UK/Europe/Middle East/ex-pats et al

[Kissa]

Did I say yet Blotto that I am now totally convinced that you are mad. Iron man indeed. Even 1/2. Lol

Enjoy your gypsy and all the other lovely music Juno, and keep smiling that gorgeous smile.

[Blondie Baby]

Juno - Darling you must know that we all live vicariously thru you! Gypsies, concerts, gorgeous men................

Blotto - ITA with Kissa!!!!

Mint - Lovely Pics.

Put DD1 on the plane last night. Well, actually in the wee hours this morning. So sad to see her go. But I'm so proud of her. She is going to do so well. She has already decided that she will stay at CSU until she finishes her Masters Degree. Fortunately, she will be coming home, often. She told me on the way to the airport that she hates leaving here because its her home and no matter where she goes she can't wait to get back here!

Now, I just need to get thru work so I can get back in bed and sleep! DD2 and DD3 have already agreed to handle Iftar this evening. They will sleep until Dhuhr prayers (just after noon). Then get up and get started on the meal. That way I can sleep when I get home from work!

[blotto76]

Kissa, Blondie - yep, I'm totally bonkers! I'm only on week 2 of my training plan (out of 20) and I'm already having to do 9 sessions a week

Blondie, Ramadan Kareem by the way! So sorry DD1 has gone, but you know she will miss you and you must be so proud of her. And al hamdullah for DD2&3 still being around to help with Iftar! Which reminds me, must look at your menus and my diary to see when I can come

Hi everyone else - it's very quiet around here......

x

[Kissa]

Yes, we are quiet just now, I noticed that too. Shy cant type, hope it is getting better, shy. I am in Durham having a city break and I guess the little bit of sun here has gone everyone's head.

[MintQ8]

And I'm just lazy!!!

Getting ready for a DD and wondering why I get up so early on DDs!!!

Trying to get lots of work done at the moment!

Ramadan Kareem Maryam!!

[Blondie Baby]

DD1 called this morning from Denver Airport. I thought she would have been at my parents already. but she said her flight from London was delayed causing her to miss her connection in Chicago. Anyway, she finally made it to Denver and got to the Shuttlebus she is catch up to her grandparents house. They will deliver her directly to the door so no worries there. However, she had about an hour wait so she was going to get a bite to eat. She was very tired but happy to finally be there and it was good to hear her voice!

Blotto - Will have a look at your email and advise. I have no idea about WW. Surprisingly, over the years, that is about the ONLY diet I have never tried!

Mint, Kissa - Thanks! WIsh you could both be here to share Iftar with Blotto and me!

[blotto76]

Kissa, enjoy the sunshine in Durham.

Mint, at least working hard will keep your mind off food on a DD.

Blondie, yay, I'm coming to Jamaican Iftar! Glad DD1 has almost arrived at her final destination. Will she still fast in the States?

Enjoy the sun everyone in the UK!

x

[janj]

Yes, I agree that doing an Ironman is crazy, Blotto but I do admire you for doing all that training!!

Vicky, you must be slightly mad too to abseil down that beautiful waterfall! I am in awe.....

Hope Somerset was fun with DD, Lola.

I bet Durham is a nice city, Kissa. Have fun in the sun!

How are your arms, Shy? A bit better, I hope.

Juno - the trip to Koblenz sounds fun! Would like to see the gypsy musician

Blondie, glad DD1 is safely back in the US. The Iftar meals sound delicious.

Hi to Ailuros and Avicenna and anyone I've missed.

Struggling a bit with JUDDD myself. Seem to have lost my self-discipline lately

Off to the dentist. Uggh.

[Ailuros]

I've just come back from the dentist, Jan, it must be the day for it.

[MintQ8]

I should go to the Dentist probably!

DH is off on one of his driving jobs this weekend - very nice, so soon after the cruise! And I have three 1/2 days of contract training over the next couple of weeks - including on my birthday - pity - but there you go! Made me think of JFM - wonder how she's doing??!

Trying to push myself work wise! I can do it!!

[Kissa]

Of course you can! You can do anything... Remember?

Sometimes re establishing the routine. I have had 4 UDs in a row, and will enjoy tomorrow's first DD I know. I have found that I love a huge bowl of salad, just salad with a 'real' dressing, I hate the low fat ones. But what I do is thin the dressing, usually a Caesar, with vinegar.

I like a boiled egg or some anchovies to give it some protein then I am happy as can be.

[Junoesque]

*pokes tongue hurriedly around teeth and crosses fingers*

EW DENTISTS!!

Jan, hope you survived. If you want to see/hear my gypsy, here's a link (hope it works; never know with this site! LULO REINHARDT - official website - Videos). He's the one with the long hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Ailuros, sorry you also had to do the tooth thing. Hope all's well otherwise?

Blondie, goodness what a journey your poor daughter has had! Glad she's on the last legs of it.

Shy - thinking of you and hoping you're feeling a bit better!

Mint - YES!! You CAN do it. How wonderful to have some work on your birthday. You can always have a drink or two to celebrate in the evening ;-)

Kissa - LOL on the four UDs. Must have missed that part when skimming through JUDDD... (Mind you, it must work! You look marvellous.)

Blotto, I LOVE that you're doing this (crazy woman!) - but how on earth do you find the time for all that training???

Hello everyone else! Greetings from the SUNSHINE (HOOOOORAY!!!). (Yes I know everyone has sunshine now, but it's sooooo important to me, I am revelling in it. Spent a couple of glorious hours this afternoon alternately lounging and reading on my "private" Rhine beach and swimming in the river. Now THIS I could get used to!

The music festival was great. I went on my own, and there was a moment when I had just negotiated a cable car ascent to the venue, only to find it was a MASSIVE fortress (Festung Ehrenbreitstein, Koblenz, if anyone's either bored or interested, LOL) with huge amounts of people, when I panicked a bit and thought, OMG what AM I doing here??? (Was a bit worried about getting home, logistics-wise, as I am reliant upon public transport.) So I had a beer and danced to a couple of other bands before bowling up to the gypsy's gig. Sat on the stone floor of a cavernous room in a very good spot and enjoyed the whole thing thoroughly, doing my best not to drool. Even managed a couple of minutes' conversation before I had to catch the last bits of transport home :-) PS this is a semi-secret obsession. Only my girl friends know about it. I am doing my best to dissuade my lover from wanting to come to a concert, LOL!!

Speaking of which, if I am AWOL again next week, it will be because I have accepted an invitation from the same to spend time at his house in northern France. Yes. The summer FINALLY arrives here and I get invited to somewhere north of Paris... However I think I might accept, if only for (a) FRENCH FOOD!!!!! woohoooo and (b) biographical value of being swept off feet by exquisite younger lover and whisked to his ancestral home in France. Hehe.

I am also happy because a house-sitting I arranged (mad friends with menagerie (incl. snakes) (which I might not have mentioned) and 5 daughters near Strasbourg needed house/pet-sitters; brother and tribe needed cheap hols...) WORKED!! Brother etc etc driving up here tomorrow - elder daughter v. excited to visit Germany as she's studying German - plan is to do a bit of sight-seeing then bro takes childerbeasts off somewhere and I and my sister-out-of-law neck some beers. Suspect most of afternoon plans will involve water of some sort, as it was stunningly hot this afternoon. Not that I'm complaining!!!!

And I was the only one to bowl up at a barbie the other day with home-made stuff - spicy little beefburgers, yum!!! Cast my lot with the chaps overseeing the BBQ rather than the girls all reading silly magazines, and snaffled 'em straight off the grill. Yum!

Sorry about the essay :-) You know how cats get all silly in the sunshine? Well....

Juno x x x

[Junoesque]

PS I meant I snaffled the beefburgers straight off the grill. Not the men.

[Junoesque]

The burgers were tastier!!!

[MintQ8]

LOL!!!!

Would have a few drinkies after - but I'm teaching the morning after too!!!!!! Oh well!!!

Got to phone someone today about a Customer Service workshop that focuses on dealing with the Chinese! Pretending that growing up in HK gives me expert status!!!

[blotto76]

How was the dentist Jan? I went a few weeks ago and he told me I need two fillings replacing, but not urgently - which of course makes me wonder if it's really necessary....

Ailuros, hope you got on better than me at the dentist.

Vicky, good news on the forthcoming training. Shame you can't have a drink on your birthday but at least it gives you an excuse to prolong the celebrations!

Kissa, I love a good salad too. I'm always so grateful that I'm someone who actually really enjoys salad and vegetables, it's never a chore for me to eat them.

Lola, are you back from your trip to see DD? Hope you had a lovely time and that your mum coped while you were away.

Shy, how are your arms? Thinking of you.

Juno, yay to the sunshine, the gypsy obsession and the young lover whisking you away! You lead such a glorious life, I love you! As for my training, well, it's hard fitting it all in and my social life is suffering unfortunately

Blondie, did DD1 make it all the way to your parents?

x

[Ailuros]

Originally Posted by Junoesque

PS I meant I snaffled the beefburgers straight off the grill. Not the men.

I suppose serious grilling wouldn't be good if you were contemplating a long term relationship, but for passing an afternoon, maybe…

(That's “maybe” in an imaginary alternate universe where I'm bold and uninhibited . Maybe I'll be Juno when I grow up, instead of Kissa. Or I could switch between them, depending on the occasion. I recently had an alarming flash of self-revelation, when, having been fed a couple of glasses of wine on an empty stomach at a gathering of people from my french class, I started blathering about the lack of a narrow non-breaking space character in most fonts . Surely loosening my inhibitions should be more interesting than that!)

[Ailuros]

Blotto, sorry about the fillings . I got an all clear this time, although my dentist always looks sad, because he wants to take one of my wisdom teeth out, and I won't let him. There's nothing really wrong with it except that it's crooked, so it's not really any use, and he worries that stuff might get trapped and might make the next tooth along decay. He's been looking and doing occasional x-rays for the last 15 years, and there's no sign that it's actually happening, but he worries. Because of the crookedness, it would be complicated to remove, maybe with a general anaesthetic, and that's not something I think the risk justifies. So every visit or two he gives me a little talk and looks sad.

[Kissa]

In my experience dentists are always looking for something interesting to do. At our expense....

Well if you have 4 UDs in a row you gain weight. 128 this morning. But this time last year I would have killed to see a number that low and I have eaten everything I fancied including an ice cream cone and pizza and garlic bread, loads of fruit and too much wine.

Juno enjoy your time being adored! And the rest....

Vicky, work is good, birthdays last all month for us, don't they?

[janj]

Ailuros, that's funny - my dentist was giving me the same look and talk as yours was yesterday! I have 4 impacted wisdom teeth that are all at 90 degree angles. I once saw an oral surgeon who said it was too risky to touch them. My dentist disagrees though......and wants them out Going back next week for more X-Rays.....

Juno, I feel like you live in a parallel universe of passion, handsome men and spontaneity! I feel so boringly predictable in comparison. Have fun! and then tell us all about it.....

Now managed 3 DDs. Think I'm back on the wagon. I need to be before my dear friend arrives next week from Scotland. We always eat and drink as though there's no tomorrow in each other's company......

Kissa, you'll soon be down to pre-trip lows. You are the mistress of Juddd

Vicky, good news on the work coming your way.

Fitness class is calling...must answer.

[Kissa]

Yes, Jan I am feeling so confident, it is very interesting, I have had a complete change in my attitude to my eating.

I haven't done any exercise for 2 months, I am planning to go back next week and am not looking forward to the pain....

[lola5k]

Hey hey everybody.

Back from Somerset...unfortunately weather was not really very kind to us but DD and I had fab time regardless. I did Dukan with DD whilst away as it was easier. On Sunday I travelled up to a friends in Berkshire and stayed for a few days and it all went a bit wrong with wine etc la la la...However, just home and hopped on the scales...yep I know the wrong time of day but doesn't look like I.ve put any on still 10st 2lbs YAY.......

Visited my Mum at the hospital on the way back unfortunately, she is still there as she was declined discharge last Thursday as she still has signs of pneumonia and is on oxygen 24/7. So she is very fed up but also not very well so its a bit of a day at a time thing at the moment.

Will catch up with all your stuff dentists etc......but just wanted to say hi again.

[Kissa]

Good to have you back Lola, glad there was no weight gain, you did better than me, lol.

So sorry that your Mother is still not good.

[Blondie Baby]

DD1 did finally make it up to my parents and has gotten settled in. My Mom took her to her appointment with the CSU Pysch Department Advisor. She really liked the lady and seems to think she will really enjoy it there. Unfortunately shortly after that her father called. her bank called him when they couldn't get ahold of her. Someone used her name and SSN to take a loan - Identify Theft. So now she has had to make a Police report and get all kinds of documentation so here and there. Fortunately for her, the loan was taken in Las Vegas, Nevada the week before she left here so she has no problem proving she wasn't even in the country! But it has still been just a huge hassle for her. Something she really doesn't need when she is trying to get ready to start Uni!

The good news is that my housemaid will be back on Tuesday! I can't wait!

Bad news is - no chicks. Devon seems to think the rooster and hens are incompatible. My Mom sent me the email address of a friend of hers that she gets her eggs from. I have sent an email asking for advise. Let's see.

Blotto - No, she will not fast in the US. it would just be too difficult considering no one else will be fasting and the days are super long right now! She would have to be up at 3am for Suhoor and then Iftar woiuld not be until almost 9pm!

Lola - Sorry your Mom isn't well enough to leave hospital.

Juno - As always, I don't know where to begin! Enjoy your fun in the sun, whether it be in Germany or France!

Jan J, Kissa - I need to get some exercise, too! Its been a week now! I am really gonna try and do Pilates with DD2 tomorrow. I don't have to cook tomorrow because kids father is taking them out for Iftar and then Eid shopping. So I talked DH into taking me out. That means I can relax (sort of) most of the day!

Ailuros - I would leave the wisdom teeth alone if they aren't causing a problem!

Mint - Have fun teaching on your birhtday!

[blotto76]

All this dentist talk makes me wonder if I really need these fillings replaced - I'm sure it's just a money spin, if they are not urgent do they really need doing??

Jan, glad you're back on track. No idea how you managed 3 DDs in a row though, I'd have been faint!

Kissa, always so pleased for you that JUDDD is your best friend.

Lola, yay to no weight gain! Sorry your mum is still poorly, but at least hospital is the best place for her. Glad you had a lovely time with DD.

Blondie, sorry for DD1s hassles. Totally understand that fasting would be too difficult. And sorry about no chicks - it made me laugh to read that the rooster and hens are 'incompatible', haha - who'd have thought it would be as complicated as us humans finding a mate?!

Almost the weekend here - I'm off to Oman this afternoon for 2 nights, friends are diving and I will snorkel. I'm taking my bike so I can keep up the training too - I will have fit in a long cycle, a run and a swim - those of you who have been lacking in exercise lately, would you care for some of mine?!

x

[Ailuros]

Blondie, what a pain for your daughter! I hope she can get it all straightened out quickly.

Sorry about the chicks .

Lola, I'm sorry your mother is having such a hard time - and you too, taking care of her.

Blotto, I suppose it depends what's wrong with the teeth. I don't think my dentist is just trying to make money - the work he's suggesting would be done somewhere else, not by him or anyone in his practice. I just don't agree with him. I did have one wisdom tooth removed many years ago, but it was a very easy one. If this were like that, I'd let him do it, but it's not. It seems that the bad things that could happen taking the tooth out are worse than the bad things that could happen from leaving it alone, so I'll take my chances, and just take care to clean around it as thoroughly as I can.

[lola5k]

Morning everyone. It's nice to come back to everyone posting.

I agree about the teeth ailuros if not in pain leave well alone. I'm the queen of the dentist and despite going regularly all my life am going more than ever for this and that plus had to have gum surgery a couple of years ago which was horrendous. So I would leave until wisdom teeth causing trouble.

Blotto as for replacing fillings depends how old they are ? Are they almagan and have they Xrayed your mouth to check the really need replacing. Like you I wonder if it's to make more money. I have an older friend who was a dental nurse when some of us were at school and she said that dentists were on a bonus if they used amalgam for fillings. Hence why my age group got a mouthful of silver fillings hmmmm disgusting.

Blondie that is such a hassle for your DD but at least as you say she can prove that she was out of the country but nonetheless doesn't need all the hassle The Internet is a wonderful medium but also has a lot to answer for. Hope you get some answers re the chicks. Laughing about Blotto's comment re them being incompatible. They are just as picky as us then. Lol. DD and I visited Monkey world in Dorset whilst I was away and I asked blotto if she wanted me to bring her one back as an easier man substitute. She replied that she thought it a good idea as at least she could have it on a leash lol.

Juno having as fab time as ever i hope that you are enjoying and yes finally the colder parts of Europe are getting some sun. Northern France with your younger lover - the way to go girl! You will easily use up all those calories he he. Hope the ancestral home is all its cracked out to be lol

Juno I agree with Blotto. OMG. All those down days in a row.

Kissa you will soon lose extra 4lbs with Judd. Like you I would love to be 128lbs. Although I'm happy if I can lose just 3 or 4lbs then I'll be done and maintain.

Shy a big wave I know you're out there just sorry for you with your arms.

Mint yep you can enjoy your birthday all month.

Hi to anyone else out there. Enjoy the sun whilst it lasts in the uk. Xxxxxx

[Avicenna]

kissa - you must have felt really full after 4 UD's!

[Kissa]

Yes, Avicenna I certainly did!

Maryam how horrid for your DDto have that happen, bad at any time, worse just now.

Shame no chicks, darn rooster!

I didn't think Jan meant 3 DDs in a row, I thought she meant 3 rotations of DDs....

Blotto I would so love to be going to Oman with you. One of the loveliest countries on earth.

Lola, those last few pounds will go you know it. I was 126.4 this morning, so easy.

[lola5k]

Blotto have a lovely time. I love snorkelling. Good on you for taking the bike The training will get easier I hope but you are one hell of a woman to commit to such a challenge xx