Sudokuaholics Anonymous 8

June, which jigsaw picture is yours. I checked out the one that isn't there too.

MizT, feel better!

There was a large stick in my front yard stuck into the ground like a javelin! Thank goodness there wasn't a person (or a window) in the way - it would have done some significant damage.

Brenda, sorry to hear that Celia can't do her puzzles etc. I think that would be harder, almost, than a physical incapacity.

Nola, I don't think I could keep up with your schedule either (like Julie's). I get up early, but I like to have that time for coffee and puzzles...

Suzanne, you have achieved far too much today. Making me feel bad!

June, I hope you successfully connect with Dino.

Just stopping in for a quick hello. Hubby is calling for pizza for dinner tonight and then we are going to watch a family movie.

Suzanne, we have a very complicated system over here. Depending on your income, up until your kids are 16 (I think) you get something called Family Tax Benefit, which is money every 2 weeks. The more you earn, the less you get. Newstart is the old unemployment benefits. Youth Allowance is something 16 years can get, also means tested. It is so hard to work out what is what that I basically do my taxes at the end of the financial year and let them tell me if I qualify for anything. If you are on Newstart (I think that's how you write it) you have to go to training courses when they tell you and provide evidence that you are looking for work. I didn't think there were any requirements like that for the Family Tax Benefit, and it looks like Centrelink finally worked that out too. Centrelink are the government agency who coordinates all the payments etc, private employment companies on contract coordinate the training and job hunting. Um, I think that is at least approximately right - clear as mud huh?

Tami, a lovely evening for your family - unless you are watching something like Friday the 13th..

H A P P Y
B I R T H D A Y

Rolanda, may you have a great day and many more.

Suzy, no we are not. We are going to watch "Bedtime Stories" It should be funny.

G'Day, Friends! Just got here for a quick visit, but wanted to share this with you: a runner/surfer who rescued a kangaroo. I hope the link works for you!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30765213/?GT1=43001

I'm up from my nap, and the storm has passed. Now to go calf wrestling. I hope he's hungry enough to realize that he's getting more food than he's ever had, and that I'm his friend. Fortunately, he weighs almost 100 ibs, so I can still overpower him. He's in a small pen (12 x 30 ft., with a shelter) so it shouldn't be TOO hard to catch him.
So..... off I go to make up his bottle, then try to feed him.

Birthday wishes to Rolanda and Gail's brother Matthew! I hope you both have a wongerful day!

Suzy, yes, I got up with hubby, then went back to bed. He called me an hour later to let me know he was on the plane, then 2 hours later to let me know he had arrived in Nashville, then about 3 hours later to tell me he had arrived in his cousin's town. Also during that time, MIL called to tell me she needs more Depends, but her assisted living is about 1 hour away (her choice), and I'm lucky to stay awake for a 20-minute drive. Later, the nurse from MIL's assisted living called & said she had a "fever" of 99.2 *F (98.6 is considered normal) and she should be taken to her doctor because she had a cold and a sore throat. I explained that I can't drive that far (an hour there, pick up MIL and drive 1/2 hour to doctor, then 1/2 hour back to her assisted living, then 1 hour home. Was told they would call doctor to see if he could prescribe something, but never got back to me.

Oops, sorry for my rant just then. BTW, we hadn't told MIL about the cousin's death, as cousin's mother had cut her off about 35 years ago & weren't sure if MIL would even remember this cousin.

Hope all you Trekkies have enjoyed the movie!

Glad to hear about the count-downs to vacations, especially Rolanda to China!

BTW, Rolanda, how is your Mum now that she is back home?

V Viv, glad you got the Centrelink straightened out - and your new part-time job sounds interesting/fun!

Heidi, what an exhausting morning!

Good morning/evening SA8ers!!! Got ffuts done around the house, time to relax with a glass of wine...Darrell & I had to get propane for the grill, came home to find out igniter doesn't work!! I guess on Thursday we're off to Lowe's for a new one...grill only 2 years old.

MizT, sounds like your quilt will be a beautiful keepsake with many memories when it's done!

Stella, yikes, Brendan wasn't packed? Luckily our D's did better, as we had 1 on each coast, so trips to deliver/pick them up were multi-day drives. Glad to be past that!

Hey TTT: enjoy the pizza & movie!! Love to the boys!!!

V Viv: I understand the Centrelink situation, pretty much...Are you at least enjoying the job?? Part time is fine, as long as it doesn't hurt you financially...
Julie: Glad that you are enjoying the fact that I have new avatars (thanks to Heidi)...
By the way, Los Angeles Lakers lost by 9 points last night...Game 7 in Los Angeles Sunday, not sure what time...

MizT, I missed any comment about a camera left in the rain. But then, I've been getting here so late and nodding off as I read, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Thanks for sharing the quilt blocks/bluework embroidery patterns.

Nola - 5 early shifts? I hope you can sleep whenever you get a chance!

Hello to Suzy, Tami the T, Heidi, Suzanne, June, V Viv, V Vici, Rolanda, Nola, Brenda and others I no doubt missed!

Just changed avatars, then off to fling food.

OOOPS, t-storms here, I am out of here!

Julie, your link sent me off to other stories and other links..... loved it!

Your rant sounds justified - 99.2 is not a doctor fever! It's barely a blip. I guess things might be different when you are older, but... I'm guessing your hubby was missing you, but...

Suzanne, that grill things sound typical - out of warranty, so out of luck!

MizT, MORE t-storms! You guys are really copping it lately. Is this typical for the time of year?

And now I'm off. Coffee with friends day, but first I have to stop off to pay rego and insurance on the car - ouch!

Warning - animal anecdote!
The old lady is being fed some special food supplement to help her get through the winter. This supplement is mixed with molasses - which my dogs think is pretty tasty. We have to lock them in the house while the old lady is being fed or they will actually try to chase her away from her bucket!

Going to sign off for tonite!!
TTFN!!

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. xxxx

That was ugly. Survivor did NOT want a bottle. He did NOT want to be handled. He would NOT suck. He would NOT swallow the milk that I squeezed into his mouth. I'll have to let him get hungrier, that's all. He does have a few slabs of good alfalfa hay to munch on.

I'll try feeding him again before I go to bed.

Time to fling food.

Good luck with the calf, Heidi. If anyone can get it to take a bottle I am sure you can.

Suzanne, did you and Darrell ever hear of matches. The ignitor on my old grill went and I used matches for about 5 years until it fell apart and I had to replace the grill.

Viv, glad everything was straigtened out. Enjoy you new job, it sounds like it could be fun. You might even make some new Avon contacts.

Tami... I'm glad you said it. A new propane grill is expensive, especially for something so simple. Or they could just get the igniter replaced. Somebody should be able to do that for a reasonable fee. Or just contact the manufacturer and have them send a new igniter with instructions to replace it themselves.

I use a charcoal grill myself. Much simpler. And I prefer the taste of the food more.

I just bought a new grill about 3 months ago. Down here, you can grill year round and it comes in handy during hurricane season. I even keep an extra propane tank. I had to replace my old grill, it was getting too rusty and I didn't think it was safe. I had no problem tossing a match over the side. I got to the point were I could lit the grill with one match.

Heidi, I have you on Skype. Are you also on MSN? If you are, I don't have you as a contact.

JULIE, hubby was using camera out back. Put it on edge of back porch "just for a minute" and forgot it. Bad part is I also saw it on the porch and did not move it. Bit later, rain came, and I remembered it just after rain started. He is letting it dry, over a week now, before turning it on again.

Suzy, our t storms today were not severe T storms or tornado watch kind of storms. Just what is called pop up t storms. Yep, we have those in hot weather, but lightning has just been so much worse with these storms the 2 summers past. Starting that way again. I am not taking chances with lightning getting my puter again! Off it goes with the first rumble. I heard on news tonight, lightning struck someone about 90 miles north of us as that same line of storms went through there.

just reading at the moment...will hopefully get back to comment...have a few pages to catch up on.
Hope you are all well.

♥HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY GIRL♥

Suzanne, you explained the system very well, thank you, I understand a lot more now. Even not knowing your system, that did not sound right to me either. Viv, glad it is straightened out now.

Julie, we can vent here, so bring it on. If you need us to, we can help you throw rocks, cyber rocks, boulders even. I do not think your MIL needed to see a doc, but perhaps they were being over cautious (it being Friday) with the swine flu scare still about. I am imagining that doctors office patiently told them that 99.3 was not a fever, but to watch her and call back if it got to 101. Should we toss a few pebbles at whomever phoned you?

HI BEAN, hope you do get back to post. Thanks to you and so many others for adding me to MSN.

TAMI, I think Heidi has said she does not have MSN

Just passing through & though I'd say Hi to everyone, haven't been around for a few months, but I've a bit of time today . Off to do the jigsaws & Easy - hope everyone & everything OK. All the best, catch you later

Sorry I thoughT not though - DUH