Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

[jane27]

We saw a LARGE snake in the yard today. One of the dogs got fairly close. I believe it to be poisonous.

aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Tho thcaree!

Had an action packed day; In the am we went on a Sea Plane ride and this pm we took a glass blowing class. So far, Seattle just gets better and better. I LOVE it here.
The big highlight of my day however, was meeting this distinguished fellow.



I cant even think of the words to describe how sweet and smart this boy is. He is 10 years old and his name is Toby. Curses to that Benji movie that had me thinking dobermans were piranhas all these years!

Wishing everyone a good night. Miss you guys.
xoxo

[narilly]

Jane, he is adorable! Omg, what a beautiful dog. Very handsome.glass blowing sounds great. Hey, go on the underground city tour. It is really cool and make sure you have fish and chips plus some good ole Seattle coffee
Glad you are having a good holiday. Isn't it fun being sober? Yay!

Ok, off to look for a job....ugh...

[treetops]

Hi there all you holiday makers. LB - that is so hot.
I say ice-cream is a wonder food. I love licorice too.
Still winter here of course. Its so busy at work and with things at home as well. I must try to get a short walk into my day. Aches from sitting at a desk and not moving. Daughter has a heap of big assignments and exams looming on the horizon. She has decided on subjects for uni next year - it will be a BA and she seems enthusiastic about still studying so thats great. She is picking some subjects she couldn't take at high school but she doesnt start uni until next year.
You guys enjoy the rest of your summer and holidays if you have them. Jane - yes, sober holidays are good. I find I pack a lot more in, am less grouchy and sleep better. But no holidays here until we take a long weekend on my 60th birthday. Guess what- I have booked a lovely house in a vineyard near the mountains! No worries - one can't actually drink the vines and its not even grape picking season. But a few years ago just the association of being near wine in that way would have upset me. Have also booked a special dinner at restaurant that gets really good feedback.

[little beagle]

That sounds beautiful TT. Vineyards are beautiful. I'm glad yoir daughter is enthusiastic about university. It's a wonderful time.
Sorry about tge hail damage Narilly. I hate when I work so hard, get the garden looking good and the Wham! The weather messes it up.
Bad headache tonight. I had dark chocolate covered espresso beans. I knew better.
And the weather broke for a day. What a lovely treat that was. A rainy couple of hours in the afternoon.
The gratitude thing is really helping. I'm beginning to feel a bit more positive. Plus hubby's counseling appointment is Friday.
Jane what a beautiful dog. The undergound city tour sound intriguing.

[narilly]

LilB, chocolate covered espresso beans sound yummy. Ya, hail sucks for sure. We have the second highest amount of hail in the world here in Calgary. It is a little crazy. Glad you have a break from the weather. I am glad Mr B is going to counselling on Friday. Let us know how it goes.

TT, your birthday plans sound wonderful. Glad that you are ok being close to a vineyard. I can see how that could be a problem.
No thoughts of drinking here. I am trying to enjoy the summer and not get to worked up about being unemployed. My hubby has an interview on Thursday so you never know.
Looking forward to an Un Hung Wednesday. I love the freedom we have. Freedom from worrying about drinking. What a drain that was. Thank Gawd!

[jane27]

Hi Gloamers,

Lil, I hope you have AC! Apparently lots of folks forgo ac here in Seattle because it just doesn’t get that hot…I’m feeling it a little but coping OK. Thankfully there is a nice breeze that comes through the window at night. But what to do about that friggin snake? am very bad regarding anxiety management on the topic of encountering animals (critters, anyone/thing that might be pissed off about running into a person). I was reading bits from a How To Survive Anything thing- the hook that got me was a single statement about the importance of knowing the difference between black bears and brown bears- because each acts differently. That bit itself was empowering! (knowledge = power!) and so I clicked on the link to learn more. Pepper spray is popular! (that’s facetious enthusiasm there). Apparently its tricky stuff because you need to know which way the wind is blowing (makes good sense) before you spray it, otherwise you’re just going to blind yourself. Bearing that in mind (snort, giggle) check out the great advice.

How to Survive A Grizzly Attack
1. Carry bear pepper spray. Experts recommend that hikers in bear country carry with them bear pepper spray. UDAP bear pepper spray is a highly concentrated capsaicin spray that creates a large cloud. This stuff will usually stop a bear in it’s tracks. (but it doesn't affect people one bit)
2. Don’t run. When you run, the bear thinks you’re prey and will continue chasing you, so stand your ground. And don’t think you can out run a bear. Bears are fast. They can reach speeds of 30 mph. Unless you’re an Olympic sprinter, don’t bother running.
3. Drop to the ground in the fetal position (thumb sucking optional) and cover the back of your neck with your hands. If you don’t have pepper spray or the bear continues to charge even after the spray, this is your next best defense. Hit the ground immediately and curl into the fetal position.
4. Play dead. (only a small leap of faith required here) Grizzlies will stop attacking when they feel there’s no longer a threat. If they think you’re dead, they won’t think you’re threatening. Once the bear is done tossing you around and leaves, continue to play dead. Grizzlies are known for waiting around to see if their victim will get back up.

How to Survive a Black Bear Attack
1. Carry bear pepper spray. As with the grizzly bear, bear pepper spray should be your first line of defense in a bear attack.
2. Stand your ground and make lots of noise. Black bears often bluff when attacking. If you show them you mean business, they may just lose interest.
3. Don’t climb a tree. (as if I could) Black bears are excellent climbers. Climbing up a tree won’t help you out here.
4. Fight back. If the black bear actually attacks, fight back. Use anything and everything as a weapon- rocks, sticks, fists, and your teeth. Aim your blows on the bears face- particularly the eyes and snout. When a black bear sees that their victim is willing to fight to the death, they’ll usually just give up.

And the title of this sight is the Art Of Manliness. Not sure why, but that was sort of the cherry on the cupcake for me.

Getting back to the real protagonist, what does the fucker look like? Any colors or distinguishing features? At a minimum you could get your hands on a snake bit kit. I don’t know much about it, but it sounds like a good thing to have?

Nar, Sorry also to hear about the food poisoning & thanks for the tips. We are going to do that underground tour on Thursday & I am looking forward to it.

Pav, Sucks about the hives. As you guys well know, I’ve been chasing ghosts for all kinds of symptoms. ½ the time I think I’ve got something serious that just haven’t been detected by a blood test, and the other ½ of the time I think maybe I’m a head case. I think allergies and perimenopause could be big culprits with my issues. Who flippin knows. I’m going to see an allergist when I get back home. I’m a big fan of going on the internet to self diagnose… (that that comment with a wink of course). Have you perused the possible causes?

On the subject of ice cream- Baskin Robbin’s Rocky Road. Gaaaaaaaawd, is it good.
Hitting the hay now. Wishing everyone a peaceful EMA.

[narilly]

Happy Un Hung Wednesday everyone!

Jane, there were Grizzly Bears around when we were camping and we had to make sure our campsite was 'bare' meaning all food, toiletries, dog dishes, food containers, basically everything was put away in the truck if we were ever away from the campsite. It was really scary walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I mean So scary, poop your pants scary.
Let me know how the underground city trip goes.

We are having a rash of fentanyl overdoses I our city. 17 young people at the music festival have been hospitalized because of it. So scary. This one poor kid is 17 and has extensive brain damage. How awful. I talked to my son about it last night and he was shocked, a lot of his friends were at the festival which was just down the hill from us.

Have a great day everyone. We are going up to 31C today which is Hot! Yippee!

[jane27]

Oh God Nar. Fentanyl. NJ is rampant with heroin overdoses. A dealer got arrested 1 town over- he was mixing fentanyl with the heroin. Apparently the most deadly of all is pure heroin. A1 told me that this was what the boy who died a few months back had taken. We talked about it just last night at dinner and it was a good, open conversation. Apparently the kid had been doing it for 2 years and was hooked. I don't want to/cant be judgmental and say 'why are these kids so friggin stupid!' because I walked right into the ol AL web eyes wide open and disbelieving everything I'd ever read or been told. He's got 2 of these music festivals coming up. I will definitely be sharing this story with him (the rash of overdoses).

I WOULD poop in my pants with that camping situation. I don’t even know where to start. It would be a royal NO GO for me. I was so freaked out by the bown and black bear article that I went straight into gun shopping next. Ofcourse that’s a really dumb idea. I wonder if (or why not) stun guns are available for sale? I’m a spaz under the best of conditions so this wouldn’t be a great solution for me, but for others, maybe?

TT, your bday weekend sounds lovely! When is the big day?

Love to all

[little beagle]

Ok Jane tgat bear thing is just plain funny. That snake is probably long gone. In any event, we are totally avoiding that part of the yard until it gets really cold out. Hubbycan go over there and do lawn mmaintenance in the meantime.
Hard to believe what drugs people will take. Fentanyl just doesn't seem like something that people would use like that. Really strong stuff.

[Pavati]

Hi, All:

There was an Intervention episode about a lady addicted to Fentanyl suckers - I guess they were for severely ill patients. It was CRAZY. That show makes me feel so weird and blechy, but I just can't take my eyes off of it sometimes. I know that it sensationalizes addiction, but it is truly sad to watch what people will do for their addiction. Sad that those kids are getting access to it.

Nar - I am sort of a purist - I like coffee, chocolate, salted caramel. No nuts, no chips, nothing that can stick in my teeth. I have never had licorice ice cream, but I LOVE licorice, so I am sure I would love it.

I am very tired. Saw some live music last night - it was SO GREAT. And I never in a million years thought it would be possible to enjoy live music without booze, but it is so much better. I really hear and remember the music, and can enjoy myself without worrying about getting beer or going to the bathroom.

Happy Birthday, TT!

Good night, loamers.

Pav

[jane27]

Hi Gloamers,
Turning in for bedtime with one last day in Seattle to enjoy. Went on a tour of the Boeing plant today and enjoyed it despite the not so great tour guide. Had some good laughs with the boys at dinner.
It feels amazing to have the window open. We never do that at home (!) So many gross bugs get in regardless...what's a few more ? If only phobias and habits could be dealt with in a Mary Poppins snap. Or was that Bewitched?
Wishing you all a bewdy :love:

[treetops]

Its not my birthday yet - not until a month away! I was just doing some planning - no bears of any sort here though and I won't be sleeping with the windows open - not because of bugs but because of Jack Frost. Sorry, I can't send you any Lil B.
Glad you had a great holiday Jane.
So I guess you guys are heading back into work - either housework or paid work or both. SL is home now but is jet lagged. We are sure to hear from her soon.
Pav - I know what you mean about enjoying shows more, sober. I am that way when we go to the theatre or to a movie. I dont have to worry about when I can next get a wine, how to drive home or pee-ing. Actually I lie, I still have a weak bladder.
Finished True Detective Season 2 (HBO) last night and it wasn't as pleasing to me as Season 1. Its a very weird series - noir, but I like that sort of thing. I am now looking for a new series as its my late-night treat. There is nothing available on my networks that appeals. I must be the only person in the world who could not get into Orange is the New Black or Breaking Bad!
Hi there to everyone else.

[STEADFAST]

Hi Gloamers,

Lots of positive posts on this thread - trips away, tours, shows, live music, tv programs and fabulous foods!

NoSugar: (sorry, i haven't worked out how to quote yet when responding to a post on a previous page!) I heartily agree with your comment about forgiving but NOT forgetting what a mess alcohol got us into. It's one of the things to bear in mind if/when temptation strikes.

Still getting over the flu so am turning in really early tonight.....See you over the weekend!

cheers,
Steady

[narilly]

Hope you feel better soon Steady. I am so glad I am over the food poisoning, that was gross.

Pav, the live music sounds great. I feel the same way, I never thought I could enjoy live music without booze. I think you would love liquorice ice cream, it doesn't stick in your teeth either!
TT, did you watch Bloodline? That was good. I can't think of any shows off the top of my head but will let you know if I do. It's funny how our seasons are so different. It is going up to 33C today here and is so sunny while you have Jack Frost visiting. He will be here soon enough!

Well, another super awesome Un Hung morning for me. I am siting on my balcony in the sun writing to my Gloamers, life is good.

[treetops]

Hi Nar yes watched Bloodline. It sure had a lot of drinking in it - although that doesn't bother me. Last night I ended up watching part of a movie called Glass Arena about John Healy. He was a gritty alcoholic (true story) who lvdd rough in London in the 1960s, who went on to become a chess player and a writer. I didn't watch all of it though.

Happy Friday to everyone else! Hope you are feeling OK Steadfast. I am one tired lady - couldn't sleep as I was worrying about a meeting this morning.