Freedom February

[Lavande]

Re: Freedom February

Good evening friends,

Boys are still here but will be picked up very soon. It’s been fun, it’s been noisy & interesting, ha ha!

SK, geez!!!!
Maybe this is a good time to cut your losses & move onto a kinder, gentler life in Canada with your sister. You don’t deserve a lifetimebof abuse, that’s just ridiculous. I am sorry you have been treated so poorly.
Nice to hear that Peggy has found the extra exercise so successful

Cyn, wishing you a safe trip home. You’ll be arriving in warmer weather for sure.
An amateur meteorologist in our area is predicting a big snowstorm somewhere around March 2-5. He’s very accurate with his predictions but I hope he’s dead wrong this time.

Tomorrow I will gather everything I need for new chicks, they arrive Friday. Fun

Hello to Pauly & Star!

Have a nice night everyone!
Lav

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

Cyn, safe travels. My jetlag was always worse returning. Don't forget the melatonin - it helps restart your body's clock.

I just discovered they've blocked me on F/B. I don't think there is any end to their intentional emotional pain for me or their spite.

Knowing I have options has made me stronger. They are punishing me in such petty ways, it's now laughable, and they have no explanation for it. DD has a resentment that V loves me so much, and we laugh and laugh, and that's the "worst" I've done. I'm embarassed she's my daughter.


I'm still thinking of the move, but more objectively. I think V will need me for a lot longer.



Hi Pauly, come back soon.:heartbeat:

Star, I'm thinking of you too.:hug:

Lav, I think I can move on and just be V's Nana.

We were expecting T/storms at 7:00 p.m., so I sedated Peggy, because she's terrified. Weather forecast changed. So I have a dog who is a bit stoned for no reason.:cuss:

I have 2 appts. with new back specialist. One of them requires sedation because of the injected die. Luckily, Uber can bring me home.
My dog walker didn't show up. He probably thought he had the day off for president fool's day.

Everything will be okay.

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

BTW Lav, I was wondering how many eggs they produce?

[Lavande]

Re: Freedom February

First one here today? Oh boy!

Woke up to a very damp day, heavy fog & all that. But the sun managed to make an appearance so the afternoon was really nice. It sent up to 72 degrees, crazy warm for February here in these parts!

SK, I can certainly understand your wanting to stay & be close to your granddaughter. If you change your mind at some point you have options.
I’m glad you can move back & forth to your appointments easily using Uber. Good luck with that.
My chickens have taken a complete ‘vacation’ this winter. They have been busy molting, growing out new feathers & resting their reproductive systems, ha ha! I currently have two breeds of chickens, Buff Orpingtons & Rhode Island Reds. Usually they are good for about 200 eggs per chicken per year! If the weather stays warm they will start laying again pretty quickly.

We took a ride to an Amish farm today. The owner builds purple martin houses, big & beautiful. YB ordered one to be made for the backyard.
I made friends with three young cows & a Bernese mountain dog who looks so much like the long hairded version of Maxie.
Fun way to pass a sunny afternoon

Hello to Cyn, hope you are home safe.

Star & Pauly, what’s going on with you?

Have a nice night everyone.

Lav

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

Hello Lav ad Cynn,

Hi to Star and Pauly, we sure do miss you.:hug::hug:

Well, I sedated Peggy for the 7:00 p.m. T/storms that came at 4:30 a.m. We went into the bathroom with a comforter and a pillow, and her playlist from Amazon Prime Music. Her songs include a lullaby, the dog paws collection, and Spiegel im Spiegel from Arvo Paart, definitely my favourite piano piece. Remember Tawny Frog? She posted a video one day with either a bird or animal in it. There was beautiful music playing, and that's how I discovered Arvo Paart (sp).

In the future will definitely not sedate her, she becomes confused and agitated. The music works so much better. I guess it's the chihuahua in her that gets scared, but she responds to the music very well. My neighbor here now uses dog paws when she's away at work and she says her dog is calmer. I can't imagine leaving a dog for 9 hours.

I am in bed at 8:50, I didn't get much sleep last night and have felt physically horrible all day. Headache, upset stomach, depressed, feeling absolutely drained (sounds like hangover symptoms, lol). Emotional stress is very exhausting.Accomplished a couple of things today so I can tick those off the list and feel a small achievement. I am going to check to see how our local schools are prepared against crazy shooters. Of course, it's TX and if the police are involved he will probably be riddled with bullets like Bonnie and Clyde. B & C were here where I live during their criminal time.

I remember you having the reds, but not the other. Decent egg production I'm assuming, anyway.

Had a long chat with son in Vancouver today.I think it rains almost every day in February. He has always thought his sister was weird and temperamental anyway. Did I tell you he is a professional sommelier? Ironic isn't it? He is now being requested to open & breathe bottles for visiting dignitaries and celebrities.

I'd better go, just feeling awful.

It will be better tomorrow!

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

Cyn, are you back and lucid yet, lol.

I hope you have beautiful memories of the trip.

[treegirl]

Re: Freedom February

Morning guys,

After the 7 hour flight and the 2.5 hour drive home, I was just too worn out to post last night. Unpacked, went to bed at 8 PM, and up at 4 AM, but I needed to get going anyway - I have a full day of work ahead of me; client work plus a conference call for the Festival. I may be dragging by 5 PM!

Lav, so glad that you had a good time with the boys. I can imagine that things are very lively around there with those two! I loved the description of your Amish day - while we were away I saw lots of dogs, but no Mountain Dogs. A new set of chicks! That's always exciting... I think I love the names of the breeds as much as anything. I think the eggs in Switzerland were special - I am somewhat allergic to eggs, to I didn't have them often, but one hotel had a little system whereby one could make a soft-boiled egg (complete with personal timers to use!) so I made one --- the yolks were a fabulous deep yellow-orange, and tasted creamy and fabulous. (I did regret it a little after my face sprouted measles-spots... but oh well, it was delicious!)

SK - glad that you know you have options. My goodness, DD sounds like she has a big case of the "Jealousies"! I agree with Lav, no excuse for that behavior. I'm glad that you have a good relationship with your son... so interesting that he is sommelier to the stars. Have you tried the Thundershirt with Peggy? It seemed to help my boy calm down, but it doesn't work for every dog. So interesting about the music - I will look into that. I love Arvo Paart!! Have you ever heard any of his choral pieces? Very mystical and mysterious sounding. Sorry you had a tough 'body' day - I understand. I hope you feel better today.

Pauly, it would be great to hear how you are doing... sending good thoughts your way.

Star, ditto - thinking of your pathway now, and knowing you are making good progress.

Crazy warm weather here - I kind of miss my Swiss snow! But thank heavens we live in a beautiful place (worth the extra 2.5 hours drive)... we have tiny mountains here, and streams and cows and horses. So I am incredibly lucky to live and work in a place that is so peaceful.

So, now off to get things done so that I can remain peaceful! Wishing all well - enjoy the growing light!

[Lavande]

Re: Freedom February

Good evening friends!

It was SO warm today we had the AC on in the truck this afternoon, ha ha! Such weird weather & now we have 4 whole days of rain on the way, oh well.
I'm making a big of progress in my desire to make crafty things. I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow.

Cyn, welcome home! I agree the jet lag coming home is much worse but at least you had a great trip!!!
An allergy to eggs on top of everything else, sad. I do like the super fresh, healthier eggs we get but I don't eat many d/t my cholesterol level. I've been taking a low dose statin for several years & we pretty much have determined that it's a genetic problem, not what I'm eating. How can anyone eat vegan 90% of the time & still have high cholesterol? I am excited to get new chicks on Friday. Now I'm going to have to be on fox guard duty all summer, ugh.

SK, I sure hope you are feeling better tonight! Stress wears on us in so many different ways.
I really had to change my way of thinking when I started on this journey. Focusing on what I wanted & what I had to do to get there was good distraction.
I'm loving the essential oils, the meditation CDs, very helpful.

Hello to Star & Pauly, come on back soon.

I hope everyone has a peaceful & restful night!

Lav

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

Hi Cyn,

Well, even with the jetlag you managed 8 Hours.

Star and Pauly, miss you both and hope you're doing well, come back soon.

I agree with the eggs, I only ever ate the ones you described in Europe and ours looked positively anaemic. But now they have the cage free ones and I bet Lav's eggs have deep yellow yolks!

I've downloaded the strings on Arvo Paart, and I look forward to listening to the vocals. He is brilliant is't he? I have the Amazon Music. so I'll look for it there. I do have a thundershirt and I should re-introduce it and be consistent. Spring in TX means a lot of T/storms and hurricanes. In WA state we had one in 11 yrs. The lightening struck and about 7 hrs. later there was thunder! It must have been the mountains.

Today, I experienced corporate medicine at it's best/worst. Keep in mind I am CDN where your health card got you into hospitals and doctors. The spine specialist wants a bone density and a twilight dye test. I had to go to another city, where this was hospital was my local one. The city has exploded since I left and is now h/quarters for JCP, Pepsi and a whole lot more. It has been renamed as Medical City and was it ever. I had a 1:00 appt. and got the test done at 3:30. Got there and there was a 5 story parking lot. Finding X-ray took forever, and then line up for info and receive one of those vibrator things they use in restaurants and wait and wait. Then it eventually goes off and you go to booth 6, where they have a lengthy questionnaire and sign many releases. You are then shown the area where the x-rays are and wait again. There was a starbucks in the waiting area and I started to understand why our h/care is so expensive. Additional paperwork and the # of un-necessary staff was amazing and expensive. In a less spendy hospital 3 of the people who I had to

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

Sorry, I hit send by mistake. Maybe it's my background in H.R., but I would have loved to downsize that place.

Anyway it was an afternoon event, not a 30 minute visit. I have to back March 2nd, but at least I'll be prepared. I didn't recognize anything "that used to be". It's good for the economy and real estate. My old home is now valued at $250K more than what we sold it for.

Anyway,see you later.

[treegirl]

Re: Freedom February

Morning all -

Lav, so good to hear from you that you are having some fun with your projects, that is great! Can't wait to hear more about what you are working on. And looking forward to pics of the chicks - that is just the best spring message! I am glad to be home, able to eat 'my' food, but I do miss the genial, warm atmosphere of the small-hotel breakfast rooms - so social, even though we didn't interact with others - the staff was always so lovely and happy. The Swiss people are generally jolly and warm... and it was nice to be in a room full of skiers, hikers, or general Alps lovers. Kind of uncomplicated...

SK, I empathize, what a 'machine' healthcare has all become! Last summer, in the middle of a huge project I was working on out west, I was health-hijacked and had to drive 4 hours to SF for a dye-CT scan. I was pretty shook up with all the driving, then the Bart into the city, then being Uber-dropped off at the wrong entrance and trying to find the right one, then getting through a bunch of way stations where everyone asks the same questions over and over! Once I got to the test, the techs were lovely and it was all fine. But retracing my steps, Bart, picking up my car and driving back 4 hours in rush hour traffic to the festival (where I was due to speak that evening)... uuugh just the memory of it all makes me jittery! Good luck moving forward - I hope it all turns out well and gives you some clarity and healing.

Well I made it through my long day... much less constricted today so that is good - I will have time to get caught up on laundry! I took my little computer on the trip, and when the days turned snowy/rainy I actually got my first query letter written ( sending to book agents). The anniversary of my mother's passing is tomorrow, so one big goal today is to get query letters out to the contacts that I have. I am really starting the process of the book being born into the world, and that feels good.

Star and Pauly, it would be great to have a quick line about how you are doing!? Wishing you both well...

I will be embracing the February/April showers today, and will focus on candlelight. Maybe time to bring an African Violet into the house for a little pick-me-up... to the light!

[paulywogg]

Re: Freedom February

Morning friends,Cyn glasses you're home and settled waves to SK and Lav,more later have a great AF Thursday

[Lavande]

Re: Freedom February

Greetings friends,

Pauly, good to see you!

SK, you’re absolutely right about our eggs, deep yellow yolks & very nutritious.
So sorry about your experience getting your study done. Why do things have to be so difficult? Our healthcare system is a disaster, glad to be retired, seriously! Hopefully your return trip will go much smoother.

Cyn, I am getting very excited for you about your book, awesome!
You certainly have put so much effort into your project, I hope you are rewarded handsomely
I’m sure you’re missing your Mom right now, surely she would be proud of your accomplishment.

Hello to Star!

So here’s some samples of what I’ve been playing with this week. The Reading pillows will be for my granddaughter & grandson’s birthdays coming up soon. I ordered a book for my grandson’s pillow today, the other I found last week. You tuck the book right into the pocket on the pillow. Also, here’s some funky/funny but useful zippered tote bags.

46593BA5-B1B8-4BB3-8C2E-F925EB6E7CEF.jpg45E40AA8-3376-4474-A2DD-EA2A909C6BE4.jpgC65F73AF-1C6C-4BBC-848D-CBFE08E08D5E.jpg69A2411D-608E-453D-87E4-1069265A9242.jpg

Have a nice night everyone!
Lav

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

Hi everyone.

I took Peggy to a new dogsitter today. She gave me directions and it was 1 hr 10 minutes drive. I phoned her and she gave more directions. I didn't have my nav with me so I came home and put in the address - it was 5 minutes away! Her dog also 10 yrs old. They had a good sniff and napped. She is a lovely person and also from WA state.

Cyn, so you had a similar experience.? Frustrating, isn't it? I have to be under sedation for the next one. Even with Uber it's going to be a pricey trip.

Pauly's back yeah! Welcome back:happy2: With Peggy away I went to get my hair done and every 3 snips the h/dresser said "cutie" I kept looking at her to see if something would follow "cutie". No, I guess it was her way. I mentioned the weather and she said that God had a plan. I always wonder if those predictions mean anything.

Cold and rainy still. Yesterday it was 37 (Monday 73) thundered all night and was still cold at 42 today.


Lav, my mother was manic-depressive and you really didn't know who you were coming home to. She refused to see a doctor ever! She had midwives to deliver her kids, etc. Bi-polar can be a little like that too, I think. Mom was best when she would be just this side of manic, then it got crazy.

A real fireplace is ideal, but this electric one makes it cozier in here.

Omelette for dinner, I think.

[SKendall]

Re: Freedom February

Lav, X-posted. The pillows and bags are gorgeous.