then) north of Brissie and we noticed that the night sky was extremely pink. The next day it was explained as being the Southern Aurora, which I think is never as spectacular as the Northern Lights, and certainly would not have been here in Qld. Maybe our Victorian and Tasmanian friends could tell us if they've ever seen it and what it was like.
Strangely, I can tell you that exact date - Friday 13th September 1957 - the day before my Grandmother's birthday. She was in the car with us.

I should add that I've never seen it again.

Cyn, It's over. The only thing left is a small brunch at my house tomorrow morning for my out of town guests. An extra thank you for traveling here. I am also inviting parents and siblings. I should have between 15 & 20 people, if everyone comes.

Tami - glad it all went well, not that I thought it would be otherwise. Did you tell Mitchell that his cyber-aunts were thinking of him and wishing him well on his big day?

I showed him all the posts here and on the other site. He knew how much people cared.

I saw the Northern Lights from an airplane when we were flying back from Canada, a night flight, in 1981. I didn't realise what I was seeing at first.

Tami, glad all went well. So Heidi has an IH and you have an IU. I think every family has a member somewhere that they wish would not show up at family functions. I personally have an Idiot Brother.
Vici, I would love to see the polar bears some day and I would also love to go whale watching. I guess maybe that's what retirement is for.
I have seen Northern Lights from time to time, but nothing as spectacular as what they see up north.

Hi all ... my sister sent me the following email. Even though it's claimed to be true, I have my doubts, but it makes a beautiful story. Here goes:

A brother and sister had made their usual hurried, obligatory pre-Christmas visit to the little farm where dwelt their elderly parents with their small herd of horses. The farm was where they had grown up and had been named Lone Pine Farm because of the huge pine, which topped the hill behind the farm. Through the years the tree had become a talisman to the old man and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside. The young siblings had fond memories of their childhood here, but the city hustle and bustle added more excitement to their lives, and called them away to a different life.

The old folks no longer showed their horses, for the years had taken their toll, and getting out to the barn on those frosty mornings was getting harder, but it gave them a reason to get up in the mornings and a reason to live. They sold a few foals each year, and the horses were their reason for joy in the morning and contentment at day's end.

Angry, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the old folks "Why do you not at least dispose of The Old One. She is no longer of use to you. It's been years since you've had foals from her. You should cut corners and save so you can have more for yourselves. How can this old worn out horse bring you anything but expense and work? Why do you keep her anyway?"

The old man looked down at his worn boots, holes in the toes, scuffed at the barn floor and replied, " Yes, I could use a pair of new boots. His arm slid defensively about the Old One's neck as he drew her near with gentle caressing he rubbed her softly behind her ears. He replied softly, "We keep her because of love. Nothing else, just love."

Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his wife a Merry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness stole through the valley. The old couple shook their heads in sorrow that it had not been a happy visit. A tear fell upon their cheeks. How is it that these young folks do not understand the peace of the love that filled their hearts?

So it was, that because of the unhappy leave-taking, no one noticed the insulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the old barn. None saw the first spark fall. None but the "Old One".

In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry flames were licking at the loft full of hay. With a cry of horror and despair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for help as he raced to the barn to save their beloved horses. But the flames were roaring now, and the blazing heat drove him back. He sank sobbing to the ground, helpless before the fire's fury. His wife back from calling for help cradled him in her arms, clinging to each other, they wept at their loss.

By the time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruins were left, and the

Oops, I guess there's a limit on the number of words you can use in a posting. Hopefully here is the rest of the story: (excuse the spacing problems)

old man and his wife, exhausted from their grief, huddled together before the barn. They were speechless as
they rose from the cold snow covered ground. They nodded thanks to
the firemen as there was nothing anyone could do now. The old man
turned to his wife, resting her white head upon his shoulders as
his shaking old hands clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red
bandana. Brokenly he whispered, "We have lost much, but God has
spared our home on this eve of Christmas. Let us gather strength
and climb the hill to the old pine where we have sought comfort in
times of despair. We will look down upon our home and give thanks
to God that it has been spared and pray for our beloved most
precious gifts that have been taken from us.

And so, he took her by the hand and slowly helped her up the snowy
hill as he brushed aside his own tears with the back of his old and
withered hand.

The journey up the hill was hard for their old bodies in the steep
snow. As they stepped over the little knoll at the crest of the
hill, they paused to rest, looking up to the top of the hill the
old couple gasped and fell to their knees in amazement at the
incredible beauty before them.

Seemingly, every glorious, brilliant star in the heavens was caught
up in the glittering, snow-frosted branches of their beloved pine,
and it was aglow with heavenly candles. And poised on its top most
bough, a crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass. Never had
a mere mortal created a Christmas tree such as this. They were
breathless as the old man held his wife tighter in his arms.

Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy.
Amazed and mystified, he took his wife by the hand and pulled her
forward. There, beneath the tree, in resplendent glory, a mist
hovering over and glowing in the darkness was their Christmas
gift. Shadows glistening in the night light.

Bedded down about the "Old One" close to the trunk of the tree, was
the entire herd, safe.

At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with her
muzzle and had led the horses through it. Slowly and with great
dignity, never looking back, she had led them up the hill, stepping
cautiously through the snow. The foals were frightened and dashed
about. The skittish yearlings looked back at the crackling, hungry
flames, and tucked their tails under them as they licked their lips
and hopped like rabbits. The mares that were in foal with a new
years crop of babies, pressed uneasily against the "Old One" as she
moved calmly up the hill and to safety beneath the pine. And now,
she lay among them and gazed at the faces of the old man and his
wife. Those she loved she had not disappointed. Her body was
brittle with years, tired from the cli

This should be it (sorry about the lengthiness but it's worth the read I think):

climb, but the golden eyes were
filled with devotion as she offered her gift---

Because of love. Only Because of love.

Tears flowed as the old couple shouted their praise and joy... And
again the peace of love filled their hearts.

This is a true story.

Willy Eagle

Theresa - that was lovely and worth the 3 posts. Thank you!

Wonderful, Theresa.

Now to break the mood. Please check this out.....

http://www.baxterblack.com/t-crittertales.aspx