Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

At the hospital at 6am. Home 9.10am. All Ok. Removed a couple of small polyps. At the hospital I had a nice chicken, cheese and avocado sandwich and some fruit.

Hi, Everyone!

June, I'm glad the test went well. Excellent choice for your solid food afterwards. At least you won't need to repeat that particular test for a few years.

MizT, I hope your van doesn't get too smelly from the mulch in a couple of days. Hopefully the temperature won't get too hot.

Late night tonight because of a long meeting. Another long meeting tomorrow night after 2-hour string orchestra rehearsal and hour lesson (total of about 4 hours at the music school and 6 hours away from home. We'll have about 15 or 20 minutes to grab something to eat before heading to the meeting. After that, no more meetings this week! Hooray!

Sending everyone some positive and happy thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, and

And now for a belated TOPP:

Every time you get upset at something, ask yourself if you were to die tomorrow, was it worth wasting your time being angry? ~ Robert Tew

June, glad you are okay. I have a referral for that test but I'm putting it off until I've seen the neurologist. I'd forgotten about the prep. It's amazing what we can block out when we try.

Julie, that's a quick turnaround! Hopefully you have something you can just reheat.

DorA the explorer story...

Each afternoon, the hound and I “walk the line” – the fence line surrounding my place. It’s about a mile and a half walk through a mostly wooded area. During the wet season there is a seasonal creek and quite a bit of standing water so there is some wading and mud walking. Good exercise!

Two days ago, while on the walk, I noticed that one of two ant hills, I look at daily, had gone from convex to concave. The kind of damage a foraging bear might do.

As we continued the walk, I saw something dark against green foliage background, about 100 yards ahead. The hound started going “crazy nuts”. When I hollered at him the dark spot split into three smaller spots.

It was Mom bear and 2, probably yearling, cubs. Mom and one cub disappeared into the brush. The remaining cub climbed about 6 feet up a convenient tree.

Hearing “the WOOF”, I took a different route. The hound wasn’t happy but complied with the “leave it alone” command.

As I changed direction, the cub quickly returned to ground level and headed into the brush after mom and the other cub. I had seen this family last fall when the cubs were smaller.

A couple of weeks ago I spotted a beaver. It had been working on a tree alongside the creek on the neighbors’ side of the fence. Since I spotted it, it has completed felling the tree and proceeded to start stripping the bark. The tree didn’t fall across the creek, and the creek is seasonal anyway, so I’m thinking bringing the tree down was at least partially wasted effort.

I see deer on occasion and see their tracks daily. My game camera caught a picture of a bobcat, but I’ve never, personally, seen it.

Lastly, I see a porcupine, occasionally. The hound would really like to investigate it, but “spoil sport” that I am, I dissuade him.

And folks ask me why I like living in the country…

And today, I noticed the other ant hill had been ravaged. It too went from dome shaped to a crater…

Ah, Life in the slow lane...........

DorA, love the life you see in the country! I am actually glad that we don't have bears here, it's bad enough watching out for snakes and spiders! Since the red belly black snake came in under our front door we have installed a foam thing to block out others. The skinks still make it in though. There might be drop bears down the back, but I've never seen any there. I did rescue, with hubby's help, an echidna trying to cross a busy road. The only live kangaroos I've seen on my street was at 3 am, driving home after watching my baby struggle to have her third baby. Dead kangaroos I see more frequently though. :( Friends of mine have them, live ones, in their yard all day long.

The funniest thing I've seen is cows in my next door neighbours yard. The owner is renowned for taking them for walks to find free grass so he doesn't have to buy food. My neighbours are very particular about their yard so if they had seen the cows it might have hit the fan.

No 'poisonous' snakes, in my neighborhood, thank goodness. I have this thing............

Red bellys aren't too bad. As long as you get the antivenom in a reasonable amount of time, you're fine. I read that nobody has died from a red belly bight since they developed the antivenom.

I remember people dying from funnel web spider bites before the antivenom was created. That would have been in the 70s I think.

Dora how I would love to do your 'walk the line'. We have the usual wildlife married up with my possums, cows, heaps of red back spiders, the odd bandicoot and wallaby but nothing as spectacular as bears. What a wonderful experience every day. You can keep your snakes Suzy - I had enough of them when I was young and staying at farms in Howlong, Merrijig and Flowerdale. The brownies were everywhere - they are the one creature I can't cope with. We see them each time we go to my sister's property in Bonnie Doon. Hope you are ok Heidi - you have had enough problems to last the rest of the year. Mizt, hope you too are keeping well now. June - good news. How often do you have his exam? Love your TOPP Julie. My favourite saying was from the wonderful Katherine Hepburn 'If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun' - my motto now.

Hi, Everyone!

Suzy, the quick turn-around between getting home & leaving for the meeting became less of a problem. My string orchestra from 1 - 3 pm was cancelled due to the conductor injuring his back, so we ate 'dinner' before going to my cello lesson (left the house around 2). We just had a quick 'lunch' of sandwich and some fruit before the meeting.

D Or A, I really enjoyed your 'walk the line'. If it weren't for the bears, it would be enjoyable to join you and the hound!

Suzy, I'm another one who wouldn't do well with the snakes. I once held a foot-long 'baby' garter snake at the school where I was teaching. I wasn't really comfortable doing it, but thought it best to set a good example to the students. I don't care to be that close to a snake ever again, if possible.

Midge, I like your favorite saying. It's really quite true, I think!

Thinking of MizT and Heidi and hoping both are well!

I hope Broni and Bella are enjoying their travels!

I know I have forgotten some fellow Sudokuaholics, but can't remember just who.

Time to head to bed, so I'll send along some healing energy, , prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and positive thoughts. Good Night!

I've enjoyed having Alie home, hearing the singing around the house again has been awesome. Unfortunately she has been talking nonstop for an hour and a half, mostly about stuff that I strongly disagree with like fad diets etc, so my ears are bleeding from overwork and my tongue is bleeding from biting it so hard.

Midge, I don't think I've seen a brown snake, that doesn't mean they're not there, there's plenty of hiding places.

Julie, I'm glad you got to eat properly. Your schedule would be impossible without a proper diet! I'm sorry about the reason though.

Not much happening here, except lots of rain and thunderstorms.

A little risky (Risqué) or, at least, in poor taste But, well they don't call me DorA for nothing......



The Fire truck



A firefighter was working on the engine outside the station, when he noticed a little girl nearby in a little red wagon with little ladders hung off the sides, and a garden hose tightly coiled in the middle.


The girl was wearing a firefighters helmet. The wagon was being pulled by her dog and her cat. The firefighter walked over to take a closer look.


'That sure is a nice fire truck,' the firefighter said with admiration... 'Thanks,' the girl replied. The firefighter looked a little closer. The girl had tied the wagon to her dog's collar and to the cat's testicles..


'Little partner,' the firefighter said, 'I don't want to tell you how to run your rig, but if you were to tie that rope around the cat's collar, I think you could go faster.'

The little girl replied thoughtfully, 'You're probably right, but then I wouldn't have a siren.'

DORA!!! Wonder what type of brain thought of this one! But keep them coming. How's the dental work going Heidi? Suzy the brown snake is the second most venomous snake and quite aggressive. They prefer you to get out of their way rather than hide. Some have cream to yellow underbellies. they are mainly on the eastern side of Aust. but their cousins are found all throughout Aust. Nasty little b*ggers. Glad you have Alie home for a while Suzy but remember to take time out. My D comes home for the night every week or so and I think she feels the same way about me - I can't stop asking questions and I can feel the wall going up around her sometimes. I told her to tell me to shutup when I get too annoying. Niece is having twins and having a 'Twin Shower' this weekend. It will be great to catch up with that side of the family. It is lovely for her - after many years of wanting a family and just about giving up hope, this happens. Julie you lead such a busy life. How long have you been playing the cello now? Hello to Broni and Bella too - where are you? Hi to Nola - good to see you again. Cheers for now.

I'm having 2 teeth worked on tomorrow morning.

DorA, hubby appreciated your joke!

Midge, I'm on the east coast so there are probably browns around. I don't ask Alie questions because I get accused of being judgemental, not sure how that works but I just roll with it. I listen, nod my head, sometimes say something noncommittal. Last night she asked me straight out if I thought I'd like the fat camp in a luxury hotel she's spent half an hour describing. I told her that the structure she described would be like my own personal hell on earth because I don't do well with people telling where to be and what to do. (That's why engineering was a good fit for me, I mostly decided what I was working in and when). I held my breath waiting to be told how closed minded I am, but she just told me that she likes structure. I breathed out.

Good luck tomorrow Heidi.

Suzy, don't tell me she is sending you to a fat camp for Mothers Day and she was just sounding you out?? haha. Son no. 2 (in Bali on holiday) says he is getting a tattoo on his neck in honour of me (he knows how much I dislike them, even though D has a couple). Last trip away he said he was bringing home some ladyboys and a couple of girls. I don't know where he got his sense of humour! Son no. 1 decided yesterday to go and meet him in Bali so he flew out this morning. This one (turning 40 in June) doesn't ride motorbikes so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Forgot to ask if he had travel insurance. Hubby and son 3 away most of the next 2 weeks with o/seas visitor so it will be peaceful again, only will have to work this weekend to make up for some time. Heidi - best of luck with your dental appt. The dentist is my nightmare come to life. Cheers.

Hi, Everyone!

DOrA, I enjoyed your 'risky' joke.

Midge, I hope you enjoy the upcoming twin shower, and the peace and quiet when hubby and Sons are away.

Heidi, good luck at the dentist!

Suzy, how nice to have Alie's singing to enjoy again

Off to bed for now, so sending the usual {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, and

Midge, your sons sense of humour would freak me out. Tattoos in Bali have given people hepatitis recently. And a career ended tattoo too, though that was the giveaway.

Alie gained a lot of weight when she tried the rod. She thought she was overweight when she was thin so this has been hard for her. She is walking kilometres every week and has no money for junk food so I'm not sure why she can't lose it again. She doesn't have the money to send either of us to fat camp thank goodness!

Hubby tried to change my mind about telling the girls about my artery. That makes me think he's thinking about it more than he lets on.

I think they would want to know, Suzy, though I know you don't want to be treated like you're made of spun glass.

Back from the dentist's. There was a big hunk of decay way below the gum line on the 2 top back molars. It took 8 shots of novocain to numb the area. I'm still numb.

The police dispatcher just got a call from someone's cell phone that a woman was lying dead on a couch, shot in the head. The caller gave the general vicinity (just 2-3 miles from me) and that's all. Local and State police are now scouring the neighborhood looking for the body. Roads are being blocked off. It's a real mess.

They found her. Nobody I know. Supposedly she shot herself. It's not known who called the police. I suspect she did it herself before pulling the trigger, since the location wasn't given. So sad.

OMG! I just realized that I DID know her! I only knew her by her first name, so hearing the last name threw me. She used to be our postmaster. She quit because she was in so much pain from a bad back. She went to the same pain management clinic that I go to. Sue was a really kind, caring person. Such a shame.

Risky Anecdote: D was telling us about how often older men look at her with her kids and say something like 'you know what causes that, right'. Being polite just makes the same ones say it again the next time she sees them. Hubby just called out from the kitchen 'next time just say you mean fxxxing , right?' She will now.

Hi, Everyone!

Just a quick note, as I'm having some keyboard issues and some keys aren't working. So, sending all the usual, including . Good Night, All!

Heidi, that is horribly sad. She must have been in a really bad place to resort to that. :-(

Hi, Everyone! Just dropping by this evening before heading to bed. I hope everyone is well!

Condolences to Heidi and friends & family of Sue, the former postmaster. Such a shame.

Sending healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}|, and with a few thrown in for good measure.

How are you doing Heidi?

Kinda sore. Having some bursitis problems in my hip.

Greetings to All!

Feel better, Heidi!

Suzy, I hope all is going well at your house, with Alie, with Dana and her 3!

Hello to Midge, DOrA, June, and others I've missed.

MizT, we miss your posts. Sure wish there were an easier way for you to visit here!

We need to be up at 5:30 tomorrow - taking the train into Chicago to help with D and grandie (who MAY be beginning to teethe at 14 weeks. Yikes!

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

Greetings friends, my computer has been offline a couple 3 days. First lost all cable, tv, phone, computer. first two came back but not computer. took a while to get it going, then a power flicker, took out the computer again. Did not get time Saturday to look into it, shopped for more plants, then planted them up in containers. Had plans to check it out today, but was awakened by something beep9ng, the smoke detector saying we had a power outage. Power was off about 3 hours, seemed longest 3 hours imagined. but somehow, the power outage somehow cleared the computer problem, I am just happy it is back working.

Besides spending a couple of hours every day, sometimes twice a day, working on the garden makeover, and then collapsing into recliner to recover, I am reading book 3 of a 5 book series, loving it, can't put it down kind of book. So they kept me from getting on puter till now, way past my bedtime. I have not read, not one word, and must be off to bed now, but wanted to let you know what had been happening here.

Hugs, and hope to get back soon. OH, I do get here a bit faster now, found a way back in that did not take so long tonight. Hugs to each of you with extras.

June, your hospital is nicer than the one who does my tests. I had to go to nearest fast food location to get even a cup of coffee! They gave me 2 crackers and a tiny cup of diet cola to see if I could 'eat' without nausea.

DORA, thanks for the story of your exploring. Seeing a bear with cubs would have scared me speechless! You have a dog who is very well trained, if you can dissuade him from going after prey!

Midge, love your lotto now. Hope you are breaking lots of rules

I have run out of time, will have to read more later. boy I hate being missing in action, takes long to catch up. Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Another broken water pipe. This one goes from the well into the house.

Greetings, Fellow Sudokuaholics!

Welcome back, MizT. So sorry about all the power outages, but at least one brought you back to us. I'm so glad you found a series of books you're enjoying!

Oh, Heidi! I'm so sorry about the broken water pipe! You must be getting tired of all of this! Hopefully it can be repaired quickly!

Hello to everyone out there, even if we haven't seen you for a while! I hope all is well! Sending {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, , prayers, healing energy, and positive thoughts!

Warning: whine coming
I tell my girls I'm not allowed to get sick. I don't say why, but they kinda know it's because my second stroke was after I was sick. They both visited me with bad colds, and so I've been sick. I ache all over from coughing...
Whine over

Heidi, you are having a run of bad luck right now. Hopefully it will break soon.

PLEASE be careful, Suzy!!! I really worry about you.
((((( HUGS )))))

Sniff, cough, splutter