Thursday on Maintain Mountain!!

[BarbCO]

I like buying presents for myself also. That way you always get what you want.

My DD has a printer with the three in one but.....it takes a lot of ink!! You will be running for cartridges if you use it a lot. My photo printer is the same way.

Been busy lately and gone to programs at night...... will calm down about Xmas.

to all! Barb

[Jewels]

Morning,

Barb, hang in there. Programs? You mean the kids Christmas programs? They still let the kids in your area do this? Hmmm seems the schools are eliminating them.
Funny you mention buying presents for ourselves....I bought myself a new robe yesterday and brought it home and told my DH to wrap it up and put it under the tree. Mervyn's had them on for 50% off and I couldn't resist. I seem to live in my robes in the winter. Shower right after dinner so by 6:30 I'm settled in for the night. I love my robes and jammies. Anyhow, got most of my shopping finished up yesterday. Have just a few to go plus some stocking gifts. Haven't done stocks since my kids left home but with Nick here this year I thought it would be nice.

Going into work for a little bit today, then another massage. Woke with the muscle cramp in my upper back again. It was doing so good too. Just seems to creep back up. I think I sleep wrong some nights.

Have a good day gang.

[OrchidCactus]

Hey all,

Just a quick run through today.....

Rain again here, but at least it doesn't require shovelling! Yard is a lake, and pasture has it's creek. I'm sure the ground is saturated enough to cause flooding in the lower areas, lucky we're high up, comparatively!

Hope all have a happy day!

[Loretta V]

Hi to all

Thanks Shawnee for that info on Bob's taking of the atenolol. I seem to be leveling out the past few days with the change in times for taking the rx. I like the new present you are going to get for yourself. I think I will call my new pc my present too but I also NEED a new sewing machine.
DH has hinted that he would get that for me. Since he does not shop, he reminded me that I have the reigns on the check book. WOW He is a sweetie.

Here is one of my presents without the monitor, mine is still under warrantee and I like it, it has a built in microphone:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/Searc...2&go.y=7<br /> I think it will arrive in the next day or so because I ordered it from HP and they are in Tennessee.

Ginny we have some drizzle but I need to get out and burn some leaves. Maybe we can get them to smolder some. Hope work is going fine for you. Do you get the doggies presents? I have 3 grandpups to buy for.

Julie you just sound comforted in your robe and pjs. How different we all are. As soon as I get up I get dressed and stay that way until I get ready for bed. I still have more shopping and a little decorating to do. I feel the pressure with you early birds getting stuff done.

Barb I hear you on that ink. When the color ink runs out in this printer I'll not replace it. But my hp printer is much easier on ink than my old xerox printer was.

Hey to Linda, Roger Susun and Jacki Lurki

Later

[zip2play]

My gosh,

Shawnee with a new FANCY printer and Loretta with a whole new rig. Wow!

Loretta,
Are you goiing to miss a floppy drive. I've grown quite dependent on mine...so much easier than burning a data disc! Did you get another monitor or are you going to keep the old one?
I think they give you the Service Pack 2 built in so that will save you some potential nightmares.

Linda,
You were on atenolol for a long time and always liked it, right? (I can't sleep with it.)

I dug out the old grinder and ground up some pieces of a top round that I froze a zillion years ago...it was delicious, even though I got it too well done. Grinding your own roasts gives the leanest hamburger I've ever seen...like the store bought 93% lean and at HALF the cost...a bit of a mess though. Served on a Kaiser roll with a thick slice of Spanish onion and melted cheese, a bit of heaven !

Long LONG walk today; my legs are still beat from a hard leg workout yesterday: I'm glad we aren;t going anywhere today. Actually I;m content to stay in the cave for the whole MONTH of December!

Peace, unto you all!

[LoveMontana]

Hi everyone,

Barb, we don't buy each other anything because we feel we do enough during the year such as trips and such.

Yeah, what programs? At the school?

Julie, hope you enjoyed every minute of that massage. <sigh> I could use one right now.

LOL so did he wrap that robe? I'm with you and could live in my snuggies. Unfortunately life demands that I get dressed for at least part of the day, darn it.

Ginny, do you ever get much snow? You are right, at least all the rain doesn't require shoveling.
Keep your feet dry.

Loretta, what a lovely gift. Hope you just love that new computer. Don't worry to much about Windows XP, it's not difficult. Hope they have the bugs worked out of the Service pack 2. My computer guy said to hold off installing it until Jan or Feb. By then Microsoft should have the bugs worked out.

Funny how we are all different. It takes everything I have to force myself back upstairs to get dressed in the morning.

Do you have the same printer that Roger and I got?... hp desk jet 3820... I love it and think he will too, if he ever gets it installed.

Roger,about that printer??? Well???

Oh no I was never on Atenolol, just my low dose diuretic. I did start the Atenolol today and 25mg of it knocked me on my ass, but brought my rather high heart rate down to 68 and my BP was 120/70. Hope that blah feeling passes soon.

There is nothing quite as good as grinding your own meat. At least you know what's in it. We have my grandmother's old hand grinder but I saw a great electric one at Lowe's the other night. It was about $100, and they also had a meat slicer. Food for thought after we get that small freezer.

Waving to everyone
back later.

[SuSUN]

HI Gang!

Here to check in, after two days at the salt mines!

Can finally get to my stuff now!

Feeling a tad tired. May take a nap soon or just rest watching TV.

Waving to y'all and wishing everyone Good Health!

SuSUN

[Loretta V]

Roger I am keeping my monitor, it is still under warrantee, it is a flat screen (not flat panel) monitor with built in microphone ( I talk almost daily with my sister). I am not worried about the floppies. I am coping files and folders on cds. Boy they sure hold a lot of info and pictures. I will reorganize them when I get to XP. I am hoping the filing system is the same or close to what I have.

Linda I have the same printer that you and Roger have. I love it too. It is very economical on ink and does a fine job of printing.
Hope you can get your bp straightened out. I do think my atenolol has petered out. It is not providing me any help for my bp control. Tomorrow I am going to start the altace 10mg in the am and 10 in the pm for one week, then I call the doc again.

I see another post for today so will go and read that one.

Later folks

[zip2play]

Loretta,
You're going to cough your head off with the Altace!

Linda,

Priinter, Printer...WHERE???
Shawnee's got one that is REALLY hot and will print photos directly from memory cards.

[LoveMontana]

Gee Loretta, sorry the atenolol just isn't doing it for you anymore. Hope it works for me without causing bronchospams.
Damned meds have far too many side effects.

Don't you just love the printer? It is really economical on ink.

Roger, come on now, get that printer hooked up. Those fancy ones will put you in the poor house. Have you any idea of how much ink they go through?

Hi Susan, get some rest girl. You work too hard.

Had to share this. I LMAO.
Santa's STORY

One particular Christmas, a long time ago, Santa was getting ready
for his annual trip. Alas, there were problems everywhere.



Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves just weren't producing the toys as fast as the regular ones. Poor Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.



Then Mrs. Claus announced that her mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress.


Furthermore, when he began to load the sleigh, one of the boards cracked, and the toy bag fell to the ground scattering the toys everywhere.


Frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor, and there was nothing to drink.

In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider pot, and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw end of the broom.


Just then the doorbell rang, and irritable Santa trudged to the door.



He opened the door, and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said, very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't it a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?"


...... And thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

[shawneesioux]

Hi Y'all

Greetings from the wet Pacific NW. I'm busy growing growing webs between my toes, and moss/fungi on my back
Tomorrow may be our "saw down the Christmas tree" day, out in a rainy, muddy tree farm. Seems I never like the ones in the drier areas; I flip for the ones growing in puddles and muck.

Has anyone heard of this Gizmo-thingy?...for BP control, FDA approved, NBC video tells ya a bit about it

http://www.resperate.com/resperate/product_demo.aspx

Yeah, Zip....that printer came from the factory with a 4-barrel as stock equipment

(I need a Memory card installed in my brain) Dammit, I'm finding it harder to mentally/physically multi-task anymore.
How's the lovely Phonecia? Oh, how I love Spanish onions.


Loretta, that you're "leveling out". We're excited for you, getting an xp.
Cookie, at our age, we shouldn't have to justify giving ourselves presents. Lord knows, those of us with kids and grandBrats have spent a fortune over the years on their presents...( I can't take it with me, so I'm spending their inheritances...)
Anyhoo, a few years back, pre my LCing: Dr Phil , addressing an overweight bunch of family "caregivers" said to tell yourself its my time and its my turn
Love him, hate him, or feel indifference towards him...but his words hit a Home run with me. Gave me the strength to begin LCing while putting up with Bob's anti-LC crap..and still does.
Now, I'm applying that same message to some things I want (without going overboard..LOL, I still carry the boatload of GUILT crap Mom raised me on)
So get that sewing machine and enjoy the dickins out of it.


Hey SuSUN...good health and contentment right back atcha

YOU deserve a sewing machine too!

Montana...how I have changed. In younger years I got up with the roosters, and felt annoyance with anyone who didn't rise 'n shine early. Now I hate to get dressed in the AM, and can't wait til Dinner is over...to pop off that damn bra and get jammied up.

Aw, Goddess...we countryfolk all love a creek, but maybe not THAT kind. How's those 4-legged hayburning yard art critters doing?
I love buying gifts for critters, they are so appreciative. (well, except for the Chuckster, he'd rather have a shoestring than a toy)


Barb, I may have to take out a Gov. Loan for the inks, if we get on a picture- making binge. (Do you write Grants?!)
Tell us about your Programs.

Hey Jacki/Lurki...I bought a bottle of (concentrated) DaVinci's Spiced Chai Tea. Heavenly, the fragrance of Christmas!..but a tad sweet.

Julie, I sometimes do Stockings for the grown ups too, with cheap, silly, foolish odds'n'ends..(think Dollar Store)...and they always make everyone smile and cackle..

To ALL, enjoy your Life.

EDITED: Montana, love the Santa tale.



Shawnee

[shawneesioux]

...about thinking positively...

A Beautiful Story

Jerry is the manager of a restaurant in South Philly.

He is always in a good mood and always has something
positive to say. When someone would ask him "how he was doing", he would always reply,

"If I were any better, I would be twins!"

Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs
when he changed jobs, so they could follow him around
from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters
followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad
day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how
to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious. So, one day,
I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! No
one can be a positive person all the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say
to myself, I have two choices today,

I can choose to be in a good mood
or I can choose to be in a bad mood.
I always choose to be in a good mood
Each time something bad happens,
I can choose to be a victim
or I can choose to learn from it.!
I always choose to learn from it.
Every time someone comes to me complaining,
I can choose to accept their complaining
or I can point out the positive side of life.
I always choose the positive side of life."

But it's not always that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jerry said, Life is all about choices.
When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.
You choose how you react to situations..
You choose how people will affect your mood.
You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.
It's your choice how you live your life."

Several years later, I heard that Jerry accidentally
did something you are never supposed to do in the
restaurant business: he left the back door of his
restaurant open one morning and was robbed by three
armed men. While trying to open the safe, his hand,
shaking from nervousness slipped off the combination.
The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was
found quickly and rushed to the hospital. After 18
hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry
was released from the hospital with fragments of the
bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When
I asked him how he was, he replied,

"If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had
gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was that I
should have locked the back door," Jerry replied.
"Then, after they shot me, as I lay on the floor, I
remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to
live or choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared?" I asked. Jerry continued,

"The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was
going to be fine! . But when they wheeled me into the
Emergency Room and I saw the expressions on the faces
of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In
their eyes, I read ! 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed
to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well,
there was a big nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry.

"She asked if I was allergic to anything."
'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped
working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep
breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I
told them, 'I am choosing to live. Please operate on
me as if I am alive, not dead'."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but
also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from
him that every day you have the choice to either enjoy
your life or to hate it. The only thing that is truly
yours --that no one can control or take from you -- is
your attitude, so if you can take care of that,
everything else in life becomes much easier.

Now you have a choice to make.

[Jewels]

Thank you Shawnee!! I really needed that little lesson right now after getting another very nasty letter from you know who.
I printed this out to read every 5 minutes. Now, to put it to practice.....I will.

[LoveMontana]

That was absolutely BEAUTIFUL Shawnee. Thanks for posting it. We all sure do have CHOICES to make.

OMG you still go out there and slog around looking for a tree? Heck , if you enjoy it, go for it. AND we want pictures, ok?


OK, now I'm off to bed.

[shawneesioux]

Aw Julie...sorry to hear about the letter.
Glad you and Montana took the time to read about ol' Jerry.
(it was sent to me by our other "adopted cop-kid." ) Montana, I sent on your cute Santa tale.

If its pouring buckets o' rain, don't know that the Tree event will be enjoyable, but it does guarantee a fresh tree. Will try to remember the camera.