Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Heidi, can I guess who is responsibly for the hole in your front seat of truck that you need to repair? Glad you finished the chores. How much rain did you get from that storm that came through here? I think we got about 5 inches! No water into building though. I must try marinating chicken in the Italian dressing before roasting, that sounds good.

Morning Rolanda

June, still crossing fingers that your neck problem can be easily fixed. So sorry to hear it
is getting worse day by day. Ya think all you have been doing and are still doing is making it worse? Is there any way you can rest it that is not painful to you?

Julie, of course you stay out of trouble! Trouble could not catch up with you if it tried!

Suzy, the salad you made sounds good. You said 'we' made it, were you really in the kitchen making this? You are branching out on your cooking if so. I too was confused at first about the missing post, but soon figured pretty much what it was about. I do hope you and allie are OK, handling this as you each need. I think you are right about Alie's tummy problems being her way, instead of sobbing, and perhaps some of her screaming out at you, too. A young person loosing/taking their life is so sad, a permanent solution to a temporary problem never is good.

Broni, I have never had Peeking Duck, but had a very wonderful roast duck once, and loved every bite of it, too.

Mama, I do hope you find the solution to your cpap caused head pains sooner rather than later. You just do not need this added to all the other things you are dealing with. Yes, you are right about the doc, they are not as concerned as they would be if it were THEIR problem, you nailed that one! I hope you did not get as much rain as we had here, so many flooded homes around central Alabama, just from flash flooding. Now many rivers are also causing flooding in south Alabama, as all the rain runoff makes it way to the Gulf.

JUNE, you really must have needed sleep to fall fast asleep at the computer. Or perhaps the neck, shoulders suddenly got a bit easy, and iff you went. Still crossing fingers and sending wishes for a speedy recovery from this problem.

Nola, will you loose the time you bought for more access if the modem is not repaired soon? I am not sure how that works, as I have unlimited usage on my computer. Cell phone, I buy time month to month and never use it all, and do loose that unused portion every month. I do hope you at least have less snakes as a trade off for your lack of privacy. Is there any native bamboo in Oz? That grows quickly and would give privacy screening.

I hope that Ken's blasting goes well, and this time the stone is eliminated. Between the two if you, you are keeping the roads to the doc hot this month.

I think I have caught up now, because caught up or not, I must close. It is time for my cleaning lady to arrive. Huge hugs to each of you, with extras.

I just ordered a new set of batteries for my rechargeable cordless carpet sweeper. they had to look up my part in some cross reference book for me, cause it was not listed on the sweeper's website, probably discontinued it is so old. I hope to get it soon, I miss my sweeper. The batteries just will not hold a charge now. I do think they have parts for every vacuum ever made!

We got about 5 inches, too, Tricia. I don't mind showers... we need them.... but gully-washers don't help anything or anybody.

I slept almost all day, and just woke up in time to go to the Cattlemen's meeting tonight. There really wasn't much else to do since it rained all day.

Gekko my friends.
June, hope you are pain free soon.
Think we all extended ourselves for J & K. They have had dream trip, hope the rain in Alice Springs does not dampen Jane's trip and has anyone hear from Kathy?
Heidi, I need your advice please. Bella has a new lump but I think this one is an abscess and I should lance it, any suggestions?

Kathy is now home. I have just picked Ken up after his second 'Blasting'. Another in two weeks.
I am having trouble driving around corners and roundabouts. I get there but it does hurt. I have some new painkillers which I can now take. I was told they could make me dizzy. Not what I needed when I had half hour drive each way and with traffic.

Thanks June for letting us know that Kathy is home.
Hope Ken's Blasting went well and really hope now you are home you can take your painkillers and get a good night sleep.
Will try and post in my next post what I posted on the other site. (too many posts eek)

Australia: From an American's View

David Mason is a Writer, a Professor and Poet Laureate of Colorado.

There's a lot to admire about Australia , especially ...
if you're a visiting American, says David Mason.

More often than you might expect, Australian friends
patiently listening to me enthuse about their country
have said,''We need outsiders like you to remind us
what we have.'' So here it is - a small presumptuous
list of what one foreigner admires in Oz.

1... Health care.
I know the controversies, but basic national health
care is a gift. In America , medical expenses are a
leading cause of bankruptcy. The drug companies
dominate politics and advertising. Obama is being
crucified for taking halting baby steps towards sanity.
You can't turn on the telly without hours of drug
advertisements - something I have never yet seen here.
And your emphasis on prevention - making cigarettes
less accessible, for one - is a model.

2... Food.
Yes, we have great food in America too, especially
in the big cities. But your bread is less sweet, your
lamb is cheaper, and your supermarket vegetables
and fruits are fresher than ours. Too often in my country
America , an apple is a ball of pulp as big as your face.
The dainty Pink Lady apples of Oz are the juiciest I've had.
And don't get me started on coffee. In American small
towns it tastes like water flavoured with burnt dirt,
but the smallest shop in the smallest town in Oz can
make a first-rate latte. I love your ubiquitous bakeries,
and your hot-cross buns. Shall I go on?

3. Language.
How do you do it?
The rhyming slang and Aboriginal place names are
like magic spells. Words that seem vaguely English
yet also resemble an argot from another planet.
I love the way institutional names get turned
into diminutives - Vinnie's and Salvos - and
absolutely nothing's sacred. Everything is an
opportunity for word games and everyone has
a nickname. Lingo makes the world go round.
It's the spontaneous wit of the people that tickles
me most. Late one night at a barbie my new mate
Suds remarked: ''Nothing's the same since 24-7.''
Amen to that.

4... Free-to-air TV.
In Oz, you buy a TV, plug it in and watch some
of the best programming I've ever seen - uncensored.
In America , you can't get diddly-squat without
paying a cable or satellite company heavy fees.
In Oz a few channels make it hard to choose.
In America , you've got 400 channels and nothing to watch.

5. Small shops.
Outside the big cities in America corporations
have nearly erased them. Identical malls with
identical restaurants serving inferior food.
Except for geography, it's hard to tell one American
town from another. The ''take-away'' culture here
in Australia is wonderful. The human encounters
are real - people love to stir, and stories get told.
The curries here are to die for. And you don't
have to tip!

6... Free camping.
We used to h

6... Free camping.
We used to have this too, and I guess it's still free
when you backpack miles away from the roads.
But I love the fact that in Oz everyone owns the
shoreline and in many places you can pull up a
camper van and stare at the sea for weeks. I love
the ''primitive'' and independent camp-grounds,
the life out-of-doors. The few idiots who leave
their stubbies and rubbish behind in these
pristine places ought to be transported in chains
to the penal colonies.

7... Religion.
In America , it's everywhere - especially where it's not
supposed to be, like politics. I imagine you have your
Pharisees too, making a big public show of devotion,
but I have yet to meet one here.

8... Roads.
Peak hour aside, I've found travel on your roads pure
heaven. My country's ''Freeways'' are crowded,
crumbling, insanely knotted with looping overpasses - it's
like racing homicidal maniacs on fraying spaghetti! I've
driven the Hume Highway without stress, and I love
the Princes Highway when it's two lanes. Ninety minutes
south of Bateman's Bay I was sorry to see one billboard
for a McDonald's. It's blocking a lovely paddock view.
Someone should remove the MacDonald's Billboard.

9... Real multiculturalism.
I know there are tensions, just like anywhere else,
but I love the distinctiveness of your communities
and the way you publicly acknowledge the Aboriginal
past. Recently, too, I spent quality time with the
Melbourne Greeks, and was gratified both by their
devotion to their own great language and culture and
their openness to an Afghan lunch.

10. Fewer guns.
You had Port Arthur in 1996 and got real in response.
America replicates such massacres several times a year
and nothing changes. Why? Our religion of individual
rights makes the good of the community an impossible
dream. Instead of mateship we have ''It's mine and
nobody else's''. We talk a great game about freedom,
but too often live in fear. There's more to say - your
kaleidoscopic birds, your perfumed bush in springtime,
your vast beaches. These are just a few of the blessings
that make Australia a rarity. Of course, it's not paradise -
nowhere is - but I love it here. No need to wave flags like
the Americans, and add to the world's windiness.

Just value in Australia what you have here and don't give it away

How true all that is Broni.

Good Morning all...Broni....I can only say that the words written by David Mason speak deeply to me and I agree with his conclusion that all who live there should value Australia as it is. Having seen the activism of many Aussies when they disagree with their politicians, I feel certain that you won't just give it away, but fight to make it right. I love my country deeply too and am so dismayed by what I see as a continuing backward step where we return to a sordid past that was well underway to becoming fixed. We set about driving wedges between each other and exploit the differences we have rather than enjoying our commonalities. Yes, I'm aware that this is a human failing and not just happening here in America. However, I don't see the large groundswell of those seeking to fight the tide of hatred here as much as there and really wish we had more of the patriotism you and your countrymen exhibit.Again, keep doing what you do so well, and perhaps we will one day follow the examples you set out for us. Just another view from an American who has been able to view your hearts even though I have never stepped foot in your country. I love what I've seen.

To all of you, please forgive my manners and allow me to wish you the best of all things life has to offer. Hope those who are challenged by illness,pain,family discord or any other thing that brings strife into your lives will soon find the road traveled lightened by a workable way out of that which troubles you. The take away will be kinder than the going through and the sun will warm the heart rather than blind the view and Peace will be thy companion.

Mamacita. Once again wise and beautiful words from you.

Look and see, not a happy camper here. I had car trouble today, was at grocery just a few blocks from home and car would not start. Plenty of cranking power, could sling the engine right out from under the hood, but it would not start. I called my insurance roadside assistance for a tow truck and then waited two hours and 45 minuets for one to arrive! I could have stood on the street corner and flagged down about 3 I saw passing during that time. I shall let my insurance agent hear about this tomorrow. Service is not worth paying for if this is their speed. the first co they contacted to come out 'was having truck problems' but did not bother to TELL them. Wasted an hour and ha;f on that one, then an hour and 15 for the second one. I was stuck with no pain meds and had not eaten from breakfast till 5 pm when I got home. The driver that drove me home was nice, made sure I got across the busy street, offered to take my groceries across for me. Too bad I had not bought something I could eat out of hand while waiting and brain not working well enough to go back in and buy myself something, duh!

Cross fingers and toes that the repair will not be too expensive. And tomorrow morning bright and early I go for my pain block. boy I could have used that today! By time I am ready to drive again by the weekend car might be ready. here is hoping.

I read, I thought about you, I forgot, sorry. Hugs to each of you with extras, till later.

Kathy posted this about 6 hours ago while I was at work....
My first day back home was great. I slept from about 9:30 last night to 7:30 this morning in my own wonderful bed with my favorite companion (no offense, Jane ;)) next to me. Got up & made my own fresh cup of coffee & ate the yummy Pop'ems donuts Rob bought for me! Then I spent an hour or so unpacking my bulging suitcases & laying out all the special souvenirs & gifts I received from so many very generous Aussies. They filled up more than half of my dining room table!! Then I took a nice long leisurely shower, & we went to pick up Chase from his morning babysitter. It felt SO good to pick him up & hug him again!! Rob, Chase, Ebony, & I went for a nice walk together, & after lunch & Chase's nap (none for me!) we had fun playing on the floor together. I also had a nice phone chat with our daughter Amy. All the things I used to think were kind of ordinary seemed extra special & wonderful today. Kyley & Paul joined us for a steak dinner, & now I am trying to stay awake until 10 or so. I think I have already overcome the jet lag & will be back to normal tomorrow. Rob is uploading all my photos tonight & says I took about 1000! I will try to start posting some tomorrow.

Sorry MizT, did not read before I posted, Hope you are feeling better.

MizT, sorry about all your car troubles. Hope you have a successful pain block today.

Gekko my friends, hope you all are well or improving.
Was Heidi going somewhere? She has not been onsite for almost two days?

Heidi has not posted much in the last week, since the trailer stuck in the mud incident and her back and hip were really hurting. She had mentioned way back a few upcoming trips, but I cannot find dates she mentioned. I do hope all is well with her, back and hip are not worse now. It is very difficult to catch her on her phone, think I only have her cell and she does not keep that turned on. Tami, do you have her home phone? If we do not hear from her by tomorrow, we should try phoning her.

I spent the day in bed today, after my pain block. It has helped, felt so strange at first not having back scream at me. One of those times I did not realize just how much it was hurting till it stopped. My legs are feeling weak and a bit of pain, was that there all along and just masked by the back pain being so much worse? If not better tomorrow I will call doc about it. I did notice when climbing into the cab of that tow truck, very high steep climb up steps, that the left leg was hurting and very weak, I almost did not make it up. So I would say it has been there.

They are talking about having me back for another block very soon, 2 or 3 weeks or whenever it stops working if sooner. I was not aware they could/would do that. The tech said depends on how inflamed my back was.

tonight we supposedly have smelly discolored water. we got an announcement from staff saying this is a city wide problem, no need to phone maintenance, they already knew, and basically nothing they can do. I had not turned water on, since I was asleep, so I do not intend to turn it on till we get an all clear. I have about 8 or 9 pint bottles (500 ml) of drinking water so that will do until tomorrow.

I let Joy make the decision today about my car, what should be done and what not at the moment, so they could get started today. It is rather expensive, but I should be able to handle it with some help from family in case I run out of funds before end of the pay period for me. It is cheaper than trying to find a used car I could afford. Buying used, you never know what problems you are buying. I had to have a crank shaft sensor, and was over due on manufacturers suggestion of replacing a timing belt. Would save $500 labor doing it while they are doing crank shaft sensor, so she chose to have it done now, and I agree. IF a belt breaks, you can just total the car! Needed a thermostat, not sure why, I have not had problems with overheating. It should be ready tomorrow, and they apologized for not being able to get it done today, had to order a part. Hey, suits me, I was not up to going to get it today anyway :).

OOOPS, just found this where I forgot to post earlier. So, hugs from here, it is bedtime again and I do feel sleepy even though I slept today away. Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Hi, Everyone! Just dropping by to say Hello! Will hopefully find time to catch up on reading in a few days! Take care, Everyone!

, positive thoughts, healing vibes, prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} for each of you!

Hi everyone. All fine with me.
Hope you are all doing your best at keeping pain at bay...too many of you are battling lately.
Thinking of everyone.

Heidi generally lets us know when she is going away. I have Heidi on my Skype list and it generally shows up when her computer is on. It is not on now so maybe she has computer problems. Lets hope that is all it is.

Hope Heidi is okay and, as June says, perhaps it is a problem with her computer.

Heidi has changed her Skype from 'off line' to 'away'.

I just spoke to Heidi and she is OK. She said she has been doing a lot of sleeping, slept till 6pm the other day. The electric fence has been shorting out and calves escaping. All very tiring. She was just going to have another nap before dinner. I could hear all the birds happily chirping in the background.

Heidi is OK. I just spoke to her and she has been sleeping a lot. In fact she slept till 6pm the other day. The electric fence has been shorting out and the calves escaping. Tiring work. I could hear the birds happily chirping away in the background.

I posted one comment went to other things on the computer, came back and my message was not there. So typed it again and both messaged appeared......weird!

Thanks June, don't mind hearing good news twice.
How are Ken and you feeling?

Ken has had a few very quiet days but is hoping to bowl today. A bit of a dull ache where the stint is but a very sore throat from the tube.
My back seems to slowly deteriorate and it is a nuisance waiting for extra tests before any treatment. I am OK most of the daytime but limited in what I do.
How are you going Broni?

That time of year when the quarterly BAS has to be done for my work and my friend. Heart is really not in it at the moment. After the overheating car on my trip, the female from hell at work and having the girls stay(that I enjoyed) energy levels are at an all time low, but apart from that all is good.

Hi, Everyone!

Thinking of you and sending , {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, prayers, and healing vibes!

I'm up for a little..... going back to bed soon. We still can't find THE main short in the fence, but have found many little ones. This is why I hate electric fences. We're starting to suspect the fence charger. I told IH to install the extra charger I bought ($500.00) as a back-up, only to find out that he GAVE it to his cousin!!!!! We had words.

I'm sleeping almost every free minute I have these days. Sorry I've been absent.

Don't be sorry Heidi, we just needed to know you were OK.
You had words with IH? I would have kicked him up the butt until his nose bled! (This is an Aussie saying, I think)

A group of friends from the Cottonwood Church wanted to get together on a regular basis, socialize, and play games. The lady of the house was to prepare the meal.

When it came time for Al and Jean to be the hosts, Jean wanted to outdo all the others. She decided to have mushroom-smothered steak. But mushrooms are expensive. She then told her husband, 'No mushrooms.They are too high.'
He said, 'Why don't you go down in the pasture and pick some of those mushrooms? There are plenty in the creek bed.' She said, 'No, some wild mushrooms are poison.'
He said, 'Well, I see varmints eating them and they're OK.' So Jean decided to give it a try. She picked a bunch, washed, sliced, and diced them for her smothered steak.
Then she went out on the back porch and gave Ol' Spot (the yard dog) a double handful. Ol' Spot ate every bite. All morning long, Jean watched Ol' Spot and the wild mushrooms didn't seem to affect him, so she decided to use them.
The meal was a great success, and Jean even hired a helper lady from town to help her serve. After everyone had finished, they relaxed, socialized, and played '42' and dominoes. About then, the helper lady came in and whispered in Jean's ear.

She said, 'Mrs. Williams, Ol' Spot is dead.'
Jean went into hysterics. After she finally calmed down, she called the doctor and told him what had happened.
The doctor said, 'That's bad, but I think we can take care of it. I will call for an ambulance and I will be there as quickly as possible. We'll give everyone enemas and we will pump out everyone's stomach. Everything will be fine. Just keep them calm.'

Soon they could hear the siren as the ambulance was coming down the road. The EMTs and the doctor had their suitcases, syringes, and a stomach pump.
One by one, they took each person into the bathroom, gave them an enema, and pumped out their stomach. The scene was not pretty. After the last one was finished, the doctor came out and said, 'I think everything will be fine now,' and he left. They were all looking pretty weak sitting around the living room and about this time the helper lady came in and whispered to Jean, 'You know, that fellow that run over Ol' Spot never even stopped.'

Just dropping by to say Hello and send good wishes for everyone! Life is hectic. We are well, but inundated with time-consuming tasks that may keep us extremely occupied in the coming weeks. Take care, Everyone! Sending plentiful {{{{{HUGS & JUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, prayers, healing vibes, and

Remember me talking about sending 5 yearling calves to an Iowa feedlot on retained ownership? They were supposed to leave a couple of weeks ago, then got delayed by another shipper. The whole project was just cancelled. Because of that other shipper. They can't leave unless we fill a pot belly load, and he backed out. So I'm taking the last 5 (and some of the best) to the sale barn today. The prices just reached an all-time high, so we're hoping for $1200.oo to $1400.oo per calf! We're loading in 3 hours.

Also have another cow in labor .... one of the last.

And she had a huge heifer calf.

Sounds good Heidi. Pleased you are up and about.
I just had 3 1/2 hours sleep. That was good except I had rolled onto my back and the only thing I could move was my legs! I then had to get my arms to move enough to get out of bed. Very painful. Tests this week but I do not see the neurologist till after Easter. I am OK in the daytime once I get moving!

Now we have not heard from Tricia for a couple of days. I hope she is just sleeping after getting the pain block.

I am here, June, I thought I had posted since the block. It went well, we were back home by 7:15 and I slept all day that day. I got my auto back on Friday, it is running well. Saturday I drove a neighbor to wal mart for groceries. She has severe COPD, and is on oxygen. I could not convince her to take one of the electric riding carts, and it was really too much for her to walk. I finally got her into a riding cart, I took her grocery cart across the store to buy her some cat litter, and we came home.

Today I have watered some flowers under the canopy, and planted one container. Beautiful spring day, a bit windy but a lovely day. I sprayed some pansies that are being eaten by something, poor ragged looking flowers.

Now I am listening to a 'low battery' beep, I almost never found where it was located. In the hall way, from a fire alarm box up on the wall. It will be tomorrow before anyone can change batteries. If I knew how, I would get up there and take the battery OUT, it is most annoying!

JUNE, I do feel for you, having to wait so long to see the specialist. I hope that something can be done to help your pain, an soon!

Heidi, good luck at the sale barn, I hope you get your price on the calves.

The last of the yearlings are gone! The sale barn is 40 miles from here, but when calves are dancing in the trailer (nearly 4000 lbs of cattle), I have to go slow. It took over an hour and a half to get there. I'm ready to take a nap. A long nap. They'll feed and water the calves overnight before weighing them in the morning before the sale (10 AM through half the night.) Early Tuesday morning I pick up the check and find out what they brought.