AW, what a great thought....stinky fish smell.....YUCK....makes dog breath seem delightful.

The last I heard from the kids, they were helping Grandpa make tamale pie for potluck.

Kids? What kids??????

And Australia is not so far. How much could it possibly cost to ship one small fishstinky boy?

Somehow, I intuit she is bearing up under her loss uncommonly well... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /><img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /><img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

t&l

Such self sacrifice .... I feel Neak will just need to SUFFER for a WHOLE week!!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Its good for her to practice giving up the , um , joys of parenting for a week. bad Neak, suffer you, suffer <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

I'm SURE she will be by T&L to pick the kids up ....... eventually, I'm almost positive <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> How many states do they travel through again????

Neak just stick them on QANTAS and no problemo.... we'll have them indoctrinated and talking Aussie, G'day Mum, and Mum I'm dry as a dead .. yes well NOT that one ... and watching Aussie rules footy, Rugby, Cricket, Surfing, Swimming, fishing, eating meat pies, snagas on the BBQ, ... wonder what we'll do on day 2? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

The Australian Festival is sometime next month. I think next weekend is Labor Day, the next weekend is the Greek Festival, and the next weekend is the Australian Festival.

HOORAY! More Sydney Seasoning, more Violet Crumbles, more ginger beer, more Tim Tams, more Mint Slices, more Montes!

STOP STOP STOP .. Rella I'm on a diet .. OOOOOoooo TIMTAM's sluuuurrrrrp <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Well, join the club. I just joined Weight Watchers. Do I get a holiday from it for the Australian Festival. I'm very good at buying the cookies then hiding them and eating them slowly over a period of weeks.

I eat cookies whenever I want. I just never want to.
No, that is not totally true. I do want to on my weekends off from the diet.

We have been experimenting with weight loss. 20 lbs in 4 months, or about 1 lb a week (for me.) Not bad when you realize I gained 7lbs back just on the cruise, and that we celebrate holidays and birthdays as we always have. We get every other weekend off the diet too - I like that.

Ok, I'll bite - tell me what TIMTAM's and all the other things are. I know I could look it up, but you already know.

Hi CC, thanks for the update. Sometimes I wish it were cold here (not really, but kind of.) I keep wondering what you are doing in your spare time. Are you reading anything now?

Hi T&L !
I saw a little embroidered apple in the fabric store last week, and I thought of you. Shoujld I get one for you?

Hi Neak !
The kids are OK? Mostly OK?
It's probably toughest on mothers when bad things happen to children. I know dad's care, but we process differently.

There are many parts to a well rounded life.
Physical
Emotional
Spiritual.......
and so on.

How are you doing at being well rounded? Are you happy with things as they are?

Or perhaps I should ask if you are happy with the rate of progress? If you are like me, you may never (in this life) be happy with things as they are.

Hi Neaksis !
It's sometimes difficult to know what to say to you. We care though. (SS smiles, and nods.) It looks like it's been a tough year in many ways. May it improve. I'm glad you have a sense of humor....... but then, that is probably a family trademark.

Hi AJ !
Not sure if I could drive like you are doing. I suppose I could if I had to. We can do about anything if we have to.
Almost anything. We're praying for you. I hope you feel safe.

I vote AW has to post photos of the construction projects. Wouldn't it be fun to see how things look?

SS

hi there everyone!

I've been talking to Aussie for ages, great to hear him and know he 's well. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I keep rehearsing all through the day what I'm going to say to him and talk about and when I actually do I usually forget everything! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

usually all about home, the kids, what Mikey is doing, family. I don't ask if he's coming home, I guess he'll tell me if he is. don't want to go there.

SS photo's of my handy work? well ok end of the week when I FINALLY put in the french doors. hopefully <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

hope all are doing well, Neak I'm still praying for you all and when you can please let us know how things are.

hugs to all

AW

It's not as much fun if we tell you everything! Don't you know that?

Arnott's products - click here for TimTams








Meanwhile, I feel HORRIBLE. Too bad I have to get really sick before they'll do anything for it. I have the misfortune of getting respiratory infections 2-3 times a year.

Hi SS
I replied earlier, but the computer ate my post. I was just thanking you for always (or at least close to always) remembering me in your posts. I keep up with the thread even if I don't have much to say. Or maybe too much to say...I don't know.

Neaksis

Hi SS
I replied earlier, but the computer ate my post.

Maybe you should send it off to live with those people who are taking care of J. It may need some training too.

I was just thanking you for always (or at least close to always) remembering me in your posts.

Just remember that people care about you. Well, I mean you know your mom and dad do. We pray for you, and the kids.

I keep up with the thread even if I don't have much to say. Or maybe too much to say...I don't know.

Life being what it is, some of us write, some of us don't. You don't have to write. We like you anyway.

We hope things are well at your house.

SS

SS - did you get your snack? I am fond of Montes and Mint Slices as well as TimTams.

Neak, hugs to you and all the other Neakatives. That would be the "Neak" relatives.

SS - you are a thoughtful man. Your wife better be good to you.

Neaksis, honestly I don't know how you do it, truly I don't. And with a smile too! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I do hope all is going well with all & things are working out and getting better each day
But I do keep all your family in my prayers.

SS, Rella, I have 5 packs of Mint Slices they are so yum! They are also so bad for a diet!

Aussie has gone again. He told me he was off the other night going to where ever. But he did get to hear Mikey babble a bit and talked a lot with his princess & even Jonnie. He was fit, fresh, even eager to go, I could hear it in his voice. Soldiers don't live in the same world as we do I guess. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Liz is happy though not pleased Jonnie is going back end of October. Sometimes she watches him as if memorising every moment, gesture. Its sad to think so many are doing the same thing in the US and here. Its what I do I suppose. Strange how you accept it all though. It does make feel so grateful to God that I lived and enjoyed my M and family even through so much. Very lucky.

But on a happy home front note I put my doors in at long last!!!! work perfectly too. House is a shambles though <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Those snacks look GREAT !!

No, I didn't have one. However, this is our weekend off, so I think I'll have a Lindt chocolate. (there is one here in my desk drawer.)

AW, I'm glad the doors work. It's no fun when you get them in and have problems.

Cinderella, You are very kind, and yes she is good to me. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

May everyone have a good weekend. Oh, wait, it's a long weekend for some. I suppose that means GOOD by default.

T&L, how it the "no overtime" thing working?

Neak, you are very quiet.
Is she gone on the road, or is the net down at her house?

See you all later.

Ss

You do seem like a thoughtful, considerate, intelligent man.

I am pretty kind and sometimes it backfires on me. I think I am treated somewhat disrespectfully at work because of it. That's a bummer. Work is a bummer.

I have Mr. Computer visiting. We cooked for the church potluck tomorrow--pine nut/wild rice roast and chocolate cake with marshmallows, walnuts, chocolate chips, and cream cheese icing. I'm pooped, and it's only 8:30. Fortunately, he is, too, so we're going to bed very shortly.

After he was done whipping the icing, he asked if it tasted like icing. I said, "Stick your finger in and get some." (Don't tell the people at the potluck!) He sampled it, and said, "Wow, it tastes like real icing." I told him, "Well, of course it tastes like real icing. It IS real icing." To which he replied, "No, I mean REAL icing, like at the store." <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

t&l

P.S. Neak is home. The internet may or may not be temperamental. I'm not sure its condition at the moment. She, on the other hand, got a B12 shot today ("I'm the Perforater, and I'll be ba-a-a-ack.") and is feeling oddly invigorated.

I read a story once about a nurse in a pediatrician's office. She had this alter-ego and the children would let her give them their vaccinations when she put on her "VACCINATOR" cape.

Personally, I have had issues the last year or two with my hair periodically falling out - not too badly but what woman with very fine hair wants it to fall out....? Anyway, today was the lucky day to go get my 'hair shot'. And I am supposed to take my 'hair and nails vitamins' daily.

Woohoo, a small moment to post, and the internet working, all at the same time!!!!!

Thank you all for you care, concern, and prayers, which are always needed. I did go for a quick little trip overnight this week, but mostly my net has been down at all the inopportune moments.

Things are coming along here...yesterday the Dervish had a really good day, and didn't flat-out get in trouble until once at bedtime. He was helpful, cheerful, and not too unkind to others. The day before, Mr. C and the Dervish both had total meltdowns at the same time, just as I was trying to walk out the door to the IRS to pay the heavy vehicle use tax. Boy was that interesting.

Neaksis appears to be holding her own like a trooper, and in a way things are improving on her end, but as they improve she finds out more that she wishes she didn't know. It may have spread farther than we at first realized, though we don't know for sure yet.

Also, the boy that molested our 3 is pointing fingers at Neaksis' eldest, that supposedly all this came from him. You can never be 100% sure, but I really don't think that is correct, for many reasons I can list later, but now the mother kind of feels this mental relaxation, 'ahh, I have traced this back to its source, and it is Neaksis' fault again...' <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> That way she doesn't have to look too closely at her brother as a possible suspect either. (She said all 4 of them were molested, and her other brother is a confirmed pedophile, but not the one that lives with them. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /><img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> )

Ok, running out of time here, and must condense. In addition to this other boy molesting our 3 boys, now they have just found out that the other boy also engaged in sexual activity with 2 additional boys at a sleepover. No matter whether they think they know it all now, this is only the tip of the iceberg, sadly. This boy had many many sleepovers, both at his house and at others. He was (and is) permitted to roam the neighborhood freely. Of course there are others.

Wooboy, not wanting to end on a downer, let me say a big THANK YOU to Mom for that lovely shot yesterday, I feel fabulous today, which is a good thing because now I'm down to only 35 minutes to get ready if I am going to leave on time. I am not too worried, since I know Grandpa will take MUCH MUCH longer than that.

Dervish Dictionary...

uh-SKYOOS-ez: n. An attempt to dodge responsibility for one's actions.

((((((((((((My MB Buddies)))))))))))))))))