Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Just popping in to say Hello! It has been getting difficult to get to the page more frequently.

I hope all are well and send the usual supply of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, prayers, , and healing energy. Take care, my friends!

And now, not quite a TOPP:

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” –Chief Seattle

Good Afternoon from my house to yours.
Pretty quiet here recently and I apologize for not being more on board, but I really knew nothing of interest to write about or had happened. I just haven't felt like going out of the house, minor depression from the changing season and those gosh awful sucking aches and pains have allowed me to use them to indulge my laziness to the point of not wanting to do much other than playing computer games and reading....Ah.... life does need to sometimes just go with the direction of randomness I suppose...thus I have filled a post of nothingness into a way of letting you all know that life continues...and for that I'm happy and looking forward to more.
My hope and wish, of course, is that we all fare well and get better with each day possible...or at the very least, enjoy our lives and try to fill them with as much joy as we can and prepare to deal with the challenges that will most certainly come from our strongest convictions that we are well worth the effort. peace my friends.

Hi, Mamacita! I will echo your post, as not much of excitement is happening here, though our days seem to be full and busy.

Take care, Everyone, and enjoy the usual cyber wishes!

I don't know if it's my imagination, but the shoulder seems to be getting little bit better. It's been 3 weeks now, so I should expect a little improvement. The cold has gone into my chest, and I can't seem to stop coughing. Thank heavens for cough medicine.

Mamacita, I do think your case of the blaas is contagious. I also blame the time change, shorter days, and dull cloudy grey skies for part of my inertia. the other component is my pain meds. I have meds, same dose and frequency but different manufacturer, and I am very sleepy when taking them. Well, I have been for this last week, tonight when it is time to sleep they have failed me. Perhaps tonight is from using a topical cream for yet another yeast overgrowth on my skin. It has an anti-fungal and a powerful steroid. I forgot that before I could only use it early in the day, NOT at bedtime, as the steroid keeps me awake. I was trying to get my 2 doses in today, this had been discovered around noon today and the first dose then.

In many ways it is good I am sensitive to meds, means they usually do their job quickly, but side effects are just as quick to pop up.

We had a party downstairs today, for the volunteers who do so much for us here. One man, Chris, whom I did not know, has brought the bus from his church every Saturday for the last 24 years, to take residents grocery shopping . Health problems now have caused him to give up doing this, but he was invited to the party honoring volunteers. Tanya was invited also, she found it unusual to be a guest, and not working to serve. she does lunch pickups 4 days a week, and also helps with any parties, doing set up, serving and clean up. This was the first time she was in the group to be first served refreshments instead of serving them. Even then, she could not stay in her chair and eat, she was all over the dining room talking with the residents she sees daily who order lunches. Another volunteer, and I forget his name, has for 5 years done the lunch pickups every Wednesday. He does it on his lunch hour at his job. Every Wednesday but today , that is, because he used his 'lunch hour' today to come to the party hehehe.

We have another young man who comes once a week to drive the bus to wal mart, taking residents shopping, and he also brings his guitar and has a 'sing along with Rick' session for an hour before the bus trip. There was a lady who volunteers in the office, I have not seen her before, and forget her name. there were several others who could not attend. Each of the volunteers got a trophy as a thank you. So that was my event for the day. It got me up and out of the house today at least.

I have just received two new winter caps. Have not had anything to keep me head warm except a toboggan, and those are NOT flattering on me. I ordered one knit cap with a bill on it, looks much better and it is big enough it can be pulled over the ears for really cold days. the other is a wool newsboys cap, it also has a bill, and it is dark grey with a flat fabric flower for decoration. I like both of them, and have got compliments on them when I opened and wore them the days they arrived.

OH, I have been spending time looking at the elephant cam, at Elephants.com, from the Eleph

Heidi, I am glad to hear your shoulder is some better, hope it continues to improve.

Nice top, Julie, and so glad you found time to get here. Is your difficulty getting to the page just not enough time, or is there trouble with the site for you? I still have to click several times to get our page to open, just wondering if you are having problems too.

OH, I have been spending time looking at the elephant cam, at Elephants.com, from the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. I had heard a bit about them once before, but happened to see a link on Facebook, and I am so glad i went. LOTS of information to read about both the facility and about the elephants who make their home there. Today there happened to be someone watching the cameras when one of the Asian elephants left the group of 3 and headed off by herself. The staff member must have guessed where she was going, cause the camera followed. She had found one of the enrichment toys they scatter about the grounds, 2700 acres of grounds divided into 3 different habitats. this toy was a big ball with a small home in the top and it was packed full of hay, perhaps with some tasty treats hidden in with the hay. Billie saw it, went right for it, and began to enjoy her snack. I do not know how they packed as much hay in to that ball as they did, she kept going back again and again with her truck and getting a huge mouth full.
at one time she just pulled hay out to the ground, then reached back in for another mouthful, that is when I thought there were treats mixed in. She went back later to eat the hay she had pulled out. It was so fun watching her. After a long bit, I noticed staff members arrive in a 4 wheel drive RV, and take photos of her eating and playing with the ball. I know those will be better quality photos than the elephant cam, it was zoomed out to show her in the area where she was, far from the camera, so not high irresolution. If you have a few minuets to spend, take a look, you might find something interesting going on at one of the three sites they have up and running daytime.

Well, a whole post about nothing much, so time to fold my tent and slip away. would be good to slip back into dreamland, hope I can get back to sleep now. Hugs to each of you, with extras, till later.

Hi, Everyone!

Heidi, I'm glad your shoulder is feeling better!

MizT, part of my not getting to the page is just being quite busy, but I am also having some difficulty getting the page to open completely. Often, just the top of the page is on the screen and a LARGE blue rectangle taking up the space below. I find I frequently must close the page and try again, sometimes as many as 6 or 7 tries.

The luncheon honoring volunteers sounds very nice! I'm glad Tanya's efforts were recognized! Hopefully the meds will clear up the yeast overgrowth quickly and you will be able to return to a more normal kind of schedule and fewer meds.

Sending positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, and for all!

Julie, that is about the same thing I have to do, getting on here. The top of the page I get has a long rectangular advertisement below, and I have to sign in again and again to get the Sudoku site. Then the same page shows when I try to go to current page, takes 2 or 3 tries to get here. Only you guys are worth the repeated tries to get here

I hope today to get my car reg plates put on. It has been lying on my dining table for how long now? Tanya brought her tools today, and after the lunch run I hope we can go down and install the plate. Gee, almost time to buy them again, February, would be nice to get this put on the vehicle before then.

That's all for this morning, if anything noteworthy happens later today I shall return. Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Sorry that I have not touched base here for a few days.
I thought it was just my computer having those blue page problems with the Sudoku site.
We had the pest man on Monday so had to move all the boxes etc away from the skirting boards so that he could spray. When we lifted up the trapdoor to spray under the sunroom we found that the gully trap was overflowing. That then meant the plumber coming on Tuesday. I have been slowly sanding back the first coat of the front door. Hope to finish that job today (I was hoping Ken would do it yesterday but he found lots of other things to do).
Actually I was busy sanding with the small electric sander the other day and looked up to see a delivery man standing there. He was quite amused at a woman doing that job.
Hair cut yesterday and shopping today. We will also pick up Laura after school and she will stay here this weekend. We have not seen her for four weeks. I cannot give the door another coat of varnish unless we are home all day. We have to leave the door open till it is quite dry!

Heidi, I am pleased that your shoulder is starting to feel a bit better but I still think you should have had it checked. I do hope that you are getting over your cold.
Mamacita and Tricia, sorry that the shorter days are making you feel blue. Wish that you could be sitting in my chair looking out on a sunny blue sky and a large jacaranda tree in full bloom. There are some other nice green trees as well.
A lovely top Julie.

I've decided not to have it checked. There is really nothing much that they can do for it except give it time to heal. It can't be casted. Wrapping it won't help since it hurts the most when I lean forward or lean over. I DON'T want surgery, and I don't want a painful shot. If it continues to hurt after 6 weeks, I may then get help. I'm not in the mood to run up my medical bills unnecessarily.

Sandy has outdone herself. She is no longer allowed to travel in any vehicle unless she’s in a crate.

Gil had a meeting in Hodgenville at 1 pm. He’d sent Jason out in his truck to make meat deliveries, so he needed a ride into town in the RV. (I'd loaned my truck to Debbie) I grabbed a book to read while I waited for him. Sandy, as always, made it through the gate and into the RV before me, so I decided to bring her along for companionship while I waited for Gil. The drive to Hodgenville wasn’t bad, except that Sandy kept knocking the gear shift into neutral. Which freaked Gil out. She and I had a pleasant hour+ wait, then we headed for home. As we got to the circle in town, Sandy decided she wanted a better view. So she jumped up onto the space between the dashboard and the windshield… IN FRONT OF ME!… and stood there!!!! No amount of commands or yelling would get her to move. I had to attach a leash to her WHILE DRIVING, and Gil dragged her off the console and top of the steering wheel while I frantically tried not to have an accident. We drove the rest of the way home with Gil sitting on the couch, holding Sandy, while she struggled to get back up front.

Once we got home, the shameless one hopped out of the RV and back into the yard, wagging her tail.

Both of Sandy’s parents (Patch and Angel) have gone on long trips with me, and are great car riders. I wouldn’t wish Sandy on my worst enemy, no matter how much I love her.

How un-nerving Heidi. So pleased you did not have an accident.
In Australia it is compulsory for everyone to wear a seat belt and if you have a dog in the car in NSW it must be restrained. Belinda has a harness with a strap that clips into the seatbelt for her dogs. It does give them some limited movement.

Sandy has to be experienced. She's extremely strong willed, and always gets her way, whether we like it or not. Nothing can hold her if she doesn't want it to. The other dogs all stay inside the fenced in yard. Sandy goes wherever she wants.If I say ''NO'' or give her an order to stay where she is, she starts barking at me. Loudly. Then does whatever she wants to do. She escapes collars and crates. The last time I let her ride with me (a year ago) she sat on my lap while I drove, and honked the horn every few seconds. Life with Sandy is an adventure. And it can be dangerous.

Just a quick Hello to everyone!

I actually was able to get here on the first try tonight, but it's late, and we have an early morning, so I'll be heading to bed momentarily.

Sending lots of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, , healing energy, positive thoughts, and prayers for all!

Just found out that I knew one of the people who was killed in the helicopter crash last weekend. I had helped train him in his first job on his way to becoming an industrial chemist. That was over 50 years ago. I did meet him again a couple of years ago at a reunion of people who were working for the company back then. It comes as a shock when you hear that a contemporary has been killed.

I am SO sorry to hear that, June.

It's that day again, folks!
HAPPY
It's always a day when things go right for me!

Hi everyone,
I've had trouble on and off signing in. Lost a post awhile ago but that's not new.
Glad that your cold and shoulder are improving Heidi. WOW, Sandy is a hand full.

Mama...here I am looking forward to your cooler weather and seeing snow. Wish we could swap places for awhile and you could enjoy our warm approaching summer. We have had a lot of rain and Paul is bottling and drying his chilies.
MizT...with the nearing of winter, you must miss being out in the garden and tending the flowers.
The party in honour of volunteers is such a thoughtful gesture.
June, enjoy Laura during the week-end. You might have finished the front door by now, and can rest those muscles. Awful helicopter crash.
Julie...once again, a great TOPP.
I hope you are all on the mend soon both physically and mentally. Have a good week-end.

Just quickly saying hello.

June, I'm so sorry that one of the persons killed in the helicopter crash was someone you knew and trained.

Hi, Heidi and Nola!

Stunned by the events in Paris this evening.

Sending prayers, positive thoughts , {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and healing energy to all who visit here - and all throughout the world who might benefit.

Happy Weekend to all of you, but saddened and perplexed am I to all of the sad happenings that continue to go on in this world of ours. I wonder how those who are so infused with hatred of others can stand themselves? What is in someone, an innocent, who grows into such a being that they take part in the horror of destruction? I can only say that there must be a lesson in this behavior...yet I can't fathom it. These actions make many question if there is a God...and if so, how then does this continue. Since my belief system faithfully believes in God, it makes me question the reasons and lessons to be found while asking for forgiveness and peace to prevail....Dear God!!!! LET IT BE!
I did have a chance to find the joy in Sandy's scary actions in that all were safe...good going, Heidi...Sandy does not need to put you through that danger again, yet she brings a smile to my face with the description of yours that she walked into the yard so full of her pleasure with tail wagging...Nola, I'm looking forward to your trip too...but without the snow here, although I hope Paul does get to enjoy some as he travels. About those chillies, he's putting up...are they of the hot and spicy variety??? How is he doing that? I've only heard of drying them and am interested in the process.
June, I too would love to have your beautiful view...I do wish we had jacaranda trees here...I have never seen them up close, but the pictures are so pretty. I have tried to find a jigsaw that features them to no avail. Perhaps I can get a get picture sort of like your description and have one made...Hmmmm..an idea.
All is well here, and my dental work is going very well...the dentist is great...her work not only looks and feels good, but I have not been subjected to long or painful treatment...as Heidi once said... a dentist who fits that bill is the really desirable one to have. Getting my new glasses on Monday so will now be able to see better too...yay!!!
Off for now...Love others and yourself more, you are so worth it. Peace.

Yes, Mama. I can't help laughing at Sandy myself. She's super affectionate, and really a fun dog, but SO domineering always. I've known probably over a hundred collies, intimatrly, and none has equalled her for chutzpah. A couple have come close in strong personality and intelligence, and Aggie was the smartest ever, but Sandy creates more chaos. But she has SO much fun doing it, that I keep laughing at her antics.
Unfortunately, Skunk mating season starts soon. Sandy's vendetta against them can be .... unfortunate. Since she escapes at will, we're about to be littered with dead skunk corpses again. She's learned how to avoid being sprayed, but once they die, their sphincters relax and release the load. In about a month, the atmosphere outside should start getting thick and green, with a teargas quality to it.

I'm trying not to dwell on the horror from Paris. I cannot understand how anyone can be so filled with hatred for all others, Even innocent children. I don't have a term for them. ''Animals'' doesn't work, because no animal except man behaves so cruelly. I don't even consider them ''human'' because the word ''humane'' comes from it. They don't understand compassion. They don't understand decency. And peace has no meaning whatsoever for them. Reasoning won't stop them. Too overwhelming to think about who else they'll attack next. Thay're worse than rabid.

Ditto Heidi. We all have sad hearts because of their atrocities against humanity.

Hi, Everyone! Keeping all of you in my thoughts as I try to block out the news.

Busy few days coming up, so I'll try my best to keep up with reading and commenting.

Mama, it's good to hear that your dental work is going well! I hope the new glasses are helpful! Stay well!

Heidi, I hope your shoulder is showing improvement! Also hope you are able to let your back relax occasionally.

Midge, it's good to see you here! I hope you are feeling well!

Nola, thinking of you as your visit here approaches! Hopefully you have some outer garments that can be layered; we have had some cold and vicious winds the last few days, which reminds me I need to get out more winter-proof jackets, etc.

It's time to head to bed, so will stop here to include the usual prayers, healing energy, positive thoughts, {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and !

P.S. I was able to get to the page in 1 try tonight, and it came right back to the page after I posted. Have others noticed an improvement?

Lost a long post. Thought of you all.

I am also very sad about France, and Kenya. It seems to soak into everything else. The world is a little dimmer.

I've been watching news videos. What happened in Paris can happen anywhere in the world at any time. Some of the latest group of terrorists were posing as refugees. If this keeps up, no country will be allowing muslim refugees to cross their borders, purely in self defense. How horrible can this world get?

Nola, the garden still needs my attention. there are still flowers blooming in almost all the containers. I have begonias who are loving this cooler weather, and geraniums who are making a comeback after the ravages of the heat of summer. the petunias are gone, but I replaced those with pansies. those should be with us until the heat gets them come summer.

Friday afternoon we had a sudden change in the weather. The wind was cold and sharp, the temp dropping noticeably. I came in to check if by chance a frost warning had been forecast for our area. Yep, for Friday night and Saturday night. Temps will be above freezing, but a frost can kill plants when come sunup, the sun burns off the frost, and the plants are cooked. Since the weather would return to moderate for the following 10 days, I decided to cover everything to protect in case we did get the frost. I am happy to say everything survived just fine, I uncovered today when it was warm enough for ME to be out hehehe. I still need to fold all the coverings, there were still a LOT of containers to cover, and store in case they are needed again this fall, if there is one more short frost forecast followed again by nice weather. I could continue this cover/uncover for some time, until we get a freeze. Not much chance of saving them from a hard freeze, I do not have enough insulating coverings or electric lights to add warmth under a covering. A freeze is just time to let them go. I have in the past kept plants aline up till some time in January. Oh the pansies will do fine all winter, I hope to get more planted soon.

Hummm, I only read Nola's post, will have to get back to read the rest later. I have stuff to do, a de-cluttering before my cleaning lady comes, not sure if Tuesday or Thursday, but plan for Tuesday.

Hugs for each of you, with extras, till later.

Hi, Everyone! I should be in bed - and will be as soon as I send {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, , positive thoughts, and prayers to Everyone!

Cool and wet outside. So I'm staying inside. EVENTUALLY, this cold will have to give up.
Wednesday morning IH is leaving on a business trip to somewhere in northern Indiana. Once that is done, he's driving up to Wisconsin to spend time with his 92 yr. old father (who's doing great), his brother John (the one with the alcoholic brain damage) and his sister. He probably won't be back until Monday morning.

Enjoy your free time Heidi - if you can call looking after all of your animals that. When my hubby goes on trips I feel like a dog off the leash. He is very protective of me since I have been 'not quite right' and it becomes overbearing at times. Hubby and son no. 3 off to China for the week on Sunday, son no.2 back from Thailand and daughter off to Perth next week. Wish it were me, I think Perth is a lovely city. Ex BIL also leaving Aust for his home in Texas so it will be quiet for a while. MizT I wish you could come to my house - your garden sounds wonderful and mine needs a lot of your TLC. Mind you a big fat brown Labrador who sits where he feels like it does not help. My new birdfeeder is working well - we have had a lot of cockatoos, galahs and crimson rosellas visiting us. One cockatoo is particularly friendly - I think he will probably be the one who will demolish our window frames but I enjoy their antics too much to worry about that for now. Suzy - how are you going? Your grandies? How old are they now? To ev3ryoe I haven't mentioned, I do think of you all. Back to work and cheers for now.

Greetings to Everyone!

Heidi, I hope you can enjoy the time while IH is away, and hope everyone goes smoothly while he's gone!

Midge, enjoy the time while Hubby and S#3 are in China and D is off to Perth. Hope you can enjoy S#2 being back. Hoping all is well and there are no medical issues.

Time to head to bed. Hubby needs to be up early in the morning, which means I must be also.

Sending healing energy, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and !

I'm finally starting to feel better! This morning was the first time in weeks that I was up to getting on the tractor and feeding hay to the cows and bulls. MAJOR improvement!

IH leaves in 12 hours for his 5 day trip!!! I am THRILLED!!! 90% of my stress will be gone.

At 10 am tomorrow, we'll be doing the horse's feet. Then it'll be time to relax.

Good Evening, Fellow Sudokuaholics!

I hope all are well!

Heidi, that is fantastic news. Do you suppose the gradual reduction of stress has already begun? Enjoy your time to yourself!

Sending healing energy, , positive thoughts, prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} for everyone!

Hi
Midge, I'd miss my family if they travelled as much as yours does and I bet you do miss them. I'm well but a bit bummed. I have 2 skin cancers on my nose. They will both need grafts and the surgeon has said one will not have a good cosmetic result because it's too big. My first reaction was it couldn't be any worse than letting it eat my nose away and will be better if I let my GP remove it. My later reaction was less forgiving and terribly vain.

Suzy.... once it's healed, you can consider plastic surgery on the nose. Just don't follow Michael Jackson's example. THAT was nasty.
I am so sorry for you. You've already gone through too much bad stuff in your life. You don't need this, too. ((((( HUGS )))))

Morning friends. I will not say 'good' morning, cause it is not here. Rain rain and more rain, forecast to rain all day. It was so dark when I woke and looked at my clock I thought it was 8 pm, not am This is the southern end of a nasty front that is causing blizzard conditions further north. So glad it is a warm rain here, but temps will fall all day today, from warm to cool by day's end. I think there are tornado watches with this front also, it happens when cold meets above average temps as we have had lately.

SUZI, I am so sorry to hear of your skin cancers on your nose. Yes, any result that rids you of the cancer is better than letting your nose rot off, you need to lean a bit more in that direction with your thoughts, but I understand your vanity, and only call it that for lack of a better word. We all want to put our best face forward. I hope the results will be much better than your surgeon has said. Just get rid of the cancers first, and perhaps as Heidi said, you can have corrective cosmetic surgery later.

Suzy, one thing my surgeon told me, when I had a large basal cell on my face, just in front of my ear. I had a long scar, and he told me a scar is very pliable at first, like silly putty. I was to rub the scar as often as I remembered, beginning about day 10 after surgery. I did as he said, and now the scar is so nearly invisible that even after telling friends it is there, they cannot find it! So if it is scar tissue your surgeon thinks will be unsightly, try rubbing it. No medication or lotion needed, my doc said all the 'success' seen and claimed by different preparations for lessening scars is just the result of rubbing it. It worked for me, hope it can help you, too. My doc was one who specializes in reconstructive type surgery in cancer removal, and he did a fantastic job for me.

Have I mentioned the web site I am following now? It is from the elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, just south of Nashville. they have an elephant cam, and if you are lucky you can catch the elephants doing some very cute things. I was lucky enough last week to see one elephant wander away from a grazing group of 3, and lucky the staff on the camera correctly guessed her destination and followed with the camera. they keep enrichment toys, things to keep the elephants occupied, and this elephant had spied one, made straight for it. It was a large diameter ball, with a small hole in it. It had been stuffed full of hay, and perhaps some treats mixed with the say, because I saw her eating trunkfull after trunckfull of hay happily, then she started pulling hay out to the ground, then hunting around inside for choice mouthfulls. I imagine bits of fruit and veg were included, she had to hunt for those. Oh, she did not waste the hay she pulled out, once the ball was enptied, she went back to eat every bit of the hay on the ground.

The last few days I have not been lucky enough to even see an elephant close up. Staff can zoom in and follow