# Arkansas and Australia for Strangers



## moore2me (Dec 28, 2007)

We Arkansans love our state and bragging about it. Susannah has asked me several times to tell her more about the place where Bill Clinton and Joy Joy are from, so I am dedicating this thread to doing just that. First, thing we'll cover are famous citizens.

Yes, we are proud of many of our citizens (both natural born and adopted). However, there are a few that we admit as citizens (we will let anybody in) regardless of their personality or credentials. Guess who falls into which category? (Some are no longer living - but you know that.)

Most are taken from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/browse-alpha.aspx

1. Joy Joy
2. Bill & Hillary Clinton
3. Huckabee
4. Billy Bob Thorton
5. Johnny Cash
6. Bear Bryant (Coach)
7. the "Little Rock Nine" (Central High Crisis) Carlotta Walls, Jefferson Thomas, Gloria Ray , Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Thelma Mothershed, Terrence Roberts, Minnijean Brown, and Melba Pattillo .
8. Carol Burnett
9. Winthrop and Paul Rockefeller
10. Jermaine Taylor (Boxer, Former Middleweight World Champ)

11. Sam Walton (Walmart Founder)
12. the Tyson family (chicken & food processing)
13. Tony and Susan Alamo (religious cult)
14. John Grisham (novelist)
15. Charles Portis (novelist  True Grit
16. Glen Campbell (singer & composer)
17. Hanging Judge Issac Parker (Ft. Smith)
18. Wilbur Mills (US Congressman)
19. Daisy Bates (mentor of Little Rock Nine)

20. Orval Faubus (Governor, Central High Crisis)
21. Maya Angelou (Former U.S. poet laureate) 
22. Mary Steenburgen
23. Jim Bowie (Bowie knife made in Arkansas)
24. Dee Brown (novelist, wrote Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee)

25. General Douglas MacArthur (5 Star US General, Supreme Allied Commander of the Southwest Pacific Theater, WWII)

26. Evanescence (Rock Band)
27. Lefty Frizzell (Honky Tonk Singer )
28. William Fulbright (US Senator)
29. Gil Gerard (Actor - Buck Rodgers)
30. Al Green (Soul Music Singer)
31. Conway Twitty (Country Music Singer)
32. Sonny Liston (Boxer)
33. John Daly (Golfer)
34. Lum and Abner (30s -40s Radio show personalities)
35. Mark Martin (Race Cars)
36. Sidney Moncrief (Basketball player)
37. Patsy Montana (Country singer)
38. Scottie Pippen (Basketball player)
39. Dick Powell (TV celebrity)

40. Charlie Rich (Country singer)
41. Debbye Turner (Miss America, Veterinarian, TV host)
42. Ernest Hemingway (Author  wrote Farewell to Arms while living in Ark.)
43. Wiederkehr Wine vineyards
44. Post Wine vineyards
45. Yarnell Ice Cream Family
46. Falcon Jet (Customizes private jets)
47. Jacuzzi Family (came up with Jacuzzi pumps & spas)
48. Razorback hogs (wild pigs  nasty tempers) 
49. Dizzy Dean (Baseball player)
50. Jimmy Driftwood (Country music)
51. Jerry Van Dyke (Comedian)

Not proud of these infamous guys below:
52. Damien Echols (Convicted of Murdering 3 children in W Memphis, '93)
53. Andrew Golden & Mitchell Johnson (Shot & killed classmates outside of a Jonesboro shool in '98 when the Andrew was 13 and Mitchell was 11)


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## Shosh (Dec 28, 2007)

Hey D,

I am a huge Johnny Cash fan. I had no idea that Arkansas had so many famous residents.

What is the state flower, motto and bird of your fair state?


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## moore2me (Dec 29, 2007)

Susannah said:


> Hey D,
> 
> I am a huge Johnny Cash fan. I had no idea that Arkansas had so many famous residents.
> 
> What is the state flower, motto and bird of your fair state?



What is the state flower - it is the apple blossum (but apple trees are slowly being replaced around the state, *I think the state flower should be the dogwood flower*. The dogwood is a tree that grows wild (we have about 50 in our yard) and in the spring are one of the first trees to bloom. The wild trees produce beautiful white flowers. (Domesticated trees can produce pink flowers.)

motto of your fair state - *Arkansas - the Natural State.*

state bird? It is the mockingbird. The mockingbird is a welcome songbird to any backyard. He has a delightful habit of learning other birds calls and songs and singing them all day long. The mockingbird in our yard has a repertoire of at least a dozen other birds and goes thru them at the top of his voice from a high vantange point. Harper Lee's classic southern novel, *To Kill a Mockingbird*, was made into a great movie starring Gregory Peck and Robert DuVall 

However, some think the state "bird" should be the mosquito. In the county where I live, there are a lot of minnow (bait fish farms). Minnow farms use great shallow ponds of water to grow little fish that are a few inches in length. Mosquitos are the by product of raising minnows, and other aquaculture. They also breed in low lying stagnant pools of water like the backups of the Arkansas River and non-flowing side pools. One can hardly go outside at night without mosquito protection, they are vicious in the summer. The little ones are the worst biters, but I measured a monster one time outside my window at home that had a 7 inch leg span. We have our share of mosquito borne diseases too, since DDT was outlawed.

(Picture legend: First row, from Left - Glory Hole in the Ozark Mountains, Mirror Lake at Blanchard Springs, Whitaker Point.
Second row from left - the Buffalo River National Park, Wild dogwood flowers. 

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## Santaclear (Dec 29, 2007)

Jazz great Pharoah Sanders, was called "Little Rock" ('cos he was originally from there) by his fellow musicians after he first moved to NYC in 1961. 

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## moore2me (Dec 29, 2007)

Santaclear said:


> Jazz great Pharoah Sanders, was called "Little Rock" ('cos he was originally from there) by his fellow musicians after he first moved to NYC in 1961.



Santa - Thanks for the contribution!


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## Jane (Dec 29, 2007)

Also, Jane was born there, but at the age of 3 days her parents took her home to Oklahoma (Arkansas had the nearest hospital). My son was the first one of us born outside Arkansas in three generations.


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## jamie (Dec 29, 2007)

My mother in law. I just spent 9 hours driving down and 9 hours driving back for Christmas. She lives in Arkadelphia, but I personally love Hot Springs best.


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## Shosh (Dec 29, 2007)

Hey D,

Arkansas is most beautiful. I know of the Mockingbird, and the book "To kill a mockingbird". There is also 1313 Mockingbird Lane, the famous gothic chateau of the devilishly ghoulish Munster family.

I love blossoms of any variety. I felt a twinge of sadness when you mentioned the apple blossom. My father used to always herald the start of spring here by talking about the blossoms on the trees. He has been gone for three years now. He is not dead, he just left one day.

Mosquitos and flies are also a big annoyance in Australia in the summer time. In Northern Australia there is a type of mosquito that can pass a nasty illness on to humans, named Ross River fever. Very nasty business it is.

Arkansas. Why is there a Kansas and an Arkansas? Why is there a Philadelphia and an Arkadelphia? All conundrums to me.

Please continue Deborah. 

Shoshie


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## Jane (Dec 29, 2007)

Susannah said:


> Hey D,
> 
> Arkansas is most beautiful. I know of the Mockingbird, and the book "To kill a mockingbird". There is also 1313 Mockingbird Lane, the famous gothic chateau of the devilishly ghoulish Munster family.
> 
> ...



From Wikipedia:

_The name Arkansas derives from the same root as the name for the State of Kansas. The Kansas tribe of American Indians are closely associated with the Sioux tribes. The word is a French pronunciation of a Quapaw (a related "Kaw" tribe) word meaning "land of downriver people" or "people of the south wind". The pronunciation of Arkansas (ar-kan-saw) was made official by an act of the state legislature in 1881 after a dispute between the two U.S. Senators from Arkansas. One wanted to pronounce the word ar-kan-sas and the other wanted ar-kan-saw.[2]_


A lot of the names in this country are Native American names, and some French versions of the Native words. In Oklahoma we have both the Washita and Ouachita mountains (which extend into Arkansas). Two different very low ranges (very old) on opposite sides of the state, almost exact pronunciations of the word.


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## moore2me (Dec 30, 2007)

Jane, Thanks for answering Susannah's rather unique question. (You can tell Soshieboo teaches young kids in school - my sister in law does too & they both talk just alike.)

Next subject about my state is vacationing. My favorite place to vacation is a resort called Gastons. It is at the mouth of the White River in northern Arkansan and located at the foot of Bull Shoals Dam. The resort has hotel rooms, cabins, a convention center, an excellent restaurant, an landing field for light planes, world class rainbow trout fishing, canoeing, hiking, beautiful scenery, peace and quiet, little animals that the owners encourage to come up to the cabins with feeders, swimming, and a nearby lake for larger water craft, water-skiing or scuba-diving.

http://www.gastons.com/

A few pictures for you to check out are below. Trout fishing is done year round, but cold weather months (now) Jan-March are the best trout fishing. 

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## Shosh (Dec 31, 2007)

Deborah,

Gaston's looks amazing. I love the pics of the stones under the water. The scenery is lovely. I would have thought that the river would get frozen over at this time of year? What does Rainbow trout taste like?

When I was a child we used to travel up north and my father and I would sit on the end of the jetty and fish. We sometimes would go out in a boat and fish for Snapper and Flathead also. Wonderful childhood memories. There are some incredible places to fish here.
Deborah, how do I download some pics here? I would like to share Australia here with you also on this thread, or do I need to start a seperate Australia thread?

My next questions about Arkansas are, who was the first Govenor of the state? When was the state founded and settled? I would be interested in hearing about a lil old time Arkansas, as I am a big history buff.


Shosh


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## JoyJoy (Dec 31, 2007)

Wow...I'm flattered to be included on that list, Moore2Me..thanks.  Although I must admit that I'm an Okie at heart..Boomer Sooner all the way. :wubu: I've only lived in Arkansas since 2000, but I do have to say that it is a beautiful state! Saucywench and Gordo Mejor live here, as well...and I believe we have a few other posters from AR.

This is where I live:
http://www.cityofconway.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway,_Arkansas

A yearly festival we have here, as well as the name of a city park:
http://www.toadsuck.org/

It's also part of the inspiration for Conway Twitty's stage name:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway_Twitty


My favorite place in AR is here: http://www.eurekasprings.com/ with tons of quaint bed and breakfast inns, a thriving artist community, and so much more. 

The Cresent Hotel, atop a mountain there, has been named "America's Most Haunted Hotel" http://www.americasmosthauntedhotel.com/






Then there's the Thorncrown Chapel: http://www.thorncrown.com/

If I ever get married again, this is where I'd like it to happen.









Little Rock has lots of great places, too, as does Hot Springs.


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## Shosh (Jan 1, 2008)

Joy.

Thanks for those wonderful pics. The chapel looks magnificent. I hope you will get married again. I hope I will get married.

So you are from Oklahoma? Only 24 hours from Tulsa.

The Conway Toad Festival sounds interesting. In Australia up north there are hideous monsters called cane toads. Apparently their thick leathery skin is poisonous. Best I don't lick em then.

Conway Twitty? Is he a cousin of Travis Tritty?:huh:

Joy, will you ever move back to Oklahoma, or will you stay in Arkansas?

Susannah


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## moore2me (Jan 1, 2008)

Susannah,

I have seen a couple of TV documentaries about those nasty cane toads. Very evil little (or big) beasts. Glad we don't have them. No, out toads are not that bad. Yes, a few are toxic, but, not the ones we race at Toad Suck Days. And, I have sent you an email about how to put pictures on this thread. (If anyone else would like to know how to paste pictures onto a DIMS thread, PM me & I'll get you a copy of these instructions.)


And I thank Joy Joy for adding those beautiful Pixs of Thorncrowne chapel. Yes, it is a picture perfect place to get married. And Eurkea Springs is really neat too, so many good places to eat & shop.
_________________________________________________________________

As to your previous post, here are some answers to your questions about Arkansas History.

The earliest Arkansas history involving mankind deals with Indian civilizations. The tribes of this area included the Cherokee, the Caddo, the Quapaw, and one of most interesting artifacts are the Toltec mounds. The Toltec mounds are earth mounds created sometimes thousands of years ago by native tribes for perhaps religious purposes. The following site explores the mound building culture. 
http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/e...m=Pre-European+Exploration+(Prehistory+-+1540)

*(Moores note: The area where our farm is located is only about 50 miles from the Toltec mounds. There is evidence on our land where Indian tribes once roamed the land. When my husband plows or turns the earth, it is not unusual for him to find an arrowhead or some discarded shards of tools or other Indian artifacts. We had a renter once who was a full blooded Sioux Indian, an old woman. She insisted that we re-bury the artifacts that we accidentally dug up. We did. She prayed over them.)*

White explorers (De Soto, La Harpe, and La Salle) from the Europe began making Arkansas famous. After the age of exploration, the settlement of the territory began in earnest. Early Arkansas History (dealing with the Louisiana Purchase) and the creation of the first government can be found at this website. 
http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=398#

*James Miller*, who served as a brigadier general during the War of 1812, was the *first governor of the Arkansas Territory* and served as superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Arkansas Territory. You can read more about Gov Miller at this location.
http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2872


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## Shosh (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Deborah,

I am feeling a bit shaky and tired tonight, so I will be back at you with a response to your latest post here, tomorrow.

Thanks cookie.

PS thanks for the email.

Susannah


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## Shosh (Jan 3, 2008)

Deborah,

Wow, that was a lot of information to digest about both the indigenous peoples of Arkansas and the history of White settlement in the territory.

The Toltec Mounds sound very sacred and fascinating.
In Australia comparable ancient art would be the Koori cave paintings.Some of these incredible yet simplistic paintings date back thousands of years. 
Called " The Dreaming" Or "The Dreamtime" the paintings record the exploits of their ancestors, depict rituals, and explain the creation of living creatures, plants and the land etc.

Koori civilisation dates back between 40,000 to 80,000 years.
Here is a cave painting of a fish.


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What is the correct name to call the indigenous peoples of America? I would not want to use an incorrect or insensitive term of reference.
In Australia the indigenous people are called Koori's.

Please continue Deborah.


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## Shosh (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey Deborah,

Thanks for the pic posting tips.






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## moore2me (Jan 3, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey Deborah,
> 
> Thanks for the pic posting tips.
> 
> ...




*You Go Girl!*​


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## Tad (Jan 3, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Arkansas. Why is there a Kansas and an Arkansas? Why is there a Philadelphia and an Arkadelphia? All conundrums to me.



The 'adelphia' part apparently is from the greek meaning 'of brothers' or something like that. Philedelphia is often called 'the city of brotherly love, (philos is ancient greek for love). Arkadelphia though.....Arkansas of brothers? Brothers of Arkansas? Or maybe they were just ripping off Philadelphia?


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## Shosh (Jan 3, 2008)

edx said:


> The 'adelphia' part apparently is from the greek meaning 'of brothers' or something like that. Philedelphia is often called 'the city of brotherly love, (philos is ancient greek for love). Arkadelphia though.....Arkansas of brothers? Brothers of Arkansas? Or maybe they were just ripping off Philadelphia?



Thanks. This again makes me think of my father who is a real language buff. He was forever explaining the Greek and Latin roots for many of the words we use today.I think we become like our parents in some ways because I find myself now doing the same when interesting words come up in conversations.


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## Shosh (Jan 3, 2008)

Deborah,

Next question is how do you insert several pics at a time?

Thanks 

S 

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## Shosh (Jan 3, 2008)

Deborah,


Please excuse that technical problem. I knew I was getting too cocky with the pic posting. I was trying to post a pic of Melbourne. Shall keep trying.

Shosh


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## Shosh (Jan 3, 2008)

Hope this works. Here is a pic of Melbourne.
How do I make it bigger?




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## moore2me (Jan 3, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hope this works. Here is a pic of Melbourne.
> How do I make it bigger?
> View attachment 33735



After you have already saved the picture, it usually distorts it to make it bigger. For a larger picture, I recommend saving a larger image to begin with. Do this by saving an image with more pixels and more KBs. Then when it is on your hard drive, you can use a picture processing program to either:

(1) compress it for web pages, or
(2) resize it for DIMS. You have to follow the parameters for Attachment filetypes. For example a JPEG can be no more than 97.7 KB and no more than 620 pixels wide and no more than 280 pixels high.

This has to be done before the DIMS site will accept (upload) your picture, unless you use the URL thing I mentioned in my email.

If you need to know how to do this. Let me know, if can continue instructions in another post. (I will need to know what type of picture processing program you have on your computer or are you using something online like photobucket?)

(Your picture on the post was a little fuzzy. Did it look like that where you got it? Are you using an accelerator? You may need to refresh your picture next time before you save it.)

I will demonstrate. First picture is downloaded using an accelerator and is fuzzy. Second, picture I have "refreshed" (reloaded the picture).


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## moore2me (Jan 3, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Deborah,
> 
> 
> Please excuse that technical problem. I knew I was getting too cocky with the pic posting. I was trying to post a pic of Melbourne. Shall keep trying.
> ...



Rome wasn't built in a day, Shosh. :batting:

(I used to do this stuff for a living, now I do it for fun, I get lots of practice.)


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## Shosh (Jan 4, 2008)

Can I pick up where we left off sans the pics for now? Would you like me to tell you a little about how my family came to arrive in Australia?

I shall talk about my mother's family. My father's mother kind of made my life miserable especially about my weight when she was alive. I have blocked her out of my mind, right or wrong because of that.

My Maternal grandparents fled Hungary and came to Australia. My grandfather's sister and her son perished in the Shoah. The daughter ( My grandfather's neice survived and later came to Australia)

When my grandparents ( Bela, pronounced Bayla, and Katelan Pronounced Cuttilarn) came to Australia they spoke very little English.
Their first dwelling was a small apartment above a shop which was their first printing company. My grandfather was a lithographer ( Printer).

They worked six days a week like many immigrants did just to get ahead.
This tiny, modest little printing business grew over the years, to where at the time of my grandfather's death the family business had several offices in Australia and North America.
My grandparents were very funny, very warm people. I think I am just like them in many ways. They also were not backwards in coming forwards when it came to speaking their minds. I wonder who else is like that?
They were like newlyweds their whole lives, so in love with each other. My grandmother died two years after my grandfather from a broken heart I think. She missed him.
Anyway I miss them so much.
m.t.d.s.r.i.p

My nephew Marcus' Hungarian name is Bela, after his great grandfather.


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## moore2me (Jan 4, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Can I pick up where we left off sans the pics for now? Would you like me to tell you a little about how my family came to arrive in Australia?
> 
> I shall talk about my mother's family. My father's mother kind of made my life miserable especially about my weight when she was alive. I have blocked her out of my mind, right or wrong because of that.
> 
> ...



*A very great honor for Marcus.*


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## Shosh (Jan 5, 2008)

Hey D,

I would love to hear about your family when you get the chance.

Today was so hot. It was 98 degrees. The weather here at this time of year is sometimes horrific it is so hot. I find it hard to function in this weather.
I live in a small apartment in a building of about 9 other apartments.

I am scared of my downstairs neighbor. He has yelled at me before and is quite menacing. He told me that he does not want to hear me get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet. I am very quiet meanwhile, but he threatened to come up to my apartment and "Show me how noisy I am". 
When I told my brother this today he was very upset and told me to make sure I lock my door at night and call the cops straight away should I need to.
I don't think this guy would physically hurt me, I just think he gets off on dominating women. 
I shall leave this apartment when my lease expires in July.

Deborah I hope you don't mind if this thread goes in all kinds of different directions. 

PS I shall ask my Uncle about the family printing business.

Be happy Cookie.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Jan 5, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey D,
> 
> I would love to hear about your family when you get the chance.
> 
> ...



*Also, old bookstores and antique book sales might have some of the printing. Tell me what kind of stuff they printed. The Library of Congress (LOC) has a website that has digitalized a bunch of old printed material.*


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## Shosh (Jan 9, 2008)

Hey Deborah,

After a hiatus of a few days I am back on this thread. Can I just tell you that although we have never met I think you are simply wonderful. You are a real friend to me here. Thank you.

I have made a few wonderful friends here. Mimi is a bit special to me here as I see her as a beautiful sensitive soul, who is slowly emerging from her shell.
I think that Dims has been wonderful for her.

I sent her a very beautiful handbag last weekend as I wanted her to have something really special and pretty. She should get it soon.

I hope I am not breaking any rules by speaking about a person who does not have knowledge that I am doing so. I just think Mimi is wonderful and I wanted to say so. She is an angel with a glorious heart.

Now Deborah I do believe you were questioning whether Australians actually speak the Queen's English?

I can answer in the affirmative, and add that I believe it is Americans who do not have a firm grasp of the language of Her Majesty!

Explain the following please.

" I am going to fix dinner" :huh: Why? Is there something wrong with dinner that needs fixing?

How about " I am going to prepare dinner"  Ahh that's better.:bow:

While we are at it please explain " I'm done" :huh: What have you done?

How about " I have finished" Lordy Miss Clawdy now that makes sense.

:kiss2: Love ya!

Shoshie


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## moore2me (Jan 9, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey Deborah,
> 
> After a hiatus of a few days I am back on this thread. Can I just tell you that although we have never met I think you are simply wonderful. You are a real friend to me here. Thank you.
> 
> ...



*Since you are studying southern vernacular, here's a few more words to learn:

1. I am fixin' to pop you upside the head. (No, I'm not threatening you - this is just an example of what a mom would say to a kid.)

2. Would you like a Coke? (Note - Coke in the south could mean any carbonated soft drink, the quest should reply, "Yeah, what'u got?"
And I say "Mt Dew, Diet Mt Dew, Diet Coke, Grape Kool-Aid, and Tea (meaning sweetened ice tea).

3. And my personal favorite, when I lived in Mississippi, my grannies' farm used to be near a tower where the US forest service would station rangers to watch for forest fires during the dry, fire season. When someone wanted to know where granny lived, the instructions were (with a southern drawl)

. . . ."over thar' bye thu far tar" and everyone new exactly where we were talking about - except for the Yankees.


*


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## Shosh (Jan 9, 2008)

Hey D,

I would love to travel through America's South. I am sure that I would find it most fascinating. Southeners are also known for their warmth and hospitality. That I also like, as I am the same way.

Regarding the lingo, you win this round!
I have not given up though. I shall find a phrase to cause you consternation if it kills me.:bow:

Meanwhile we are in for another scorcher today. Around 108 degrees. I shall be at work with the A/C blasting.

Hugs

Susannah


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## moore2me (Jan 9, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey D,
> 
> I would love to travel through America's South. I am sure that I would find it most fascinating. Southeners are also known for their warmth and hospitality. That I also like, as I am the same way.
> 
> ...



*I can't believe it's so hot there & so cold here. I wish we could have moderate weather - it would be so nice. Now I see why you have not been feeling well.*


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## moore2me (Jan 10, 2008)

Sussanah & other folks not familiar with our local creatures,

I thought you might like to know what kind of wild critters (the larger ones) that I have in my yard, around my house & on my land. Keep in mind we live in a rural area where there are farms and our house sits on about 50 acres, most of it wooded. Pictures follow the descriptions.

(More creatures to come in later posts.)

*1. Coyotes *- these relatives of the dog live in packs & most nights you can hear the howling outside my house. My dogs alternate between howling with them and barking at them. Coyotes will eat about anything including small dogs, trash, chickens, dog food, garden plants (they like watermelon), etc.

*2. Whitetail deer *- they are beautiful creatures, but pesky in that they eat our garden up too, they eat our flowers, our fruit, and cause the dogs to bark at night. But they sure are cute & they taste good fried or BBQd. I estimate there are about a half dozen deer living close to our house, however the males (bucks) often range further than the females (does).

*3. Raccoons*- these little fellows are very smart and can get into almost anything. Their little hands are as good as ours. They can open latchs and love to get in dog food. They steal my minnows and fishing bait if they can. They have cute little babies tho. They can be vicious when cornered and can drown a dog if they can lure them into water.

*4. Flying squirrels *- these are cute little "sugar gliders" that are about 7 inches long and "fly" by climbing high in a tree and spreading their flaps of skin and gliding to the next tree. They live in bird houses in our yard and sleep during the day and play at night (nocturnal). You can hear them chirping if you go outside at night.

*5. Gray squirrels *- they are the bigger cousins of the flying squirrels. The gray squirrels live in the tall trees in the woods. They build nests high in the trees where they raise their young. I watch hawks come sneak in thru the woods to try and nab a squirrel as they hunt for food on the floor of the forest. Owls try to catch squirrels at night. It is not unusual to see a squirrel with his tail chopped off where an owl or a hawk caught him but he escaped with his life but without his tail. 

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## Shosh (Jan 11, 2008)

I shall be on this tomorrow Cookie. This tired little girl is heading to bed right this instant.

Tomorrow I also want to read a few people's blogs from start to finish.


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## Shosh (Jan 13, 2008)

Hey Cookie,

So you got to hear my voice today on my My Space page. Everybody hates the sound of their own voice, no?

The pics of the animals that you posted are lovely.

Three questions. Are coyotes related to dingoes at all? 

Are you familiar with the wild dog the dingo? Do you recall the famous case of the infant Azaria Chamberlain who went missing at Ularu ( Then named Ayers Rock) in 1980? 
The infant's mother Lindy Chamberlain told the police that a dingo had carried her baby off. She was later convicted of her daughter's murder, but the conviction was later quashed.

Deborah are you not scared that a coyote will come close to your home, or worse still that you may unexpectedly have a confrontation with one?

As for the deer, they are a most beautiful creature. Don't eat Bambi Cookie! 
I am not a vegetarian, don't worry.

Racoons I do not believe exist in Australia, squirrels do and they are must cute also.

My next question is how did you meet your husband? Is there an interesting story to be told there?

My best wishes from afar

Susannah


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## moore2me (Jan 13, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey Cookie,
> 
> So you got to hear my voice today on my My Space page. Everybody hates the sound of their own voice, no?
> 
> ...



*
So how about you? Are you seeing anyone special? I noticed on your myspace page a guy offered some pretty serious intentions.

Second question, since you brought up the "Dingo Ate My Baby Story", I watched a movie this week that was about neighbors of yours from New Zealand. The movie was "Out of the Blue" about the David Gray massacre in Aramoana in 1990 when he shot & killed 13 innocent neighbors. It was a chilling movie. I had no idea that happened. I don't remember it in the news over here in the states.* 

View attachment Bambi-sm.jpg


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## Shosh (Jan 13, 2008)

moore2me said:


> *
> So how about you? Are you seeing anyone special? I noticed on your myspace page a guy offered some pretty serious intentions.
> 
> Second question, since you brought up the "Dingo Ate My Baby Story", I watched a movie this week that was about neighbors of yours from New Zealand. The movie was "Out of the Blue" about the David Gray massacre in Aramoana in 1990 when he shot & killed 13 innocent neighbors. It was a chilling movie. I had no idea that happened. I don't remember it in the news over here in the states.*



Hey,

I do not know how to break up a response to a post and reply to the questions in the manner that you can. Hey I am a luddite!
I am still trying to work out the whole pic enlargement bizzo.

Firstly can I just tell you that my brother has announced that they will be putting off their return to America for now.
My sister in law ( They are not married, but common law partners, but they have been together for ten years) has missed her mother and family here and she wants Marcus to spend the first couple of years of his life growing up in Australia. I am so happy! I was dreading the day that they were going to return to the US, and I was sad because I did not want my nephew to grow up without me.

My brother's work is primarily in America, but he could commute backwards and forwards a few times a year. Pleased as punch I am.

As for My Space, I take it with a rather large grain of salt. I have zero interest in the majority of guys there. I am there to mostly keep in touch with friends here that live in other parts of the country, and my mates from Dimensions.

Am I seeing anybody? Not at the moment. I am hoping that 2008 will be the year that I will meet somebody special. I have been unwell and have started a new job, so i haven't been out there socially that much of late. Hopefully when things settle down a bit I will get out more ,and I hope that fate will intervene and that I will meet someone.

My preference would be an older man. That is just me. I feel more comfortable and happy with a man older than myself. Older men don't expect you to be perfect the way that younger men do, and they are not body nazis like some younger men can be.

Finally as to the massacre in New Zealand to which you refer, I am vaguely familiar with it.

Google Port Arthur Massacre Tasmania 1996, and you will see that Australia had it's own psychopathic loner who killed 35 innocents in a horrifying spree one afternoon.

Australia has a very grisly history in terms of all manner of murder and mayhem. That I shall save for another time.

I am off to work now to see my little blossoms.

Take care my friend across the miles,

Shoshie


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## Ernest Nagel (Jan 15, 2008)

As a lifelong Arkansas neighbor and fan when I saw this thread I knew I would have to plug http://www.ozarkgetaways.com/beanfest_outhouse.html if it wasn't already mentioned. I've been going to Beanfest for 15 years, off and on and it is a quintessential Arkansas experience. Some of the best live folk and bluegrass music you will ever hear in your life and it's all free. 

Musician's move there from all over the country to be a part of this music-centric community. Every fall people come from far and wide to hear these little four and five piece pick-up bands play on front porches, in parks and wherever people can gather round. Much of the music has been handed down by oral tradition for generations. The fact that it's often perfectly timed to catch the peak of the fabulous Ozark fall foliage is just a G-d-sent bonus.

Sorry if this is a breach of protocol Moore? Still way noob here. Don't even have my cabana boy gear yet. Just couldn't not mention my fave place in Arkansas when I saw it wasn't here yet.


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## moore2me (Jan 15, 2008)

Ernest Nagel said:


> As a lifelong Arkansas neighbor and fan when I saw this thread I knew I would have to plug http://www.ozarkgetaways.com/beanfest_outhouse.html if it wasn't already mentioned. I've been going to Beanfest for 15 years, off and on and it is a quintessential Arkansas experience. Some of the best live folk and bluegrass music you will ever hear in your life and it's all free.
> 
> Musician's move there from all over the country to be a part of this music-centric community. Every fall people come from far and wide to hear these little four and five piece pick-up bands play on front porches, in parks and wherever people can gather round. Much of the music has been handed down by oral tradition for generations. The fact that it's often perfectly timed to catch the peak of the fabulous Ozark fall foliage is just a G-d-sent bonus.
> 
> Sorry if this is a breach of protocol Moore? Still way noob here. Don't even have my cabana boy gear yet. Just couldn't not mention my fave place in Arkansas when I saw it wasn't here yet.



Ernest,

Any contributions are welcome. We Arkansans pride ourselves on being hospitable (except to revenuers) and pickin' & grinnin' is a favorite activity even if some of us just listen. Thanks for your info.


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## moore2me (Jan 15, 2008)

For those of you who think Arkansas sounds a wee bit too backwoodsy, I have a short story for you. I have mentioned previously that we have a couple of rent houses that are low rent, "white trash" palaces. Before anyone jumps on my case for being a racist, let me say that these places are next door to me so they are also my neighbors and they would probably say the same thing about me.

Anyway, the family inhabiting one of the rent houses (as usually happens at least once a year) has become delinquent on their rent. Not just one month, mind you, they are over 2 months behind (hubby gave them a break during Christmas). So, after several weeks of broken promises to pay and other strange things going on next door, he decided to evict them. He called them on the phone and told them "he was coming over".

He got in his truck and drove over there, next door here is a good 1/4 mile thru the woods, and there were four extra vehicles in the yard and extra adults (not the renters) standing in the front yard. He got out of his truck and started to head toward the group, looking for the tenants. At that point, a woman (who we found out later was a sister of the tenant) *pulled a hatchet out of the back of her pickup truck and held it up like she wanted to start some sh*t.* My husband (not a coward, but not stoopid either) immediately got in his truck & left the premises. 

We sent them a certified letter of eviction instead of the verbal notification. They still haven't paid any rent & they are still living next door. So, you see why I have my dogs and hubby has his rifles. (The response time for 911 to get to our area has got to be at least 10 minutes.)


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## Jane (Jan 15, 2008)

moore2me said:


> For those of you who think Arkansas sounds a wee bit too backwoodsy, I have a short story for you. I have mentioned previously that we have a couple of rent houses that are low rent, "white trash" palaces. Before anyone jumps on my case for being a racist, let me say that these places are next door to me so they are also my neighbors and they would probably say the same thing about me.
> 
> Anyway, the family inhabiting one of the rent houses (as usually happens at least once a year) has become delinquent on their rent. Not just one month, mind you, they are over 2 months behind (hubby gave them a break during Christmas). So, after several weeks of broken promises to pay and other strange things going on next door, he decided to evict them. He called them on the phone and told them "he was coming over".
> 
> ...



He went over there without a shotgun?


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## Shosh (Jan 15, 2008)

Deborah,

Now you have gone and worried me. Tell your hub to please be careful. Some people will always be leetches and it is not worth your husband risking his safety over people like that.

I could never not pay rent. I pride myself on the fact that I have been living in the same apartment block for four years now and I have not missed paying my rent once. My rent is due on the sixth of every month, and I pay it usually two weeks before that every month. Not only am I on time, I pay it before it is due.
I understand that sometimes people find themselves in times of hardship, but I would feel ashamed of myself if I were to knowingly not pay rent.

Glad to hear from you cookie. I thought that you were maybe having a sick spell with the MS monster. 

Shoshana


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## moore2me (Jan 15, 2008)

Jane said:


> He went over there without a shotgun?



*Jane,
I let hubby handle the rent house due to the type of clients we have. In a previous job he worked a crew that repaired railroad tracks and employed a lot of ex-cons. He is a good judge of character and can handle himself in most adverse situations. And no, he did not take a shotgun over to that house - they have 5 small kids and hubby was not expecting to be threatened with an ax and there were those little kids in the house.

At the same house about 5 years ago, he also had trouble getting rent money and had gone over there to collect. The renters had chained a pit pull to the front porch (hubby figured it was to keep him from coming to the door). He came home, got a pistol and a can of pepper spray. He then went back to the house and when the dog came for him, he pepper sprayed it. The dog went as far away as its chain would let it. (Hubby was ready to shoot it if he needed to.) I sat & watched from the safety of the car. No one answered the door. He nailed an eviction notice to it and we left. 

When the previous renters left a few days later they stole our refrigerator, window unit air conditioner, roof whirlybird, and a few other pieces of assorted junk. Hubby tracked them down to their new digs and called the police who made them bring the stolen items back.*


Susannah said:


> Deborah,
> 
> Now you have gone and worried me. Tell your hub to please be careful. Some people will always be leetches and it is not worth your husband risking his safety over people like that.
> 
> ...


----------



## Shosh (Jan 17, 2008)

Good Evening Deborah,

I had a pretty good day today at work. The teacher's assistant that had been yelling at my little babies and handling them very roughly was given a verbal warning and moved to another older age group. I was very angry and shocked and upset with this woman's conduct to be honest.

I work with a class of 15 month to two year olds. Real little babies. This woman just screamed at them all the time and manhandled them. It really really upset me. My way is to be very soft and gentle and sensitive with children. Of course you sometimes need to guide and redirect their behaviour, but one can do do in a gentle fashion.
They are babies. It is not bloody boot camp!

I reported this woman's conduct to the director of the center, and sat with her behind closed doors, really pushing for this woman to be fired.

At any rate, my new assistant is wonderful. Very calm, very gentle, really warm and fuzzy like me.

My next question about Arkansas is an unusual one. Do you have any historic and/or interesting cemetaries?
My father is a history buff and he used to always take me and my siblings to historic cemetaries and landmarks. Sounds morbid, but I actually have inherited his interest in these fascinating places.
Necropolis. The city of the dead.

Be happy.

Shosh


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## moore2me (Jan 17, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Good Evening Deborah,
> 
> I had a pretty good day today at work. The teacher's assistant that had been yelling at my little babies and handling them very roughly was given a verbal warning and moved to another older age group. I was very angry and shocked and upset with this woman's conduct to be honest.
> 
> ...



The closest historical cemetery to my house is a Confederate Civil War Cemetery about 5 miles away. The soliders buried in it did not die from a battle, but died from a measles epidemic in 1862. Nevertheless, we honor it as fallen heroes of war.

Our most famous cemetery in Arkansas is the Mt Holly Cemetery in Little Rock.
http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=49

It was one of the earliest cemeteries to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places (1970). Buried in the hallowed grounds are state governors, warriors from the Civil War and all wars thereafter, leaders of industry and noteworthy citizens from our states past. The cemetery is also scenic with beautiful Victorian landscaping, one of a kind monuments remembering the dead.

The cemetery also integrated before our schools, churches, theaters, and restaurants did. In 1862, early members of Little Rocks Jewish community made use of twelve lots purchased exclusively for their use. Many of these remains were removed to Oakland Cemetery (on Little Rocks east side) between 1913 and 1916, when its Jewish section became available. Section 9 of a March 7, 1843, city ordinance called for a portion of Lot No. 210 at Mount Holly to be set aside for the interment of African Americans, described in the ordinance as deceased persons of color.

Other noteworthy cemeteries in Arkansas are old slave or colored cemeteries. What is unusual about these is for years they were overlooked and relatively abandoned. It was not unusual for a large farm of thousands of acres to have a small area (several thousand square feet) where dead slaves were buried years ago. The graves may have small rock or concrete markers, but many of the wooden markers were long gone. As a culture, we have been negligent in maintaining these cemeteries. Some have even been lost and reclaimed by encroaching woods, farmed over, or flooded when lakes or ponds were created. There have been efforts in the last few years to try and preserve these gravesites and honor the people (many unknown) buried there.

Next post  two more cemetery stories.
Building a lake.
A hillbilly cemetery.


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## Shosh (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

Sorry my wonderful friend. I have had two bad days of exhaustion and just feeling plain anxious about a few things. I shall be back on deck with this thread shortly.

How are you?

Big hug.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Jan 23, 2008)

I am doing okay. I think a touch of winter "blahs" have set in. Must work hard to overcome them. One of my docs had some blood tests run on me & said my vitamin D level was a little low, so he gave a script for a weekly vitamin supplement. Maybe that is what's causing the malaise.

And interesting side note - I fell out of bed the other night while asleep. This is the second time in a year I have done this. It is really strange, to wake up by hitting the floor. I have no idea why it is happening, but figure MS has a hand in it. If it keeps up, I may have to get side rails on my bed, just like a toddler or a geriatric patient. lol


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## Tina (Jan 23, 2008)

Deborah, that must be so frightening and jarring.

I'm just starting to catch up a little on this thread, and your neighbors sound creepy -- a little like something out of a Wes Craven movie.  Please be careful!


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## moore2me (Jan 23, 2008)

Tina,

Yes, it is a rude awakening - hitting the floor in the middle of the night. And then hubby get upset because I did this thing - like I was planning it as a surprise prank in the middle of the night. Men! 

And, as to our neighbors, they are still there. For now, we are calling them "squatters". The written eviction we gave them said they have another week, so we're waiting them out. State law says we cannot harrass them during this period of time, so we are being careful to avoid them. Funny how the law tends to side with tenants in these cases. 

Plus, there's those five or so kids in their house (sometimes more). You have to be extra careful dealing with parents when children are home. Some of them are not old enough to be in school yet. There are thick woods between our houses, but the kids often prowl the woods (as kids do). Hubby already told the parent's (months ago) to stop letting the kids start fires in the woods and no one was allowed to shoot firearms anymore. Just in case tho, I keep my curtains drawn at night altho you cannot see our house from the road. I am not afraid, just careful. 

And, my guard dogs are on night duty. A sad side here tho, my dogs killed and ate one of my flying squirrels. We got up the other morning and all that was left of the little squirrel was his tail - rottie ate the rest. This happens periodically, an animal comes inside our fence and we find it dead (or little parts) the next morning - raccoon, possum, rabbits, moles, feral cats, mice, rats, chickens, guineas, they all become cannon fodder.


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## Tina (Jan 24, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Tina,
> 
> Yes, it is a rude awakening - hitting the floor in the middle of the night. And then hubby get upset because I did this thing - like I was planning it as a surprise prank in the middle of the night. Men!


Yes, only just who got pranked?! You, methinks, by the Universe. 


> Hubby already told the parent's (months ago) to stop letting the kids start fires in the woods and no one was allowed to shoot firearms anymore.


 Huh? 




Fires? Guns? Cripes!! I hope the week goes by quickly and without incident. All of this stress is the very last thing you need.


> And, my guard dogs are on night duty. A sad side here tho, my dogs killed and ate one of my flying squirrels. We got up the other morning and all that was left of the little squirrel was his tail - rottie ate the rest. This happens periodically, an animal comes inside our fence and we find it dead (or little parts) the next morning - raccoon, possum, rabbits, moles, feral cats, mice, rats, chickens, guineas, they all become cannon fodder.


Aw. Yes, the way of it, but sad. I've never seen a flying squirrel IRL. 

Deborah, I truly do wish you some peace finally, that those horrid tenants are gone soon and in their place some people who are decent. And that your late night trips to the floor are halted. I think of that and think how frightening that must be. Sometimes I think life is nothing but a series of challenges and tests, with a few good things thrown in to keep us going. Do take care, dear woman.


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## imfree (Jan 24, 2008)

Edgar's Quote: Any day without human injury, property damage, or
an arrest, is a good day."

I've said that as a joke before, but it can be turned into a blessing.

For you, Moore2Me," May you and those you love be well, may 
your belongings be safe, and may others respect your peace." 
Be blessed today, Neighbor to my west.


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## moore2me (Jan 24, 2008)

*Edgar's Quote: Any day without human injury, property damage, or an arrest, is a good day."*

Edgar, I'm keeping tract of these and I expect a notebook with the appropriate entries eventually. (I really think you have the makings of a inspirational booklet here. A mix between Jeff Foxworthy and Chicken Soup for the Redneck Soul.) 

Consider me the muse from hell. 

View attachment tiger.JPG


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## Shosh (Jan 25, 2008)

Hey Deborah,

Missing you and our little thread. I am so exhausted at the moment. Sorry.
I am also feeling anxious and have been eating very little as my stomach is in knots. I am feeling upset about the fact that I am not yet married and that I have not had a child yet. It is just eating away at me at the moment, and it is consuming my every thought.
Without these things what am I worth?
Even upbeat Susannah sometimes falls in a heap.
Maybe you should tell me something funny about Arkansas.That would be good. Take my mind off this.

You are wonderful meanwhile, and I hope we meet someday.

Shoshie


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## moore2me (Jan 25, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey Deborah,
> 
> Missing you and our little thread. I am so exhausted at the moment. Sorry.
> I am also feeling anxious and have been eating very little as my stomach is in knots. I am feeling upset about the fact that I am not yet married and that I have not had a child yet. It is just eating away at me at the moment, and it is consuming my every thought.
> ...



Sussanah, The more you worry about this marriage thing, the worse your prospects will be. You will end up a "basket case". You should let up on yourself, calm down, and just start browsing where nice men are. Go to school and audit some classes. Take classes that are interesting to both sexes - volunteer to work in a place where lots of people are. A hospital reception area, or a library, or as a coach for special olympic activities, or as a volunteer to teach reading to adults. 

A funny story about Arkansas - huh? How about the time I worked at the lucky rabbit keychain factory? When I was working at the state, one of my jobs was to take air samples at people's workplaces. I was sent to north Arkansas to an operation that made lucky rabbit feet keychains. My assisgnment was to measure formaldehyde levels where people were working dyeing the feet.

Well, there were tanks of purple feet, red feet, blue feet, and green feet. All feet were soaked long enough for the dye to set and the foot to become preserved in the formadehyde. Then the foot was removed and a little cap and chain was placed on it. What was funny to me was that all four feet of the bunny were used. So it wasn't just one foot that was lucky. It was all of them - but not to the rabbit.

(The feet came from the rabbit meat plant I mentioned in a previous story.)


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## Shosh (Jan 28, 2008)

Hey Deborah,

Thanks for your advice. You are right, I have been a bit of a basket case about this whole marriage thing. I am still coming to terms with body image also. I know that men prefer perfect bodies, and mine just isn't.

On another note I felt upset about that doggie thread where I felt that you were being attacked a little. I didn't like that ,as I feel that you live in special circumstances where you risk coyotes etc coming to your door. You have to have penned guard dogs. I wanted to say something in response to all that, and maybe I still will.

Gotta have my friend's back.:bow:


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## moore2me (Jan 28, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey Deborah,
> 
> Thanks for your advice. You are right, I have been a bit of a basket case about this whole marriage thing. I am still coming to terms with body image also. I know that men prefer perfect bodies, and mine just isn't.
> 
> ...



Susannah, Thank you for your support. Coyotes do not worry me as much as the two legged varmits that might be prowling around looking for trouble or something to steal to buy crystal meth. 

Changing subjects here - about having a perfect body, the only people with perfect bodies are advertising and media's creations of women (and men) in magazines and on TV. These images are not real. If you go to a store and randomly survey what 50 or 100 women look like, almost none of them will match the qualities that media promotes and puts on TV screens, movies, and magazines. 

Boys may buy this hype, but real men soon figure out the "razzle dazzle" just is not real life. 

Now as to you not finding enough potential candidates in men. Look at what your schedule is. You teach children. You are with mostly kids and their mommies most of your working day. You live in a small apartment complex where you have a lunatic neighbor who would have a hissy fit if men did guy things in your area (played football, soccer, played loud music, worked on their cars at all hours, had parties at night, etc.). The friends you mentioned on this board are married with children - I'm sure you have others, but enough?

Instead of stewing about your biological clock ticking (unless you decide to go with artifical means), you need to come up with some activities that will help you get out and mingle with other single adults. (And stay out of herring barrels.) Don't fixate, just enjoy yourself. Do things for your pleasure. Since you are like me and do not have the energy to do much outside activity - it is important to focus what little you can do on quality activities. 

I still think learning to work radio and voice overs would be a untapped skill for you. Start with auditing classes at a local college or volunteering in public TV or public radio.

May the force be with you.


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## Shosh (Jan 31, 2008)

Deborah,

Hello my wonderful friend so far away. Well I went out last night to a social club function. I went on my own and met up with everybody at a pub where we had dinner and drinks outside on the deck as it was a pleasantly warm evening. I had a wonderful time, and spoke with several different gentlemen.
I guess I just have to let the stress and fear of it all go, and just enjoy myself.
Many have told me that the right man will come along if I can just relax and let it be a little. I hope so.
I have made bookings to go to a number of other events with this club, so I am just going to go and enjoy myself and let the cards fall where they may.

Deborah I agree with you in regards to excessive cursing here. I believe we should be allowed to, but that we should only do it sparingly.

Big hug to you D.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Feb 1, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Deborah,
> 
> Hello my wonderful friend so far away. Well I went out last night to a social club function. I went on my own and met up with everybody at a pub where we had dinner and drinks outside on the deck as it was a pleasantly warm evening. I had a wonderful time, and spoke with several different gentlemen.
> I guess I just have to let the stress and fear of it all go, and just enjoy myself.
> ...



Sussanah, I am glad to hear that you are getting out among adults a little more. Sounds like that's just the ticket for you. And, do enjoy yourself along the way .......remember your life is a journey, not a destination. 

About the cursing, I have to be careful about cursing in real life. My mom (age 85) just last month heard me curse in front of her and she said she was going to wash my mouth out with soap if I said those words again. Knowing her - she would too. That woman is crusty - old, but crusty, and would fight a grizzly bear with a switch. So, cursing is a bad habit I cannot develop even in my advanced stage of life. 

Oh, our renters we evicted moved out yesterday. They did sort of trash the house and the yard, but that was to be expected. At least they took all their kids and dogs with them. There is no way I'm cleaning up that mess & if hubby wants to rent that house again, either he'll have to clean it or he'll have to hire someone to do it. (We don't have much luck with hiring people to clean - too rural, too woodsey, water & electricity turned off - no phone, no neighbors, you get the picture.)

And one more little problem. The renter's kids were having problems with staph infections (another reason for me not to go near the place). Hubby has been "read the riot act" about infection control. I hope he doesn't get some kind of cooties from cleaning that place.


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## Shosh (Feb 2, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

I remember my grandmother threatening to wash my mouth out with soap if I used bad words too. I think that is a pretty universal threat.

Hey D I am looking to move into a new place, want to rent your place out to me? I could use the peace and quiet of a rural setting. Actually I am looking to move from this apartment soon. I am very unhappy as you know, and I think that a change will really lift my mood.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of my having the lap band inserted. It has changed my life in a number of ways, namely I feel healthier, but as I have always said it is not a panacea for all of life's problems. I still struggle with my image of myself and loving myself etc.
I feel that I will always be a fat girl too because that was who I was for so long, and I feel such an affinity with everybody here. I feel at home here because we have all stuggled with the same issues as people of size. Here I shall stay.
Deborah, what do you think of the term people of size?
Would you consider your self an activist for people of size?
Do your wider circle of friends know that you are an active contributer to Dims?

I have spoken about Dims and what it means to me to some of my friends, and on my My Space page also.

Yes I know, 21 questions.

Can I give you a big Arkansas bear hug meanwhile?

Susannah


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## moore2me (Feb 2, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> I remember my grandmother threatening to wash my mouth out with soap if I used bad words too. I think that is a pretty universal threat.
> 
> ...



................................


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## Shosh (Feb 9, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

How are you sistah?! I am well. I have had a pretty busy and tiring week. Work is going well. I have found starting on early shift to be hard though. It is tough starting at 7am!
I went to Israeli dance class on Thursday night. It was fun and the dances started out slow, and then got progressively harder and more vigourous.
I was disappointed that it was mostly women there though.
Hopefully as the weeks go by more men will turn up.

I am catching the train up to the country to see my sister Sarah and my nephews today. My nephews will be celebrating their tenth birthday on Tuesday, but we will be having a party for them on Monday. Luckily my boss let me have the day off work.

How have you been? How is the bod feeling?
How is life in general? How is your hub?

Big bear hug for you D.

Shoshie


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## moore2me (Feb 10, 2008)

Soshieboo, What is Israeli dance? Why is the class just women? (The only Jewish dances I have seen are at weddings in movies .)

What is the country like where your sister Sarah & your nephews live? How far is the trip for you? Are there kangaroos?

How was your visit? 

I am doing fine. Hubby is good too. Hubby will be a lot better when spring comes - he is an outdoor type. He doesn't do well inside. He prefers to be outside working in his garden, or working in the yard, running his tractor, fishing, or just piddling around in his shop. For me, I just don't like to be hot.

When will you be able to move to a new apartment?


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## Shosh (Feb 12, 2008)

Hey Cookie,

I am going to Israeli dance class every Thursday evening with my friend. Israeli dance is a mix of traditional and more contemporary circle type dances.
My friend has been doing it for years so she is pretty damn good at it. I am sure I will pick it up as time goes on.
The class is not for women only, it just so happened that there were mostly women there the other night. My luck. My friend told me to be patient and that the guys should start coming soon, once they hear all the chicks are there.

My sister and nephews live in a small country town called Castlemaine. The train journey takes about ninety minutes ( North) from Melbourne.
Castlemaine is a beautiful hilly and green town.
My sister Sarah is a bit of a tree hugger/greenie/environmentalist type, and she chose to escape the city to raise her kids in a rural setting.
If you Google Castlemaine, Victoria Australia, it should pop right up.
I did not see Kangaroos anywhere around town there, but I have seen them further north and inland.

My nephews had a wonderful birthday. My nephew Brandon actually told me that he loved me when I was fat! Unprompted, I didn't even raise the issue with him.He probably loved all of the times we used to sit on the couch and I would give him a hug and he would bury his head on my jelly belly!

I am hoping to move from my apartment soon. I can not afford to rent a house but my sister suggested that I think of the option of housesitting for another person while they are overseas etc for a year or so. May be a good idea.

Thanks for being here to listen to me Deborah.

Shoshie


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## Tina (Feb 12, 2008)

Hi you two.  

That's all -- just wanted to look in and see how you're doing.


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## Shosh (Feb 12, 2008)

Tina said:


> Hi you two.
> 
> That's all -- just wanted to look in and see how you're doing.



Thank you angel. How are you? Your health? Your Hub? I hope one day soon you girls can ask me how my Hub is. Just got to meet him first. Minor detail.

Let us know how you are Tina.


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## Tina (Feb 12, 2008)

I'm better, thank you, Shosh. Finally starting to come out on the other side of whatever this virus is that's going around.

I have some advice for you re: meeting men. Go out in your crappy clothes and without makeup. That's when you'll meet someone. Happened to me several times and it always mystified me. I'd go out looking put together and nice, nothing. Go out just in regular, casual stuff, no makeup, and bingo! :blink: Go figure.


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## moore2me (Feb 12, 2008)

Hi Tina,

Sorry to hear that your initial time in Canada was spent under the weather. Maybe you will be better soon and can enjoy some of that special Canada winter. I watched "The *Assasination of Jesse James*" with Brad Pitt last weekend. The movie was filmed in Canada and the scenery was spectacular. I didn't realize it was so pretty there. In fact, it was hauntingly beautiful. I am hoping we can go up there and look around some summer.

How is your son adjusting to the new country? Are schools much different?
_________________________________________________________________

Soshieboo, You might find a nice, rich, young lover before you find a husband. He might want to get married, but you might turn him down because he is too young for you - like Aston Kuncher & Demi Moore. You might just keep him around for giggles.


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## Tina (Feb 13, 2008)

My son isn't here; he's still back in CA, which is why I miss him so terribly. Moore, Canada is much like the U.S. in many ways. The West coast is kind of like our Pacific Northwest -- where they even have their own version of Hollywood, where a lot of movie studios have their home (like one of my favorites, Lion's gate). In-between there are plains and their mid-west, while towards the east it gets more cosmopolitan, what with Toronto, Montreal and the surrounding areas. There is truly beautiful areas in Canada. I've seen photos of Vancouver and it's breathtaking. Quebec, particularly Quebec City, is gorgeous. Eric and I went there when I first visited him a few years ago and I fell in love with it. I have posted some photos and descriptions for you in my blog. :


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## Shosh (Feb 18, 2008)

Tina said:


> I'm better, thank you, Shosh. Finally starting to come out on the other side of whatever this virus is that's going around.
> 
> I have some advice for you re: meeting men. Go out in your crappy clothes and without makeup. That's when you'll meet someone. Happened to me several times and it always mystified me. I'd go out looking put together and nice, nothing. Go out just in regular, casual stuff, no makeup, and bingo! :blink: Go figure.




How true! I think I am trying to hard because I always go out made up to the nines!
:kiss2::kiss2: They are for you for being such a doll!


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## Shosh (Feb 20, 2008)

Hi D,

Hope you are well. The weather has been horribly hot this week. Autumn will be upon us soon, thankfully! Sweet relief.

I am well, just a little tired as always. My mouth is killing me because I have two ulcers there right now. I rarely get them, and then to have two at the same time, well it is so painful. I have been gargling with salt water but no relief as yet.

This Saturday my family is putting on a big party for my brother Matthew and his intended Brigid. They will marry next year. This will be the first time all of the siblings have been together since November 2001, which was my Daddy's 60th birthday. My heart will be very heavy as my Daddy will be absent from the celebration. His absence is really hurting my heart.

Anyway dance class tonight! I am getting better at all the dances and am having fun with it.

How be you Deborah? What is your latest news?

Big hug
Susannah


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## Tina (Feb 20, 2008)

Susannah said:


> How true! I think I am trying to hard because I always go out made up to the nines!
> :kiss2::kiss2: They are for you for being such a doll!


Thanks, Shosh. 

Try going out just in regular clothes and not all made up. You never know...


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## Shosh (Feb 27, 2008)

Hey Deborah,

Here is a pic of me with my older sister Rebecca and my brother Simon. I am rocking the Priscilla Presley in her Elvis days hairstyle here.
Be kind, I usually hate posting pics of myself.

View attachment page (2).jpg


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## FreeThinker (Feb 27, 2008)

Could this thread also be just a li'l bit of "About Australia for Foreigners"? 

I've got a question for Susannah.

A couple of times, I've had occasion to run into a folk singer from Australia who came here to Canada on holidays.

He's got a few CDs out, but I don't know if he's a big deal in his homeland (he seems very humble to me and has not tried to make himself sound like a big-shot).

His name is Barrie Davis.

Heard of him?


(I realize this could come across as one of those "You're from *blank*...you must know So-and-so" exchanges, but I just wanted to hear from an average Aussie about this. As there were no Aussies about who were merely "average", I had to settle for an exceptionally beautiful one.)


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## Shosh (Feb 28, 2008)

Hi Free,
So happy that you stopped by. You can ask me anything about the fair nation of my birth, and I would be delighted to answer.
I am not familiar with Barrie Davis. From what I can ascertain he is a folk singer, and I do enjoy folk I must say, but I have not heard of him or his music before. I must check it out though.
I have always enjoyed most anything that Bob Dylan turned his hand to, especially his folksy type stuff. He has covered all the styles, from folk to blues, gospel to rock and roll, and even rockabilly also. 

Free I would love to hear all about Canada. I have Deborah's permission to meander away from the topic at hand at any time. It is all just twists and turns in the road. It makes it all the more interesting.

Thank you for your compliment also. It comes at a time were I am sturggling with self esteem issues, so it was so nice to hear.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Feb 28, 2008)

Sussanah, I really like your family picture - I assume you are the one on the left? If so - *YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL !!!!!*

Now I know why you are having a little trouble with men - they are afraid of you because you are so pretty. Seriously. You need to get some of the guys on this board to tell you how to work it so men are not scared of you now that you are a stone cold fox.


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## FreeThinker (Feb 28, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Free,
> So happy that you stopped by. You can ask me anything about the fair nation of my birth, and I would be delighted to answer.
> I am not familiar with Barrie Davis. From what I can ascertain he is a folk singer, and I do enjoy folk I must say, but I have not heard of him or his music before. I must check it out though.
> I have always enjoyed most anything that Bob Dylan turned his hand to, especially his folksy type stuff. He has covered all the styles, from folk to blues, gospel to rock and roll, and even rockabilly also.



Funny you should mention Dylan in a discussion tangentially related to Australian folk music.

Do you know _why_ I'd find that amusing??? (Go on...)



> Free I would love to hear all about Canada. I have Deborah's permission to meander away from the topic at hand at any time. It is all just twists and turns in the road. It makes it all the more interesting.
> 
> Thank you for your compliment also. It comes at a time were I am sturggling with self esteem issues, so it was so nice to hear.


No need to thank me (but you're welcome!).

So, what would you like to know about Canada?

We also have Queen Elizabeth's picture on our coins, but our paper money has Canadian politicians of times past.

Christmas for us is in the winter.

It's a big, big, *BIG* country. I've been to the West coast about a dozen times, and to the East coast once, but not to Newfoundland (yet). I live in the Great Lakes area, about an hour west of Toronto.

We are the home of Alexander Graham Bell, Pablum, the Phillips (cross-head) screwdriver, time zones, Joni Mitchell, The Tragically Hip, Ian Tyson, Buffy Saint-Marie, and snow from October to May.

Would you care to narrow your search parameters?


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## Shosh (Feb 29, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Sussanah, I really like your family picture - I assume you are the one on the left? If so - *YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL !!!!!*
> 
> Now I know why you are having a little trouble with men - they are afraid of you because you are so pretty. Seriously. You need to get some of the guys on this board to tell you how to work it so men are not scared of you now that you are a stone cold fox.



I am indeed on the left, my sister Rebecca is in the middle, and my brother Simon is on the right.

I look like Priscilla Presley on crack with that hairdo. I did not realize it was so boofy that day.
I tease Simon, as he was losing his hair , he shaved it all off. I reckon he looks like an Iranian arms dealer. 

We are Hungarian, but I reckon my brother looks a lil Middle eastern.

Would love to see a pic of you and your hub.

Shoshie


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## Aliena (Feb 29, 2008)

Popping in to say hello and WoW, you're gorgeous chickie! Great family photo!


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## FreeThinker (Feb 29, 2008)

Moore, you didn't mention Ronnie Hawkins in your list of famous Arkansas citizens.


Hawkins moved to Canada in the 50s, and played rock and roll. His backup band, The Hawks, later went on to become The Band.


(or did I just not see where you mentioned him?)


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## moore2me (Feb 29, 2008)

Free, I must admit I copied my list from another source. I do appreciate you're updating the credits of past citizens tho. It's hard to keep up with peeps when they scatter to the 4 winds.

And I really admire the landscape of Canada. It is a place I would like to travel to one day if I am able. (Not in the winter tho.) I guess that leaves me about 3 months out of 12, huh?

________________________________________________________________

Sussanah,

You do *not* look like Prisilla on crack. *You & sis do look like a back up singers in Johnny Cash's band (you guys are both dressed in black).*

And to quote a line from *My Fair Lady*, "I can tell that (you) were born Hungarian."


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## Shosh (Feb 29, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

I tend to love to wear black as it is a classic stylish shade that one can match any accessory with. I shall not say it is a slimming color (although it is) as I will be run out of town.

I love Johnny Cash meanwhile. I am also a huge fan of Patsy Cline.


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## Shosh (Feb 29, 2008)

View attachment quay0717.jpg







View attachment cruise0724.jpg


View attachment wgong4270.jpg


View attachment cowanlookdown1373.jpg
.


Hey Deborah,

Pics of Sydney and surrounds.

Enjoy


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## moore2me (Feb 29, 2008)

Soshieboo, I thought I'd add some geography into the mix so we can learn where the exotic destinations are that you travel to. 

View attachment ausmap.jpg


View attachment nswmap.jpg


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## FreeThinker (Feb 29, 2008)

moore2me said:


> And I really admire the landscape of Canada. It is a place I would like to travel to one day if I am able. (Not in the winter tho.) I guess that leaves me about 3 months out of 12, huh?



Probably four. Any month without an "R" in it should be a safe bet.


(No guarantees, though )


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## Shosh (Mar 1, 2008)

FreeThinker said:


> Probably four. Any month without an "R" in it should be a safe bet.
> 
> 
> (No guarantees, though )




 Canada must be so beautiful. I think that Canadians and Australians are very similiar culturally. More so than say Aussies and Americans.

Je'dore the fusion of all things Francaise and Englaise. My French is so crappy! Merci beacoup= murky buckets


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## Shosh (Mar 1, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Soshieboo, I thought I'd add some geography into the mix so we can learn where the exotic destinations are that you travel to.




I have still so much to see in my own country.

My father lives in Tasmania which is the little island underneath the mainland of Australia. It is a part of Australia.

My younger brother lives in a little town called Wagga Wagga ( Aboriginal for "The place of many crows") It is pronounced Wogga Wogga.It is in southern New South Wales, check your NSW map here.

My cousin Justin and his French wife and their two daughters live in the Northern Territory ( the capital is Darwin). He flies for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, www.flyingdoctor.net.
The flying doctor service basically flies out to very remote outback type properties and picks up sick patients to transport them to bigger towns and cities for medical treatment.

My sister and her twin sons live in northern Victoria in the beautiful town of Castlemaine. It is very green and hilly.

I live in an inner city neighborhood near Melbourne. I live in the bagel belt, surrounded by rich people in a very Jewish area, only I aint rich!
I shall be renting forever it would seem. The property prices here have gone through the roof, and many many people are struggling and defaulting on their mortgages etc. It has become a bit of a crisis.

Where have I been in Australia?

I was born in Melbourne. I lived in Perth for the first two years of my life. Perth is in Western Australia on the west coast naturally.
My parents divorced when I was two years old and we came back to live in Melbourne.

My father remarried, and we used to travel to Sydney every year as his wife was from new South Wales.
The beaches in Sydney are pretty incredible. Bondi Beach, Coogee Beach etc etc. Glorious.
The pic of the coastline that I posted a few posts back is actually Woolongong, or as we Aussies call it "The 'Gong"

I have been to Adelaide, but I have never been north to Queensland. I want to make that trip soon.
I want to go to Ularu and the Northern Territory and visit some of the traditional indigenous land.

I am just realizing now that I still have so much to see.

I shall post more pics of these places.

I am pretty lucky to live here, as it is an amazing, vast, huge country.


Here is a poem By Dorothea Mackellar

I love a sunburnt country ( Australia)



I love a sunburnt country
a land of sweeping plains.
Of ragged mountain ranges,
of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel sea.
Her beauty and her terror,
the wide brown land for me.


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## moore2me (Mar 1, 2008)

Soshieboo,

I have seen some pictures of the lovely coastlines in Australia, but have also heard that some of the beaches are patrolled by nasty sharks and jellyfish. Are your beaches safe for swimming?

Are your beaches in danger from typhoons?


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## Shosh (Mar 6, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Soshieboo,
> 
> I have seen some pictures of the lovely coastlines in Australia, but have also heard that some of the beaches are patrolled by nasty sharks and jellyfish. Are your beaches safe for swimming?
> 
> Are your beaches in danger from typhoons?




The beaches in Australia are generally patrolled by the Surf Lifesaving Association and not the creatures of the deep.

There are all manner of potentially deadly and dangerous creatures that inhabit the oceans here. Look at what happened to Steve Irwin with the stingray.

There are certain beaches that at certain times of the year are overrun with jellyfish, especially the Blue Bottle (Portugese Man O'War) jellyfish. People are advised not to swim at those times.
The wind can also blow the Blue Bottle jellyfish into shallow waters, and they often wash up onto the beach. They can deliver a painful sting to an unwary swimmer, or even when dead and washed up on the beach.
I remember seeing them washed up on the sand a lot when I was a child.

There is another type of small jellyfish here called the Irigongi that can be lethal at worst, or deliver an incredibly excruciating sting that can linger for days. People have described it as going to pergatory and back.

Sharks. I am a shark lover. I believe they are magnificent creatures that are much maligned for no good reason.
Humans have to understand that they are venturing into the shark's habitat when they come into the ocean.
Shark's are genetically hardwired to seek and destroy prey. Humans need to show due care and reverence for the shark and the ocean's other creatures.

Having said that, many of Australia's beaches have shark nets and are patrolled overhead by a flying shark spotting patrol.

I haven't even gotten to all the dangerous critters that are landlubbers yet.

Beautiful wondrous Australia.


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## moore2me (Mar 6, 2008)

Sussanah, I agree with you in that sharks are the apex predators of the salt water coastal areas and we are interlopers in their territory. I asked because I am fascinated by the large and ferocious killing machines that we do not have in our little land-locked state of Arkansas. I have seen documentaries about the jellies and the man-of-wars too and other assorted beasties of the sea. 

Sharks are neat too because they have interesting evolutionary history too. Cartilage, rows of replacement teeth, tough exterior non-scale skin covering, protective extra eyelids, pups swim in moms uterus and can kill their siblings in utero, the strange hammerhead form, and the giant prehistoric sharks are just a few of their cool traits. I totally agree with you. However, I wouldn't want to swim with them.
:shocked::shocked:


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## Shosh (Mar 6, 2008)

I am home from work today D. Not feeling well at all. Luckily Monday is a public holiday here for Labor day.

My nephew Brandon has broken his arm. His twin Tom broke his only a few months ago. Broken limbs are a rite of passage for little boys though, no?

We may swim with sharks if you ever come here to visit me Deborah.

Sending you the biggest hug of all.

Susannah


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## stan_der_man (Mar 6, 2008)

I hope you feel better Shosh! I just wanted to say that I've been lurking. My second year of college (I have a geography minor...) I took a class called Australia and the South Pacific, so it's interesting to hear your descriptions of Australia. You fill in the fine detail that geography classes can't do. I enjoyed interesting learning about the Polynesian, Micronesian, Melanesian and Aboriginal cultures, and the influences they have had on Europeans in the area. Other than tourist related information, we (in the U.S. anyway...) don't really hear or learn much about what's going on out there beyond Hawaii. Most Americans don't even know that Samoa is part of the U.S., let alone that the Hawaiian island chain technically gos all the way to Johnson Atoll.


It's also interesting hearing about Arkansas More2me! I've driven through there a couple of times on I-40. I remember it as being a beautiful green place with rolling hills. I read real estate listings about new communities being built in the Ozarks, or places where you can buy land, good usable land with trees and ground water (...unlike much of the desert acreage here in the Mojave Desert...) for good prices.


Stan


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## Shosh (Mar 6, 2008)

You are always welcome here Stan.

I would be happy to answer any other questions you may have about Australia . I know a little about the neighboring islands also. I have a few Maori friends and a few Samoan friends also.

I have been to a few traditional Maori hangis. A hangi is when a pit is dug in the ground and the food ( Usually pork, chicken, lamb and sweet potato, and other vegies) is heated by hot rocks.
Taro leaves are wrapped around some of the food to spice it up some.

The food is slowly cooked over several hours. While the food is cooking people usually gather and sit together and sing songs, both traditional and contemporary, while somebody plays a guitar. It is a very interesting experience from a cultural perspective.

Those guys can pack away a lot of alcohol and food!


My friend Esekia is from Samoa. He lives here in Melbourne.


Nice to have you here Stan.


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## Shosh (Mar 10, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

How has your week been? How are you feeling jelly bean? Are you ok?

I wish that I could just come over to your house and have a coffee with you and just shoot the breeze with you. Look at me, inviting myself over! That Arkansas hospitality must be rubbling off on me.

Tomorrow I am being called into a meeting with my boss in her office. Just to discuss how everything is going etc.
Can I just tell you that I think I have bitten off more than I can chew in terms of working fulltime in this job. I am just not as well as I used to be, and am struggling physically on some days.
I feel a bit of an emotional wreck at the moment too. I am trying to work through it all, and come out the other side, but things just seem too overwhelming and a bit hopeless at the moment.
My boss is not allowing me to work the later shifts on some weeks despite the fact that the other staff prefer early shifts and are happy to swap with me.
I am finding it really hard to have to get up at 5am, and leave my home at 6am, to be at work by 7am some weeks. It is only autumn still here now. Come the beginning of June and the start of winter I will find it even harder.
I do not know what to do. I need to work obviously, but I just need to make some modifications.
I have not told my boss that I have MS, and frankly I don't want to.

I shall let you know what happens.

Meanwhile ,tell me all about Arkansas in the spring.

Thanks jelly bean.:kiss2:

Susannah


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## Santaclear (Mar 10, 2008)

Hope it goes well today, Shosh.


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## Shosh (Mar 11, 2008)

Santaclear said:


> Hope it goes well today, Shosh.



Thanks Russ. My boss was snowed under and did not have time to speak with me yesterday. Hopefully today we will talk. I am feeling that I may cope better if I go back to substitute teaching at Daycare centers with an agency, where I can pick and choose my days and hours.

My dilemma is though that the children that I work with now have formed a very strong bond with me and are now just calling me by name. The parents also love me a lot and will be very upset if I leave. It is a very hard call.

If my boss can make some adjustments for me then maybe I will not have to leave. That will require me disclosing my medical condition to her though.
Two of my friends there already know I have this illness but have kept it quiet.
I shall let the cards fall where they may I guess.

Sending a big squeeze to all my "Family" here at Dims. I am very thankful that you are here.

Shoshana


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## moore2me (Mar 11, 2008)

*Sorry I haven't answered you faster. Hubby & I had to go to his hometown and attend to some family business that came up unexpectedly. Hubby has two brothers that both live in small but adequate homes about three hours away. The homes were left to all 3 brothers by their parents when they died, Hubby was executor on the will. Both his Both his brothers now want to sell their houses (which they have no businesss doing).

We spent the last couple of days going over legal documents and talking legalese. The worst part was it wasn't over and we'll have to go back in a month or so.*



Susannah said:


> I am home from work today D. Not feeling well at all. Luckily Monday is a public holiday here for Labor day.*
> 
> Sorry to hear you are poorly, you think it's the MS & the heat?*
> 
> ...


_________________________________________________________________



fa_man_stan said:


> . Most Americans don't even know that Samoa is part of the U.S., let alone that the Hawaiian island chain technically gos all the way to Johnson Atoll.
> 
> *Stan . . . most Americans probably wouldn't know a Johnson Atoll if it bit them on the butt.*
> 
> ...


_________________________________________________________________



Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> How has your week been? How are you feeling jelly bean? Are you ok?
> 
> ...


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## stan_der_man (Mar 11, 2008)

moore2me said:


> *Stan, There are indeed some lovely placed in Arkansas. My favorite are the Ozark mountains. I don't care much for ground water - it's too iffy. The water is there. I just would rather drink city water. Usable land in the Ozarks is mostly too shallow for gardening or plowing for crops (they have to dynamite sometimes even to set telephone poles). Usable land to me means land that nature uses to carry on it's business of growing wild dogwoods, muscadines, native grasses, acorns, scrub oaks, deer, squirrells, bears, turkeys, salamanders, frogs, snakes, beetles, and the rest of the flora and fauna that live in the woods.*




Wow, I didn't realize the ground was so stony there! I always find it interesting that there are usually reasons certain areas never were settled early on. That makes sense why the Ozarks have stayed so undeveloped.


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## moore2me (Mar 12, 2008)

fa_man_stan said:


> Wow, I didn't realize the ground was so stony there! I always find it interesting that there are usually reasons certain areas never were settled early on. That makes sense why the Ozarks have stayed so undeveloped.



Boy are you going to be sorry you asked about this. Yes, in areas of the Ozarks the ground is so stony that fence posts cannot be driven into the ground, they are actually set on top of the rocks. There is no soil to put them in. But in other areas, the ground is mixed with stones and earth. When my parents were digging a basement for their house, it was not unusual to dig up rocks the size of cars buried underground. There may be just a little tip of the rock sticking up above the ground.

Some of the rock formations are limestone too. In those areas, there are neat caverns formed underground, such as Blanchard Springs Caverns near the town of Mountain View or Devil's Den State Park Near Fayetteville. Other geological oddities are our diamond mine which is an old volcanic pipe near Murfreesboro (near Hot Springs), and Crowley's Ridge (near Memphis) which is an glacial soil deposit remaining from the ice age.

*The Delta Area* marked on my maps below are deposits from the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers from years and years past. The Delta soil is rich and fertile - it grows cotton, corn, soybeans, and rice. *The Ouachitas* have forests which are a little olders and made mostly of piney woods and rolling hills. The Ouachitas tend to have soil somewhat acidic. A lot of timber companies have tree farms growing pine trees. The Arkansas River Valley is lowland along the Arkansas River floodplain. However, the river doesn't flood much anymore, due to being dammed and flood control. Many cows, chickens and pigs are raised here. Lately many gas wells have been going up too. They found big gas deposits so everyone is drilling gas wells.

*My favorite area is the Ozarks*. That is where the real mountainous areas are. That is where my heart is. That is where the hillbillies are from. The steep mountains, the rocky soil, the Buffalo River National Park, Eureka Springs, Fayetteville, Mt View, Blanchard Springs, Mt. Home, Clinton, the area where White Water is, the Red River, the Mulberry River (a challenging river to float). The other parts of the state are nice - but the Ozarks IMHO are the best. 

View attachment ark map.jpg


View attachment ark map 3.jpg


View attachment ark map 4.jpg


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## stan_der_man (Mar 13, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Boy are you going to be sorry you asked about this.
> ...


No worries, I'm a geography / geology geek! I like to look at where roads are cut into mountains and see what sort of rock formations there are. I remember a geology instructor once telling us how amazing nature is, just by how plants are able to cling to rocks with very little soil the way they do. Anything so stony here in So Calif. would be utterly barren (and there are landscapes in the Mojave that are nothing but stone with very little vegetation...) Also, he said that good soil is basically made out of poop and dead stuff... fond memories of geology classes.


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## Shosh (Mar 15, 2008)

View attachment 96610710_1493158.jpg



Hi Auntie Deborah,

My name is Marcus but my Auntie Shoshie calls me Cookie Monster because I am so cute.
I am too young to drink green beer and get hammered on St Patrick's Day, so I shall just stick to the boobies!

Lots of love
Marcus


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## imfree (Mar 15, 2008)

Aaaaaye!!!, Shoshie and Marcus, ya' brought
a wee bit of sunshine to me rainy day in
middle Tennessee! You two are lovely.


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## Shosh (Mar 15, 2008)

imfree said:


> Aaaaaye!!!, Shoshie and Marcus, ya' brought
> a wee bit of sunshine to me rainy day in
> middle Tennessee! You two are lovely.




Oh thank you Edgar. You are very welcome. Marcus really is like a little ray of sunshine. It is fairly safe to say that I am besotted with him.

How are you Edgar? I know that things have been hard for you with your health etc. I shall recite a special blessing for you.

Shoshie


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## Shosh (Mar 15, 2008)

View attachment 97428518_1252947.jpg




One more just for good measure!

This one is for Uncle Russ.


Love from the Cookie Monster


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## imfree (Mar 15, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Oh thank you Edgar. You are very welcome. Marcus really is like a little ray of sunshine. It is fairly safe to say that I am besotted with him.
> 
> How are you Edgar? I know that things have been hard for you with your health etc. I shall recite a special blessing for you.
> 
> Shoshie



Thanks, Shoshie, you're very kind. Aside from some 
fluid weeping and some not-to-severe discomfort
in my lower legs, I'm pretty much my normally
spirited self. May you also be blessed.


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## moore2me (Mar 15, 2008)

Cookie Monster (AKA Marcus) is just way too cute. He's as cute as a blue tick puppy. I see now why you are so proud of the little lad. Your family must be doing something right to have such handsome offspring - keep those pictures coming. 

View attachment marcus3.jpg


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## moore2me (Mar 15, 2008)

Seems like all of a sudden in the last week around the Moore homeplace, we have been flooded with birds working their magic to start families for the coming year. Hubby and I are big bird watchers and feed the birds year round. We put up houses for them and provide shelter for our little feathered friends as well. We are rewarded by the following birds living and nesting on our property:

Cardinals
Mockingbirds
Titmice
Cedar waxwings
Thrushes
Shrikes
Bluebirds (we have five blue bird houses)
Finches (blues, yellows, oranges, pinks)
Woodpeckers
Red tailed hawks
Sparrow hawks
Owls
Wrens (they build nests in boots on our porch)
Barn swallows
Purple Martins (we have three martin houses)
Hummingbirds (they are not here yet)
Two Canada Goose are living on our pond (two built a nest last year)
Mourning Doves
Bob-white quails
Varmit birds (sparrows, blackbirds, grackles, vultures, crows)

And what really surprised us yesterday morning when we got up, there was a wild turkey walking in our front yard! (outside of the dog fenced area of course). We have seen wild turkeys in the woods in this county, but we have never seen on in our yard. Don't know if there were babies, we couldn't tell what sex it was. But, it was big! It was just strolling around having breakfast. 

View attachment 710441.jpg


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## TheSadeianLinguist (Mar 15, 2008)

I love wrens; they're my absolute favorite. Wild birds are so free and beautiful, aren't they?


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## moore2me (Mar 16, 2008)

Yes, I remember my Grandmother used to leave a couple of old shoes out on the rafters of her back porch for the wrens to build nest in them. My mom taught me how to do it. Now, my little wrens build every year on our porch. And they have learned another cute trick. We have kitchen windows that are at 90 degree angles over our sink. If I leave the blinds open at night, the window sills are full of moths and other bugs in the morning. The little wrens will come every morning and have a cafeteria style breakfast at the window sill. When their babies are hatched, they will spend the better part of a morning, feeding them from this insect collection.

A bad dog story tho, two years ago, a mated pair of wrens had built a nest in a fern hanging on my porch. The babies had hatched, mom & dad were feeding them. In some accident, my dog caught and killed on of the wren parents. I felt so guilty and knew that one parent probably couldn't feed so many hungry babies - they might starve! So, I went that day to the local pet store and bought meal worms. I started leaving a couple of dozen meal worms in a baby food jar inside the fern every day until the babies left the nest. I figured the remaining parent could use the help with the extra food to feed the hungry little mouths. It was the least I could do. 

View attachment wren.jpg


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## Shosh (Mar 17, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Cookie Monster (AKA Marcus) is just way too cute. He's as cute as a blue tick puppy. I see now why you are so proud of the little lad. Your family must be doing something right to have such handsome offspring - keep those pictures coming.




Oh I love it! Thanks Deborah.

Meanwhile I love the sound that birds make in the morning when you are just waking up from sleeping.
We have a beautiful bird called a Rainbow Lorekeet here that is so pretty and colorful.

Your place sounds so dreamy. You are very blessed.

Left a shout out to ya in the Lounge thread "What do you like about someone?"


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## Santaclear (Mar 19, 2008)

Susannah said:


> View attachment 38470
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ooooo....what a cute Cookie Monster!  Didn't know I was an uncle!  Thank you, Susannah.


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## Aliena (Mar 19, 2008)

What a darlin' baby! And the bling just adds that much more personality to a highly handsome lil'guy. 

My favorite bird is the hummingbird and I can't wait till spring when they show up again.


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## Santaclear (Mar 19, 2008)

Amazing birds in your area, Moore, and such pretty art you've posted. 

It's pretty rare I'll see more than a garden variety city bird around my place here in Oakland. One morning last year I saw a couple of blue jays or cardinals (I forget which) :blush: on my roof, just outside my hall window. There must be a lot more in the hills, which begin about a mile from me and stretch for miles.

Nothing like in Arkansas tho, which really is country.


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## moore2me (Mar 19, 2008)

Yes, Santaclear they are neat, but as they say on the Discovery Channel - birds are pretty close to dinosaurs. They can be a little rough to each other at times. For instance, the shrikes will kill and eat the bluebirds, the starlings and blackbirds will try and run the martins out of their nests and take over their houses, the house sparrows will steal the bluebird's houses too if we don't make them stop. The hawks and owls eat any bird or small mammal they can catch. The hummingbirds are vicious toward each other and fight like little dive bombers. The blue jays will eat baby birds and birds eggs anytime they can and will destroy other bird's nests. Sometimes hubby and I have to spend time during the day referee the fights that break out around the house between bird on bird, bird on dog, dog on bird, snake on bird, etc. And yes, we have had birds chase us for our good intentions too.

The snakes will eat baby birds, bird eggs, and adult birds (if the snake is big enough). (Skunks, possums, and raccoons will eat eggs and baby birds if they can get them too.)


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## Shosh (Mar 21, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

I just wanted to wish you a very Happy Easter. I know that Easter is a very significant and solemn, yet joyous occasion for Christians. I hope that you will have a lovely weekend with your hub and your family.

Eat lots of chocolate eggs!

I went to a big party for the Jewish festival of Purim. The party was put on by Chabad Lubavitch. Chabad ( pronounced Habud) are the very orthodox chassidic black hat wearing religious Jews.
They are lovely people, very warm.
Anyway it was wonderful to see the children wearing all of their little costumes.
There was also a lot of eating and dancing. Men and women are required to dance seperately though.

The Rabbi's wife wants me to come back and work for them in their Daycare center two days a week. They have a Daycare center on the ground floor and the synagogue is upstairs. Maybe I will. We shall see.

What will you do for Easter? Will you go to church?

I loved hearing about all the birdies that live around your home. These creatures make life pretty.

Big hug for you as always

Susannah


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## Shosh (Mar 21, 2008)

Deborah,

I just read on CNN.com about the flooding in Arkansas. Hope you are ok!!!!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Mar 22, 2008)

Susannah, Yes we have had a bunch of flooding and the rivers around here still not have crested due to getting water from our neighboring states to the north of us. My house is on a hill sort of and it won't likely flood, but a lot of others are not so fortunate. Sometimes tho, our septic system refuses to drain if the water table gets too high. The main effects around the Moore house are that some of our garden crops will most likely rot in the ground. 

Plus, every little creature that lives underground is having to evacuate and relocate to above ground. This means that we are dealing with skunks (which I despise - if you've ever been close to being sprayed you'll know why), snakes, weasels, worms, badgers, shrews, and other darlings of the animals world. Plus, as I mentioned in another thread, we will have a record mosquito crop this year which will also bring on encephalitis and other sketter borne diseases. The little beasties torment men, animals, and birds.

As to me going to church on Easter Sunday, I do not go to organized religious services anymore. My mom made me go so much when I was at home that it sort of turned me against it for a while. That woman had us in church every time the doors were open. We went at least five times a week, for at least 10 hours or so until I graduated from high school. I figure I've accumulated enough credits to last me for a while. I prefer to do my own version of religion and study at home (and most male preachers and organized religions in my area really turn me off). I do however, find other people's religious ceremonies and beliefs interesting to learn about.


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## stan_der_man (Mar 24, 2008)

I'm glad to hear that you are faired well during the floods More2Me!


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## imfree (Mar 24, 2008)

fa_man_stan said:


> I'm glad to hear that you are faired well during the floods More2Me!



I'll go ahead and register my hearty AMEN.


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## Shosh (Mar 24, 2008)

imfree said:


> I'll go ahead and register my hearty AMEN.



Me three!

Deborah I am also sorry for assuming that you would be going to church for Easter. I certainly understand having one's fill of all that. It is only in the last few years that I have found my way back to all things spiritual after a hiatus.

Have a wonderful week sugah.

Shoshie


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## moore2me (Mar 24, 2008)

Susannah, You have nothing to be sorry for dear. I still go to church for weddings, funerals, concerts, and dinners. I even went to the Mormon Tabernacle to hear their choir sing. 

If you go to work at the Hebrew nursey will you still work at your current job? How's the dance class coming along? How about the great apartment hunt?

As far as the Great Arkansas flood, unfortunately we are still having more bad luck as a state goes. Again personally, my home is not in danger, but too many other people are still facing water that is still rising (thank you Missouri). One town about 30 miles from us (where hubby & I like to fish) is completely underwater due to its nearby river flooding.

Luckily, my father (who is dead now) was an engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He taught me how to read geological flood maps and he had flood maps that showed 100 yr - 50 yr - 25 yr - etc. flood plains for all the regions of our state. I actually studied these before we built our home 18 years ago. 

Before I appear too cocky, let me say that we could still have water damage if: our roof gets blow off by high winds (tornado), or our septic system backs up into the house (a really appealing thought!) 

On a related topic, what I have never understood about Arkansans tho is, some people actually have built nice homes on the river side, inside of river levees! And some other towns or counties have actually permitted their levees to have cuts made into them or have not properly maintained levees over the years. Then when they really need them (like now) "there's trouble in River City". 

Regardless of why it happens, it is still sad to see people lose everything to dirty, nasty, flood water that leaves all their possessions soiled and rotten and useless. All you can do is look at your stuff as it rots and smells - most people do not have insurance that will cover this kind of loss.


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## moore2me (Mar 26, 2008)

We are still having flooding along our rivers here in Arkansas. Some towns and low lying areas have not seen the worst yet. 'Still getting water from drainage from Missouri and upper Arkansas. 

Here at the Moore place the wild dogwood trees are starting to leaf out. The leaves are about the size of "squirrel ears" right now, as old timers would say. Soon, they will be blooming and the woods will be filled with their beautiful white blossums. We have about 40 trees in our woods, but they are everywhere in the Ozarks.

The daffodils have peaked and are equally as beautiful. Daffodils can be used to spot where old homesteads once were. The old home and the inhabitants have long gone, but the daffodils come back every year and mark where they were once planted a hundred years ago. 

View attachment A053.jpg


View attachment Historic Washington 3-9-07.JPG


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## Shosh (Mar 26, 2008)

Hi D,

Good gosh, it must be so stressful to go through flooding. I have had flooding outside my home, but thankfully it has never reached inside.
Can I just ask why do people not have flood insurance? Is it too costly?
I imagine that people in New Orleans are still feeling the effects of Katrina all this time later. Now that was devastating also.

Good thinking 99 re where you built your home. Some people do not take all of those considerations into mind and end up paying the cost of it later.

Your place sounds really dreamy with all of the flora and fauna and wildlife that surrounds you. We really are blessed, and we overlook that most days.

Work. The Rebbetzin called me over to her house to discuss how many days a week I was looking to do. I am thinking two days a week at the Chabad Daycare Center as it is wonderful but the parents there can be very tough and demanding and not always courteous. There are wonderful parents there too, but I left there last time as some of them were making my life a misery.
I shall give it another go, just not fulltime. I shall do a mix of substitute teaching and private work on the other days.

The advantage of working at a Jewish Daycare Centre is that the days are shorter, which makes life a little easier for me with my health etc.
I am due a visit to the MS clinic shortly. I am good some days, terrible other days.

My sister wants me to move up to the country to be near her for a while.She thinks I should study to start a new career, given my health.
She wants me to be near her. What should I do?
I am not sure what to do. Too many options at the moment.

The dance class has finished due to low numbers. I am trying not to put too much pressure on myself re meeting a guy. It was making me miserable and really effecting my self esteem. I am trying to believe that it will happen when it happens.

I shall take my leave now.
Any thoughts on who will win the election?

Be blessed angel.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Mar 26, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi D,
> 
> Good gosh, it must be so stressful to go through flooding. I have had flooding outside my home, but thankfully it has never reached inside.
> Can I just ask why do people not have flood insurance? Is it too costly?
> ...



**********************


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## Tina (Mar 27, 2008)

Gorgeous, Moore. I've never seen dogwood anywhere other than in photos.


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## moore2me (Mar 27, 2008)

Tina, Thanks for admiring the dogwoods. If you like the white ones, you would really like the pink dogwoods. The pinks are not native to Arkansas. But they can be transplanted. Many people have planted them in their yards and the trees do excellent, growing to about 25 feet or so and some almost rosey color. I have three in my yard. They are ornamental trees but have berries in the winter (along with the whites) that the birds like and their folage turns red too during fall. 

View attachment pinkdogwood-april3.jpg


View attachment pinkdogwood-apr1.jpg


View attachment pinkdogwood-ap2.jpg


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## Tina (Mar 27, 2008)

Oh man, that has to be one of the prettiest trees I've ever seen, Moore! Thank you for posting these photos for me -- they are gorgeous. :wubu: I'd love to look at that every day.


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## Shosh (Mar 30, 2008)

Gday Cookie,

Gosh you post the most beautiful pics. Beautiful tree.

Well it is Sunday evening here and the working week is looming. I finished at my other job on Friday, and will be back working with the substitute teaching agency from this week.

I am still waiting to hear from the Rebbetzin ( The Rabbi's wife) about working at the Chabad daycare centre also.

My sister called me today and told me that she has cleared out a room for me at her house. I think she is eager to have me come stay for a while.
We get along pretty well, but I will be looking for my own place to live.
My nephews, my sister's twin sons Tom and BB ( Brandon) are excited at the prospect of me staying a while.
My sister has been divorced from her husband since the twins were two years old and he lives up in Sydney.

My little Muffin Marcus will be in Melbourne with Mummy and Daddy and I will be two hours away to the north. I will travel back there regularly to see him.

Regarding my health care I am a patient at the Royal Melbourne Hospital MS Clinic, and will have to travel to Melbourne to see my neurologist and have my check ups etc. I will have to do the same for my Lap Band appointments as that clinic is also in Melbourne.
I have not decided if I am definately going country yet, but it is looking that way. My lease on my apartment is up in July and I will not be renewing it.

My downstairs neighbor yelled at me again today and made me cry. I just felt stressed and could not stop the tears. I think he realized that he was being mean though. I hope so.

Big hug to you D.
I miss you on my Space.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Mar 30, 2008)

Soshie, If your neighbor is harassing you (and I would say he is) I think you can break you lease. I definitely think you should talk to an advocate or an legal advisor about this. Tell them you are concerned about your safety and your quality of life is degrading because of your anxiety from this treatment. You may be able to move to Sydney earlier than you think. (if you want to.)

Moore2me


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## Shosh (Mar 31, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Soshie, If your neighbor is harassing you (and I would say he is) I think you can break you lease. I definitely think you should talk to an advocate or an legal advisor about this. Tell them you are concerned about your safety and your quality of life is degrading because of your anxiety from this treatment. You may be able to move to Sydney earlier than you think. (if you want to.)
> 
> Moore2me



Thanks Moore.

I spoke with my sister tonight and she wants me to leave as soon as possible. I shall be calling the Estate agent tomorrow and asking them to advertise the property on the internet and their web site.
I feel that my neighbor is a ticking time bomb and I need to get out of here. I shall be moving up to my sister's house two hours north of Melbourne. I will have to commute to Melbourne on the train daily for work in the meantime, which will not be fun, but will have to be done.
My ex bIL lives in Sydney, we do not.

I shall let you know how I get on.

Be blessed D, your hubby too.

Shoshie


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## Shosh (Apr 1, 2008)

View attachment m_68b1c05542ceff96cbc85451a85fef7f.jpg





Hi Deborah,

Family pic.

Here is my older brother Simon and his love Lucy,( Marcus' mummy) and of course Marcus.

Enjoy.

Shoshie


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## Shosh (Apr 2, 2008)

Deborah,

Happy Birthday mate! You didn't tell me that it was going to be your birthday.
I hope it will be a wonderful day for you and that the coming year will bring you a lot of happiness and many blessings.You are so nice.

Meanwhile I have been feeling some numbness in my feet and in my legs in the last few days. I will be going to the hospital on Friday to see my neurologist. I thought I had been quite stable. Oh well. 


I wish I could come over to your house today to wish you a very Happy Birthday and give you a hug.

Love

Shoshie


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## moore2me (Apr 2, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Deborah,
> 
> Happy Birthday mate! You didn't tell me that it was going to be your birthday.
> I hope it will be a wonderful day for you and that the coming year will bring you a lot of happiness and many blessings.You are so nice.
> ...



Sorry to hear about the numbness in your lower extremeties. When is your next infusion treatment? Ask your neurologist if you need to switch to another form of immunosuppressant drug. 

Is the numbness persistant throughout the day or does it come and go with as the day progresses? (I tend to have a touch more neuropathy as the day progresses. I find if I stop, lay down and put my feet up, for 15-30 minutes, this seems to help.) Of course, it's hard to do this if your working in a pre-school. I don't know if mine is from the MS or a host of other risk factors, or a mix.

Sorry, I forgot to tell you in advance about my BDay. (I am a little shy about it due to it being April 1, 1952.)


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## Tina (Apr 2, 2008)

Shoshie, I'm sorry to hear about your legs, and Deborah, did you have a good Birthday?


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## Tad (Apr 2, 2008)

Sorry I missed your birthday--I hope it was a good one!

My brother was also born on April first, and much though we may have teased him about it as kids, he is certainly no fool either! Maybe having that birthday makes you extra careful about thinking things through?


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## moore2me (Apr 2, 2008)

Tina said:


> Shoshie, I'm sorry to hear about your legs, and Deborah, did you have a good Birthday?



Yes, B'Day went well. Fun was had by all. Plus, our first hummingbird of the season showed up yesterday (ruby throated). By August, I'll have about 50 of them drinking on my porch. The thirsty little critters will consume over two quarts of nectar a DAY as they are stocking up at the end of the summer. I have keep four large feeders running to hold down the carnage from hummingbird wars.



edx said:


> Sorry I missed your birthday--I hope it was a good one!
> 
> My brother was also born on April first, and much though we may have teased him about it as kids, he is certainly no fool either! Maybe having that birthday makes you extra careful about thinking things through?



Ed, Thanks for the B'Day wish. I might think things thru - but, usually reach a conclusion that differs with the majority of adults in my circle. But, then I never did roll the majority. 

View attachment 704036.jpg


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## Tina (Apr 2, 2008)

Oh, I adore hummingbirds, Deborah. Lucky you.

Glad your day was a good one. That's as it should be.


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## Shosh (Apr 4, 2008)

Thanks Moore, Thanks Tina and all,

Well I went to the hospital today and saw the neuro. Basically I am having a relapse and it is involving my spinal cord.

The neuro wanted to admit me to have another course of IV Methyl Prednisolone but I refused. It knocks me around to much and it is very hard on the body. I only had the drip in my arm last in November. I am not a very compliant patient! Also this weekend I will be too busy visiting friends and snuggling on the couch with my nephew. 

Anyway I have to start on a new injectible medication. They did not offer me Tysabri Deborah, just the usual suspects of Rebif,Copaxone,Betaferon (Betaseron in the US) and Avonex.

I have a few weeks to decide. I may take Rebif, not sure.The Rebif regime is injecting yourself three times a week, as opposed to daily for Copaxone.
It never bloody ends.

At least I have my wonderful friends here at Dims. I love Dims. 

Thanks Conrad for Dims.

Deborah how was your birthday lovey? Details please!

Susannah


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## moore2me (Apr 4, 2008)

Sussanah, My birthday was just as I like it - quiet and I did not have to work too much. I treated myself to a new DVD (I Am Legend) and a couple of Pay Per View Movies - my favorites treats.

One thing to consider on the new course of injections is do you have to inject into your muscles (intramuscular) or into your fat layer just under your skin (subcutaneous). I give both to myself and I definitely have a preference for the subcutaneous kind. The Copaxone is in that group. You should check and see what group the Rebif is in. Giving yourself shots in your muscles is a little harder and in my opinion is a little more painful. *I had much rather give myself a shot with a shorter needle into my fat on my stomach every day (lots of room, plenty of target area), than to give myself a shot into my muscle just three times a week with a longer, bigger needle.* 

In fact, I hated giving myself the intramuscular shots so much, I quit doing it and pay extra to have it done at a local pharmacy. While I continue to do my daily Copaxone shots with no problem. When I was giving myself insulin shots, I had no problem giving myself those either (subcutaneous).


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## Shosh (Apr 4, 2008)

Hey D,

Your birthday sounded fun. I love watching a good movie.

I am leaning towards taking Rebif as it is subcutaneous and three times a week as opposed to injecting the Copaxone daily. The Rebif also has an auto injector or you can inject it in the regular manner.
Avonex is out as it has to be injected into the muscle.
I shall talk to a friend who also has MS and has been on most of the meds and see what she says.
I sometimes question what I have done wrong for G-d to throw all of these challenges at me.
Ok get over it Susannah.

I am going to have dinner tonight with friends and before that I am going to see my beloved Marcus. My brother is out of town so it will be nice to just spend time with Lucy and the baby.

Be blessed cookie.Have a relaxing weekend.
Shoshie


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## moore2me (Apr 4, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hey D,
> 
> Your birthday sounded fun. I love watching a good movie.
> 
> ...



You know the story of Job. You know that these challenges do not come from God. And take an old solider's advice, there are many people who have suffered many worse things. These trials we have are nothing - they are just little speed bumps in life's road. Some people have really big, bad problems. You and I live relatively comfortable lives compared to many that have lived in the past - make peace inside your mind and your body will follow. Do this for your nephews so you can show them how adults handle the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune". Set an example for them and your siblings.


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## Shosh (Apr 7, 2008)

I just want to cry at the moment Deborah. I know that you want me to be strong but I just can't right now. My legs and feet are so numb right now that walking is the strangest sensation.
I feel so shaky and weak, and I am having to work, and also prepare to move.I have given notice of intent to vacate to the Real Estate agent.
I will probably have to have the IV steroids later in the week as I can't see the numbness clearing up and I do not want to risk permanent deficit in my legs by not treating it quickly enough. My left hand never gained normal feeling in it again after an attack I had several years ago.


Yes people have it tougher than me, but I have had it a lot tougher than others also. Give me a few days and I will try to snap out of it. 

Meanwhile how are you? Is everything ok?

I saw Marcus on the weekend. Lucy and I took him for a stroll around the park in the autumn sunshine, and later he splashed around in the bath. You should see his fat little lamb chop legs. 

Thanks Cookie.
Susannah


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## Santaclear (Apr 7, 2008)

Susannah said:


> I just want to cry at the moment Deborah. I know that you want me to be strong but I just can't right now. My legs and feet are so numb right now that walking is the strangest sensation.
> I feel so shaky and weak, and I am having to work, and also prepare to move.I have given notice of intent to vacate to the Real Estate agent.
> I will probably have to have the IV steroids later in the week as I can't see the numbness clearing up and I do not want to risk permanent deficit in my legs by not treating it quickly enough. My left hand never gained normal feeling in it again after an attack I had several years ago.
> Yes people have it tougher than me, but I have had it a lot tougher than others also. Give me a few days and I will try to snap out of it.
> ...



*cyber hugs for Susannah* ((((())))) Lordy, that's rough, Shosh. Try not to stress out any more than you have to and I hope you have some help for the move. Be very careful that you don't have a fall.


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## moore2me (Apr 7, 2008)

Sussanah, Sorry to hear the numbess in your legs is persisting. When I had a bad eye attack, it lasted for over a month before it remitted. But, then as you know, some don't, some do partially. When I was talking about others having it worse, I was referring to people in third world countries like the Sudan, Darfur, Nepal, Bolivia, and other areas of grinding poverty, civil wars, child slavery, and killing fields. I wasn't directing this at you personally, because I know you have a tender heart and love children & wouldn't wish anyone harm. You have had a "rough row to hoe" as we say in south, but you are from strong stock - your ancestors suffered too - and with God, your family and friends, by your side, you will get thru this too. Also, your loved ones who have gone to heaven before you are watching over you and helping you too get thru these bad days and trials you are having. Don't forget to ask for help in moving or packing if and when you need it - don't try to do everything yourself.


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## imfree (Apr 7, 2008)

Susannah said:


> I just want to cry at the moment Deborah. I know that you want me to be strong but I just can't right now. My legs and feet are so numb right now that walking is the strangest sensation.
> .............snipped..............................


 I saw that, Susannah, and I'm praying for you. I am blessed
because I am still able to walk with only slight discomfort,
despite my cellulitis. It's enough to give me real empathy for 
you, my beloved Dimmer's friend.


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## Shosh (Apr 12, 2008)

Thank you so much Deborah, Russ and Edgar.

My update. My neurologist allowed me to begin taking the oral Methyl Prednisolone steriod treatment for now. If the numbness that is still persisting in my feet and legs does not start to remit I will have to go back to the hospital next week and they will be putting the drip in my arm with the high powered meds to stop this current episode.
I have pretty much decided that I will start to inject the Rebif three times per week Deborah.

Last night I went out to a Lebanese restaurant and sat out on the sidewalk with friends at the table dining, and smoking apple essence ( Not tobacco) from a big Turkish pipe called a hookah. It is heated by putting small charcoal rocks on top of the pipe. I felt like I was in a market somewhere in Istanbul sucking this stuff back and waxing philosophical.

Tonight I am going to have a quiet and sedate night at home and will try to focus on my wellbeing. I just needed a diversion last night.

I have given notice of intent to vacate my apartment. The landlord has allowed me to break my lease without penalty which is a relief.
I am catching the train up to Castlemaine tomorrow and Sarah and I are going to have a look at a small miners cottage that is available to rent not far from Sarah's house.

It all seems to be coming together.

What is happeneing in your neck of the woods D?

Many hugs to all,
Susannah


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## moore2me (Apr 13, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Thank you so much Deborah, Russ and Edgar.
> 
> My update. My neurologist allowed me to begin taking the oral Methyl Prednisolone steriod treatment for now. If the numbness that is still persisting in my feet and legs does not start to remit I will have to go back to the hospital next week and they will be putting the drip in my arm with the high powered meds to stop this current episode.
> I have pretty much decided that I will start to inject the Rebif three times per week Deborah.
> ...



*(I hope you can avoid going into the hospital for the IV treatment.)*


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## Shosh (Apr 15, 2008)

I love Johhny Cash Deborah. I have too many favorites of his to list even!
You sound like you are at the mercy of all manner of elements and critters there in Arkansas. Well you have all those beautiful birds to delight you, so that kind of balances it all out.
I would be interested in hearing all about the civil servants there, such as the Police Force, the Fireys ( Firefighters) the National Guard etc. Do you feel safe and well protected there? Do you have confidence in these various groups?

Deborah I am being admitted to the Hospital tomorrow morning. I will be in and out of there for the next three days with the drip in my arm.
The numbness has spread in the last day to my bottom, back and chest.

I will be ok. Put another log on the fire for me until I get back.

Lotsa love
Shoshie


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## moore2me (Apr 15, 2008)

Sorry to hear about the hospital trip. I hope it goes better than last years. But, if it gets rid of all (or most) of these new symptoms - then it will be worth it. But tell them for me, that if they hurt my pal Shoshie, there will be hell to pay. They will face the wrath of Hogzilla and they will not be happy.

I will write later about our emergency personnel. I have found them to be really nice and professional people. I respect their training and their abilities. They have saved this girl's bacon a couple of time. In fact, my family could be called "frequent fliers".


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## imfree (Apr 15, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Sorry to hear about the hospital trip. I hope it goes better than last years. But, if it gets rid of all (or most) of these new symptoms - then it will be worth it. But tell them for me, that if they hurt my pal Shoshie, there will be hell to pay. They will face the wrath of Hogzilla and they will not be happy.
> 
> I will write later about our emergency personnel. I have found them to be really nice and professional people. I respect their training and their abilities. They have saved this girl's bacon a couple of time. In fact, my family could be called "frequent fliers".



I'll put my stamp of approval on that and add some
good thoughts and prayers for Shoshie.

On the subject of emergency personnel................
Any day without human injury, property damage, or 
an arrest, is a GOOD day!


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## Shosh (Apr 16, 2008)

Thanks Moore, Thanks Edgar.:kiss2:

One day down and I am back in again to the hospital later today and tomorrow.
I will be enjoying the first night Passover Seder ( Meal) with the Chabad Rabbi and his wife and their seven glorious children also this week.
Pesach is a very significant occasion for Jews as it marked the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Eygpt to the deliverance to the promised land.
These are my peeps Deborah. We are made of pretty strong stuff, so I am just gonna get through the next two days also.

Hey Cookie lets see some more pretty pics. That would be lovely.

Shoshana


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## moore2me (Apr 16, 2008)

Shoshana,

I have heard the Passover story many times. I have never experienced a true Jewish passover tho. How do you pronounce "*Pesach*"?

I am glad you are spending the holiday with good people. These guys & goils and their kids should provide you with just the uplift and recharging you need after a "vacation" at the hospital. Tell me later what they served that was good to eat.

Love and good wishes on your continued treatment,

Deborah

Here's some of my family pixs. The man on horseback is my paternal grandfather. He was an engineer and helped work on the Panama Canal. He was also wounded in WWI with mustard gas. 
(He has been dead about 50 years now.)

The second pix is even older. It is my mother's grandfather as a baby (looks like a girl, doesn't he?). The woman is my great-grandmother. I guess this picture was taken about 1890. 

View attachment AL Cook horsebackv2.jpg


View attachment little rogerv2.jpg


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## Shosh (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

Thank you for posting those wonderful pics. I especially love looking at old nostalgic type pics.
What were your parent's names? Is there a special story behind their meeting each other? I would love to hear all about that.

I am not familiar with the Panama Canal. I would like to know more about it and the country in general though, as my special friend that I have been corresponding with and getting closer to and I am wanting to visit soon, well his Mom who is now deceased was from Panama. His daddy who is also gone was American.

Maybe my special friend can come here to see me actually though. I think that will be easier for me right now given my health.

Cookie I got a phone call yesterday to tell me that I have been approved to rent the little miner's cottage in Castlemaine!
I will sign the lease this weekend and will be moving in on Saturday May 3rd.
I feel relieved that it is all settled now and that I will be away from this horrible apartment and in my new place soon.
Come on over honey and sit a spell with me on the balcony. We can sip tea and have some lovely cakes.

As for Pesach it is the Yiddish for Passover, and it is pronounced Paysarkh.

Besitos.

Susannah


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## Shosh (Apr 19, 2008)

View attachment l_d4a86b3309c186d21ddcc7ce2fea4f83.jpg





Here I am at work several weeks ago.


Deborah I am ok this morning. I got out of hospital last night and was a bit shakey and unwell and my face was very flushed from the drugs.

I am ok today though, and looking forward to the start of Passover tonight.
Lots of love to you angel.
Susannah


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## moore2me (Apr 19, 2008)

Soshieboo, What is the proper greeting for passover?

And, you look good even without all the makeup. (Without a little makeup, I look like an Irish potato farmer.)

I'm glad the hospital ordeal is over for you.


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## imfree (Apr 19, 2008)

moore2me said:


> ................snipped................
> 
> I'm glad the hospital ordeal is over for you.



I'll register a hearty AMEN! for your statement, Deborah.


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## Santaclear (Apr 20, 2008)

I third that! Beautiful shot of you, Shosh.


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## Shosh (Apr 20, 2008)

Thank you Russ, Edgar, Deborah.:kiss2:

Ok so I am struggling right now. I am having to walk with a cane at the moment. I have not had to use my cane for a long time. I am pretty unsteady on my feet at the moment so It is probably a good idea to use it until that particular symptom abates some.

Passover is finished for me now. I just can't do it this year. I went to the Rabbi's house for the first night seder and was there for an hour. I could not sit up and was not coping, so I had to excuse myself and leave.
I had to cancel the second night seder also. Same deal. I am so upset because I look forward to this all year. I just have to let it go for this year though I guess.
Anyway I have decided that I am going to allow myself all the comfort food I want right now! Bring it!

The moving plans are progressing well and I should be in my new home before long.

I am so thankful for all of my beautiful and wonderful friends here at Dims.
I love you all. I mean that.

Shoshie


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## imfree (Apr 20, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Thank you Russ, Edgar, Deborah.:kiss2:
> 
> Ok so I am struggling right now. I am having to walk with a cane at the moment. I have not had to use my cane for a long time. I am pretty unsteady on my feet at the moment so It is probably a good idea to use it until that particular symptom abates some.
> 
> ...



((((Shoshie)))), you have my hugs, thoughts, and prayer
of healing going your way. Wow!, that reminded me of
the dream I had this morning! I dreamed that my legs
had been completely healed and that I was showing
everyone in church! What a dream!


----------



## moore2me (Apr 20, 2008)

imfree said:


> ((((Shoshie)))), you have my hugs, thoughts, and prayer
> of healing going your way. Wow!, that reminded me of
> the dream I had this morning! I dreamed that my legs
> had been completely healed and that I was showing
> everyone in church! What a dream!



Imfree, I really, really hope that your dream comes true. However, the last time I showed my legs to everyone in church, I got in a whole bunch of trouble and a spanking from my mom.


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## imfree (Apr 20, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Imfree, I really, really hope that your dream comes true. However, the last time I showed my legs to everyone in church, I got in a whole bunch of trouble and a spanking from my mom.



God's grace and blessings are upon me then, because
the ONLY part of my legs I would need to show is
below the knee, not even naughty!


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## moore2me (Apr 21, 2008)

This week is one of my favorite weeks in Arkansas. It is the first week strawberries are ripe and ready to eat. Having ripe strawberries out of the field is wonderful. The fragrance of a flat (5 quarts) of berries as you drive home with your prize if a real high. The difference between our berries and store bought ones is the difference between Chicago pizza bought at real pizzeria and some frozen cheap store pizza. The harvest will last about a month and by that time, I may have gotten enough.

Also my birds are going into overdrive. I have barn swallows building mud nests on my porch (some folks think they are pests, but I like them), I have wrens nesting in boots on our porch, we have over a dozen martins nesting in our martin houses, we have hummingbirds nesting in our Japanese red maple trees, we have Canadian geese nesting on the pond, we have mockingbirds nesting in our forsythia bushes, and bluebirds nesting in the bluebird boxes. 

It's a good thing too, because thanks to all the rain we have had this spring, the skeeters are vicious. They are out in force and even the bats that circle at night can't eat all of the little bloodsuckers. Part of the problem is that a couple of miles from my house are minnow farms, which make for excellent mosquito breeding ground in addition to all the flooded areas. Arkansas (and the county I live in) is one of the largest bait fish (minnow) producers in the United States. For those of you who don't know what a minnow is, people use them to fish with or feed larger fish. Minnows generally are small fish (about 2-3" long) and are placed on hooks and used for bait when fishing. In the south, we pronounce it "minnner" and they come in silver color - called shiners or goldfish. Bass, crappie, and catfish all love to eat minnows.

(First picture, world largest minnow farm - about 20 miles from here, second pix shiners, third pix - goldfish.) 

View attachment aerialponds2.jpg


View attachment shiner2.jpg


View attachment goldfish2.jpg


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## Shosh (Apr 23, 2008)

Hi Cookie,

I love strawberries. I can never seem to pick a punnet of the sweet ones though when I buy them. Is there any secret to telling if they are ripe or not?
Do you know the Pineapple ripeness test? I think that you pull out one of the leaves at the top of the pineapple. If it comes out easily, it is ripe, and if it is a big ol tug of war it is sour.

I just love fruit so much.

As for the fishies, well I love Barramundi, snapper, flathead and sardines.

Why do goldfish die so easily when you have them at home in a fishtank?

Keep the pics coming.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Apr 23, 2008)

I get my strawberries when they are ripened in the field and must be picked that day. They will not last till sundown. A ripe strawberry has an overwhelming smell of "strawberry". It is not hard, it is not squishy, it does not have bad spots or bird pecks on it. It looks sort of shiny, like its ready to burst. It has no white or pink on it, the red color is uniform thru out. 

I don't pick my own - for two reasons. My favorite grower will not let customers in his fields. He says they tear up and waste more than they pick. Secondly, I am no longer able to walk on dirt or plowed rows. And strawberries have to be picked on the ground, which I cannot do. The Mexicans pick them for me (God bless them one and all).

I am posting a recipe for fresh strawberry pie on the foodee board. If you make it, I hope you like it. It is a favorite here in Arkansas.
_________________________________________________________________

Now as to your goldfish question, I used to keep pet goldfish and had the same problem with them dying. I think it was because I didnt keep the water clean enough or they didnt have enough oxygen. I finally just gave up. Now I have an aquarium screen saver on my computer and I have stocked it will the prettiest goldfish. I enjoy watching them swim across my screen and dont have to feed them.

I also have a sharks in the ocean screen saver than I can run if I am in a pissy mood and enjoy watching the carnivores frolic in the deep water around a sunken ship.

And add factoid - when our minnow farmer ship minnows or goldfish they fill the tops of their tanks with air having extra oxygen. When they sell fish for bait, they give you the fish in a plastic bag half filled with water and half filled with a little extra oxygen. (Not enough to be flammable tho.)


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## Shosh (Apr 27, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

What a clever idea and less maintainance to have fishies swimming on your computer screen. No mess or fuss. I spoke to my sister yesterday about maybe getting a dog when I move to my new place. There is a big yard there and lots of space, unlike the small apartment I am living in now. I am not sure though. I have heard that having a pet is expensive and vet bills are not cheap either. We shall see.

I am still feeling tired and unwell. No change in the numbness at all as yet. I am scared that it will be permanent. Gosh I get scared sometimes thinking about what incarnation this illness will take next, and what will happen to me. I try not to think about it, but I can't help but panic sometimes.

Anyway.

I have been cooking quite a lot lately. I need to follow written recipes. I am not like my sister who can just cook off the top of her head. I would like to expand upon what I can cook and I plan on having guests frequently in my new place and trying new dishes out on them.
I like making cakes especially.

Are there any special foods or dishes that are particularly Arkansas?

In Australia there is a cake called a lamington that is very Aussie. It is two small chocolate sponge cake squares covered in coconut put together with a layer of strawberry or raspberry jam in a layer in the middle.
I will find a pic of one and post it.
My other favorite cakes are pineapple upside cake, Kugelhopf, apple strudel, apple cake, lemon citrus tart, orange cakle, chocolate mudcake, I could go on forver here.

I will have to compose a limerick to you Cookie as you are one of my besties here.

Rock on
Shoshie


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## moore2me (Apr 28, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> What a clever idea and less maintainance to have fishies swimming on your computer screen. No mess or fuss. I spoke to my sister yesterday about maybe getting a dog when I move to my new place. There is a big yard there and lots of space, unlike the small apartment I am living in now. I am not sure though. I have heard that having a pet is expensive and vet bills are not cheap either. We shall see.
> 
> ...


*

There are other pets beside a dog - cat, goat, geese, llamas.*


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## moore2me (Apr 30, 2008)

Here's one of Arkansas's traditions. 

View attachment toadsuck7.jpg


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## Shosh (Apr 30, 2008)

Hi Cookie,

The Toad festival sounds fun, although I don't think I would really want to collect one and hold it in my hands.

Remember I told you about the cane toads in Australia? Well apparently their skin is poisonous, so It pays not to lick them I guess.

I love peaches as well as strawberries, but nectarines are my favorite. They must be soft and juicy though.

My auntie makes fruit compote. This is a desert made with a variety of stewed stonefruits and other fruits sometimes. It is then soaked in rosewater syrup. The syrup is not overly sweet, though it is just very fragrant smelling like roses. So yummy.

Funny you should mention pork as there is a smallgoods factory in Castlemaine where I am moving that deals mainly in pork products.
You are correct when you assume that I do not eat pork or pork products.

I am still unwell, but trying to laugh and be happy and be optimistic. It is a bit easier to cope that way.

Shosh


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## moore2me (Apr 30, 2008)

Sorry you still aren't remitted. I am having some leg numbness too, but mine is more linked to the progression of the day. It starts around noon and stops when I go sleep at night. Then starts again the next day. I get some relief by laying down and putting my feet up for 30 minutes or so every couple of hours. If I don't do this, I start to get bad cramps in my legs and feet and that is even worse. Aren't we a pair of misfits? Oh well, no one ever said life was perfect (except Walt Disney).

I am more into morphing into a rock or a carrot around five or six PM. I am absolutely worthless after that time. Some nights, even dragging myself to bed a night is an E ticket ride. But, when I wake up, my body has reset and we do it all over again. So, if I have to do something important, it must be done in the first half of the day or forget about it.


(And our toads are little ones - about 2/3 the size of a computer mouse.) They are not deadly poisonous, but all toads have venom glands in their skin that keeps predators away. During the toad races, you are not allowed to touch your toad. Most people slap the ground next to the toad to scare the little fellow and make it jump. Problem is, the critter doesn't always jump toward the finish line. Harming a toad during the festival is in extremely bad taste and would get you disqualified.


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## Shosh (May 1, 2008)

Hi Cookie,

I was wondering how you have been coping with your own little version of the MS monster in your bod. You have a very strong mental attitude to it all. I am pretty weak minded about it all.
I like you am better in the morning, and find afternoons hard.
I have been having spasms in my legs at night when I am sleeping, which wakes me up with horrible pain. I think I shall be taking possibly Baclofen for that, shall get it prescribed tomorrow.

I know that you take Copaxone, no? Look I have decided on taking Rebif as Copaxone is a daily injection and I just don't want to inject daily. Rebif is three times a week, so that is better for me, although I am not looking forward to the side effects of it for the first several months.
Anyway.

What else?

Aside from Arkansas, what would be your second favorite state in America and why?

I like Washington State, I loved Seattle when I visited it. I think I would also love the beauty of Colorado. Those are in my top two. I may actually compose a top ten fave state list.

I wonder just how many different accents there would be in the States also? I really like the Southern accents, and find them quite charming.

Two more sleeps to go until I move.

Goodnight Deborah. I am so glad you are here for me to talk to. Thank you.

Susannah


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## Santaclear (May 1, 2008)

Good luck with the move, Shosh. I hope you're feeling better soon.

My sis has been on interferon for her Hep C for at least a few years now, I think. I think they were about to decide whether to take her off it (i.e., find if it's working or not) this past week.


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## moore2me (May 1, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Cookie,
> 
> I was wondering how you have been coping with your own little version of the MS monster in your bod. You have a very strong mental attitude to it all. I am pretty weak minded about it all.
> I like you am better in the morning, and find afternoons hard.
> ...





Santaclear said:


> Good luck with the move, Shosh. I hope you're feeling better soon.
> 
> My sis has been on interferon for her Hep C for at least a few years now, I think. I think they were about to decide whether to take her off it (i.e., find if it's working or not) this past week.



*Santaclear, I hope your sister does okay on the interferon. I had a immunological problem (not related to MS) about 8 years ago and tried to take cyclosporin. Cyclosporin is an immune suppressing drug that they often give to transplant patients. That stuff made me sick constantly. I would throw up all day long. Finally, I had to quit taking it. The doc switched me to another immune suppressing drug. They do have some choices out nowadays - thank God!. But, the new drug worked & that issue cleared up.*


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## moore2me (May 2, 2008)

Well, as Betty Davis used to say, we had to fasten our seatbelts today - it was a very, very bumpy ride - all day long. The "tornado fest" started about 8 AM and continued steady throughout the day until about 7 PM. The storms crossed the state and spawned frequent warnings from our weathermen that we should take cover NOW!. At the end of the day, 7 people had been killed and a bunch more injured.

Again, the Moore rancho is fine, here were just got some vicious lightening, wind and rain. But, here's some tragic stories from today:

1.) Four were killed in the bed while sleeping. Three of these were children and one was an adult. The deaths occurred in two separate towns hundreds of miles apart. Other injured kids were evacuated to our state-wide Children's Hsopital.

2.) A dog breeder had a kennel destroyed. The news showed puppes being picked up from being scattered everywhere. Many lived, but some were dead.

3.) These tornados were worse and more numerous than the ones we had a couple of months ago.

4.) One church that was destroyed had just been rebuilt from the previous storms. We were lucky that the majority of the tornado's paths were across farmland and not suburbs or town. However, about 5 towns had major damage, one of which is only about 15 miles from where our house it.

I'm sure tomorrow will bring more tales of today's storms.


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## moore2me (May 10, 2008)

Before I was interrupted by tornadoes, I was talking about ancestors. I have mentioned my mother's father was a pig farmer. He raised five kids and supported a bunch of other people on hard earned money he made from raising Durocs hogs. 

Since most of us city dwellers have no idea what kind of pigs are available in today's market, I thought in memory of grandpa, I would let those of you who were interested play a little game called *"Name the Pig". *I have attached six pictures of popular pigs in today's market. Match the pig with it's name. One of the pigs is not a meat pig, can you identify which one? (For those of you who are bacon lovers, you should know this stuff.)

The answers are written in white next to the numbers on the clock below.

*Here's your choices of answers. *
1. Duroc
2. Hampshire
3. Chester
4. Poland China
5. Berkshire
6. Potbelly

*Here's the position of the pigs as they were numbers on a clock.*
Noon - Berkshire
Three o'clock- Duroc
Six o'clock - Poland China
Seven o'clock- Hampshire
Nine o'clock- Chester
Center of the clock - Potbelly - not a meat pig - used as a pet 

View attachment chester white.jpg


View attachment 2 pigs.JPG


View attachment duroc.jpg


View attachment hampshire.jpg


View attachment pig5-poland china.jpg


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## Shosh (May 16, 2008)

Deborah let me get back to you on this over the weekend. I have not forgotten you or our special thread here.
Hugs
Shoshie


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## Shosh (May 19, 2008)

Hi Deborah,
Tornadoes? We do not get anything as exotic and scary as that. It is always tragic to hear that people have lost their lives in these type of circumstances.
Did you know there are actually storm chasers? Some people actually chase twisters etc to film and document the path of these scary monsters. It is good that they do too, because we can almost get a bird's eye view on these acts of nature, and go along for the ride as if we were there.
Remember the Wizard of Oz? Was there not a tornado in Kansas?

Now Deborah I would love to play along with the Piggy wheel of fortune game but the clock configeration is confusing me.:doh:

Deborah I have spent the last few days filling out papers to submit for disability. I continue to be a sick chookie, and I am having to stop work for the forseeable future anyway.
I am very upset and ashamed at having to take a government payment, as I prefer to work and support myself. It is very hard for me to accept, but I have no option at the moment.
I have been injecting the rebif thrice weekly and the side effects have started to kick in.
I will have to travel to Melbourne to have an mri of my brain on June 10th, and an mri of my spinal cord the following day.

How are you coping with it all? Hug.
I remember you telling me that I need to be more stoic about it, and I am really trying to do that. My self esteem is suffering though. I will try Deborah to be positive.

I am not sure that I want to post pics of my home on the internet for privacy reasons. It took me a long time to even post a pic of myself for the same reason. I will think about it.
Winter starts here on June 1st, but it is well and truely here already.
I hope that you have a wonderful and sunny Summer Cookie.

Love 
Susannah


Fix the piggy game so I can do it!


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## moore2me (May 19, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> Tornadoes? We do not get anything as exotic and scary as that. It is always tragic to hear that people have lost their lives in these type of circumstances.
> Did you know there are actually storm chasers? Some people actually chase twisters etc to film and document the path of these scary monsters. It is good that they do too, because we can almost get a bird's eye view on these acts of nature, and go along for the ride as if we were there.
> Remember the Wizard of Oz? Was there not a tornado in Kansas?
> ...


 *okay . . . . .*


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## moore2me (May 19, 2008)

Before I was interrupted by tornadoes, I was talking about ancestors. I have mentioned my mother's father was a pig farmer. He raised five kids and supported a bunch of other people on hard earned money he made from raising Durocs hogs. 

Since most of us city dwellers have no idea what kind of pigs are available in today's market, I thought in memory of grandpa, I would let those of you who were interested play a little game called "Name the Pig". I have attached six pictures of popular pigs in today's market. Match the pig with it's name. One of the pigs is not a meat pig, can you identify which one? (For those of you who are bacon lovers, you should know this stuff.)

The answers are written in white next to the numbers on the clock below.

Here's your choices of answers. 
1. Duroc
2. Hampshire
3. Chester
4. Poland China
5. Berkshire
6. Potbelly

Here's the position of the pigs as they were numbers on a clock.
Noon - Berkshire
Three o'clock- Duroc
Six o'clock - Poland China
Seven o'clock- Hampshire
Nine o'clock- Chester
Center of the clock - Potbelly - not a meat pig - used as a pet 

View attachment pignine.JPG


View attachment pigsnoon.JPG


View attachment pigthree.JPG


View attachment pigseven.JPG


View attachment pigsix.JPG


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## Shosh (May 21, 2008)

Here goes nothing!


1. Noon- Chester

2. 9.00- Duroc

3. Center - Poland China

4. 3.00- Hampshire

5. 7.00- Berkshire

6. 6.00- Potbelly


Do I win a prize if I am correct?

You realize you are asking a Jewish girl to match pigs to their pig names?!

I like these kind of fun games. Got any more?

Hugs
Susannah


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## moore2me (May 21, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Here goes nothing!
> 
> 
> 1. Noon- Chester *Wrong*
> ...



*Moore2me*
:kiss2:


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## Shosh (May 21, 2008)

I suck at this. Potbelly has to be Potbelly coz he has a Potbelly!

Oh man. What are the correct answers then Smartypants?


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## moore2me (May 21, 2008)

Susannah said:


> I suck at this. Potbelly has to be Potbelly coz he has a Potbelly!
> 
> Oh man. What are the correct answers then Smartypants?




*Susannah, I told everyone the answers when I first started the pig game on 5/10. (See the instructions below. The answers are still there.)*

"Since most of us city dwellers have no idea what kind of pigs are available in today's market, I thought in memory of grandpa, I would let those of you who were interested play a little game called "Name the Pig". I have attached six pictures of popular pigs in today's market. Match the pig with it's name. One of the pigs is not a meat pig, can you identify which one? (For those of you who are bacon lovers, you should know this stuff.)

*The answers are written in white next to the numbers on the clock below."*

Very truly yours,

Ms. XXXXL Smarty Pants


So, for the next game would you like to play name the Arkansas fish or name the Arkansas bird?


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## Shosh (May 22, 2008)

I feel like such an idiot.

I would like to play " Pin the tail on the idiot"!

Either fishie or birdie game will do just fine.

I need a few laughs.

Shosh


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## moore2me (May 22, 2008)

Don't feel like an idiot. I write so much, it's easy to overlook a few words in the mountains of obtuse information I spout out. You're just a person who skims as she reads. Nothing wrong with that.

By the way, hubby and I are going to my niece's high school graduation today. We will be gone for a few days. I will work on further diversions when I return. Wish us luck (his family and my family live in the same town - no pressure there!)


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## Shosh (May 23, 2008)

Best wishes to your neice for her future.

Cookie I think I did read your post, but I must not have taken the info in.
I am definately noticing some cognitive issues in relation to this condition.
I think that the brain MRI is definately going to show progression of the disease in terms of the lesion load and how I am feeling. Oh Well.
Deborah what made you choose the Capaxone? Cookie it is a daily shot.
I only have to inject the Rebif three times a week. 

Anyway wherever you are tonight I hope that you are happy and safe.

Big hug
Shosh


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## moore2me (May 23, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Best wishes to your neice for her future.
> 
> Cookie I think I did read your post, but I must not have taken the info in.
> I am definately noticing some cognitive issues in relation to this condition.
> ...



*Graduation was very nice. A good time was had by all. But traveling is very tiring on this old bird.*


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## Shosh (May 25, 2008)

View attachment l_26b47291593f93ab618a532db8801051.jpg



Hi Auntie Deborah,

Just dropping by your thread to show you some love and to say that it is almost winter time in Australia. I am all rugged up and going out for a stroll in the park with mummy. 

Big hug

Love Marcus


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## moore2me (May 25, 2008)

Susannah said:


> View attachment 42868
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Such a little charmer!!! I bet he will make a handsome lad when he grows up.


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## Shosh (May 26, 2008)

Gday Deborah,

How be you? Well today is my 38th birthday and I am having a lovely relaxing day. I went out last weekend and celebrated a dual birthday with my friend Helen who is three days older than me. I had a lil to drink and made a bit of a goose of myself.

Tonight I am going out with family.

I hate getting older. Do you hate it D? My sister when asked if she cares about getting older (she will be 43 this year) said that she doesn't give a rat's ass! I hate it though. I have not come to terms with it yet.

Cookie I would love some new games for my birthday if you have any.

Thanks. Let me know what is going on in your little corner of the world too.

I love our lil online friendship here.

Susannah


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## ekmanifest (May 26, 2008)

Happy Birthday Sussanah!


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## Shosh (May 26, 2008)

ekmanifest said:


> Happy Birthday Sussanah!



Thank you so much. Love your avatar pic BTW.


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## imfree (May 27, 2008)

ekmanifest said:


> Happy Birthday Sussanah!



I'll Chime in. Happy birthday, Shoshie and may
you be blessed in too many ways to count.


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## moore2me (May 27, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Gday Deborah,
> 
> How be you? Well today is my 38th birthday and I am having a lovely relaxing day. I went out last weekend and celebrated a dual birthday with my friend Helen who is three days older than me. I had a lil to drink and made a bit of a goose of myself.
> 
> ...



*And, Happy Birthday My Friend!​*
*A Birthday Game For Susannah!* Your nephew Marcus is playing grown up. Match the occupation he is trying to mimic.

a. Rice Farmer
b. Corn Farmer
c. Flower Cultivator
d. Flamingo Dancer
e. Singing Cowboy 

View attachment marcus3.JPG


View attachment marcus6.JPG


View attachment marcus11.JPG


View attachment marcus12.JPG


View attachment marcus5.JPG


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## Shosh (May 28, 2008)

I laughed and laughed when I saw these pics. I could not stop laughing.
Especially the Sambrero Marcus. So perfect.

My brain is not working though tonight. I am so embarrassed, I need to reed the instructions again.


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## moore2me (May 29, 2008)

Tonight I am a little nervous. My mom called & said my cousin is bringing mom's sister to visit for the first and last time. Let me explain. Mom is about 83. Her sister is about 85. Her sister is in the middle stages of Alzheimer's disease. I'll call her sister Louise (not her real name). Louise has been battling Alzheimer's for years now. Mom & I have visited her (she lives in another state) several times and with every visit there is less and less of Louise in her "shell". This upsets my Mom too - Louise is the last living person in Mom's family besides us kids. Mom & Louise are (were) very close as sisters and are both widows and have been for many years. Mom's mother lived for seven years in a nursing home - the entire time suffering from Alzheimer's dementia.


My cousin called a few days ago & said that she needs to bring Louise to visit one last time because she doesn't think Louise will be "of sufficient mind" any more after this summer to recognize anyone in her family. They are going to be spending a few days with mom and then going back home to put Louise in a nursing home. Obviously, this has my mom "tore up". Being the oldest child in mom's family the child living closest to her, and the girl in the family, I will have the "lion's share" of the grief in this thing. I realize that not everyone who grows old gets Alzheimer's, but if you do the inevitable progress of this disease is sad and hard on everyone.

Sorry for being so maudlin, but thought I'd better get my feelings out in the open before tomorrow so I can help mom or Aunt Louise.


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## Shosh (May 31, 2008)

Thanks for sharing your feelings here with me Deborah. It is not maudlin. Alzeimers is a cruel and heartless condition, it is a slow thief of a person's mind and character. It must be tearing your mum's heart out to see her sister slowly slipping away to the ravages of this incidious disease. I am sure your mum has countless childhood and other memories, where your Aunt is a happy and healthy and functioning person, and to see the end stage of this illness must make her feel helpless and hopeless.
Alzeimers has a ripple effect I would imagine, in that it not only effects the patient, but the loved ones also.
I was only saying to my sister today that I would prefer to have physical deterioration with my MS, than ever have cognitive deterioration. I prize my mind above all else.
I imagine you feel the same way Cookie. I feel blessed to have you on the other side of the computer screen to talk to. We are living the same reality. I must say that we both have a bit of a wicked sense of humor too.

May your family be blessed.
Shoshie


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## Shosh (Jun 2, 2008)

Deborah,
How is everything with your family? How are you feeling about it all? It is almost like a death has occured when this disease takes a hold of a once healthy and perfectly functioning person. There are all the associated feelings of loss and grief that need to be processed and worked through.

I am ok. I recognize that I need to have counselling as I have been having some pretty dark thoughts like " Well I have four packets of paracetomol in my medicine cabinet, why not just take them all at once."
I recognize that I need to speak to somebody about this. The medication can induce feelings of depression also, I just do not know. It is making my hair fall out though.
I need to snap out of it though. Courage,right?

I am thinking of you my special friend.
Shosh


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## moore2me (Jun 3, 2008)

Well, my weekend came and went and it wasnt as traumatic as I feared it would be. My aunt Louise, with Alzheimers, doesnt have much short term memory, but she still is a very sweet, gracious, southern lady. She did not recognize any of us in her sisters family and during the course of 72+ hours, only recognized her sister for about 10 minutes and then the thought went away. She remembers well things that happened when she was young (60 years ago) and people that have died, she thinks are still alive. 

She has a pet miniature poodle that she dearly loves and they brought her dog with her. Louise is content to sit in a chair and hold the little dog in her lap all day long. If she needs to go to the bathroom or the dog needs to go outside, one of them, lets you know they need to pottie. Both of them have to be walked to the restroom and supervised. Louise because she is frail and could fall. The dog because it might wander away. 

My mom and her immediately became fast friends (they had to get reacquainted) and Louise would laugh when mom did something funny. But, if you asked Louise questions about her children or her dead husband or other personal details, she would get a frown on her face and get confused. My cousin, her caretaker, does not know how long she will be able to keep taking care of her tho. My cousin also has a husband who has had a stroke, has broken a leg, and is a diabetic on insulin. He needs major supervision so she has two invalids in the same house to care for. Plus, she is trying to hold down a full time job teaching school. Poor girl is just about worn down to nothing.

I found one funny moment in this little spectacle this weekend. It is hard to get my Aunt to eat. She eats slowly when she feeds herself, is easily distracted, and it works best if someone feeds her like a baby. Mom left Louise and me sitting on the outside porch & brought Louise a plate of chicken salad and crackers to eat for lunch. She sat the plate on a table in front of Louise.

We got her to eat a cracker with salad, and then she looked down at the plate and asked me Whose plate is this? 

I said, Its yours. Eat another cracker. She took a bite. A minute later, she said.

Whose plate is this? I said. Its your plate. You have to eat the crackers and the chicken salad.

Another small nibble went in her mouth. A few moments later, she said, Is this the dogs plate?

I said, No, Its yours, Now eat a cracker.

This actually went on and on for at least 30 minutes before Louise consumed what we estimated was enough nutrition to consider an adequate lunch. I had to tell her at least a dozen times it was her plate and she was supposed to eat the food. Now, can you imagine doing this all day, all week, for months?

For years? Caretakers must be special angels.


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## moore2me (Jun 3, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Deborah,
> How is everything with your family? How are you feeling about it all? It is almost like a death has occured when this disease takes a hold of a once healthy and perfectly functioning person. There are all the associated feelings of loss and grief that need to be processed and worked through.
> 
> I am ok. I recognize that I need to have counselling as I have been having some pretty dark thoughts like " Well I have four packets of paracetomol in my medicine cabinet, why not just take them all at once."
> ...



Yes, Soshie, I would talk to your doctor. I the medicine is causing side effects that are making your life worse, you might have to change medications. *This is serious stuff, so do it ASAP.* I have had to change medicines several times due to bad side effects, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Different people's chemistry just react differently to various drugs. This is not a one size fits all deal. 

Also, keep in mind that you have exerienced several major life changing events. Moving, changing jobs, and beginning new drug therapy. Major life changing events can induce mental trauma on us just a severe as death of a loved one. We are psychologically safe in our little nest and our little life pattern and to have it ripped away and changed (even voluntarily) is a hugh blow to your subconcious. You actually go thru a grieving process just like you do when someone you love dies.


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## moore2me (Jun 5, 2008)

I am declaring June 2008 in Arkansas to be the *Summer of the Tick*. Because we had a mild winter and a horribly wet spring, we are "blessed" with a plethora of brown, spotted deer ticks. When I say the ticks are bad this year, I mean really, really bad. When my husband works outside on grass & comes inside, he has to strip all his clothes off and shower. The clothes are actually crawling with ticks. You can count at least two dozen on him within an hour. If he stayed outside for a couple of hours, he would probably have a hundred on him easy. I have to soak his clothes in bleach, hot water, & laundry soap for a few hours to kill the little beasts.

What's bad is, these are the ticks that can carry RMSF (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) and Lyme Disease. We have neighbors who have already been put on antibiotics from tick bites. Some people can spray pesticide in their yard if the area is small, but we have too much area, and we have dogs living and walking in our backyard. So, we put Frontline & Preventatic collars on the dogs. And, people use OFF spray (with DEET) when going outside.

I just feel sorry for all the poor wild animals living in the forest, the deer, the raccoons, the squirrel, etc. They must be miserable with these parasites. And, some of them will probably die from lose of blood even.


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## Shosh (Jun 7, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

Ticks burrow into the skin and can cause nasty damage, no? We have them in Australia also but generally up north more so than down south where I live.
I have heard of people using Methylated spirits also to kill the little buggers off.
You sure are overrun with critters there.
Summer time in Arkansas now? I definately think that one's spirits are higher in warmer weather. Winter has arrived here now, and it is definately colder up here in the country than i have experienced before in the city. Mornings are freezing.
Do you have summer fairs there? Festivals? Will you go away on vacation?
I will travel up north soon to visit my younger brother and his fiancee. They are paying for this little vacation for me as a special treat, as they know that I am broke.
I have been put on a waiting list to have counselling asap with my local community health center. They also gave me a number that I can call if I need to see somebody right away in an emergency.
Things seem pretty hopeless at the moment, but I have my faith which is a comfort to me.
I am travelling to the city tomorrow and I will be there until next Wednesday evening.
Firstly it is the Jewish festival of Shavuot, so I will be going to a special dinner at my Auntie's house.
Secondly I will be going to the hospital on Tuesday to have an MRI scan of my brain, and back again on Wednesday to have one of my spinal cord also.
Thirdly I am going to visit friends and have fun, and I am going to try to squeeze in a visit to see my little muffin Marcus.

I may go shopping also. I need some new shoes. Do you like shopping Cookie?
What kinds of things do you like to shop for?
One thing I was amazed by was the sheer variety of things one can buy in America. Such a range of products, and so little time.
I love Crest toothpaste meanwhile, the cinnamon blast one. You can't get it in Australia.

Be blessed Cookie.
Susannah


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## Santaclear (Jun 7, 2008)

moore2me said:


> *Santaclear, I hope your sister does okay on the interferon. I had a immunological problem (not related to MS) about 8 years ago and tried to take cyclosporin. Cyclosporin is an immune suppressing drug that they often give to transplant patients. That stuff made me sick constantly. I would throw up all day long. Finally, I had to quit taking it. The doc switched me to another immune suppressing drug. They do have some choices out nowadays - thank God!. But, the new drug worked & that issue cleared up.*



Well, good news on my sister's health front - great news, in fact. The interferon evidently worked (she's been on it for some years now) even tho it was hardly expected to...I need to read her mail again, but evidently her Hep C antibodies are way down or something and things are looking the best they have in years. Not sure what this means for the overall picture of her health (she has cirrhosis) but this is great and she's excited. (Normally she's a real depressive character.) Thought I should update on that.



Susannah said:


> I laughed and laughed when I saw these pics. I could not stop laughing.
> Especially the Sambrero Marcus. So perfect.



Twice I skimmed past this while looking for the other post, Shosh, and read it as "Especially the Sombrero Mucus".   So I'm afraid your brother might have to change the little guy's name. He is cute as a button tho, as well as handsome and muffin-like in the great Shosh tradition.

Have a great trip this week, besides getting the medical stuff done.


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## Santaclear (Jun 7, 2008)

moore2me said:


> I am declaring June 2008 in Arkansas to be the *Summer of the Tick*....



Sounds awful. I hope those ticks settle down and go elsewhere, Moore. (Ticks um, suck.)


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## moore2me (Jun 7, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> Ticks burrow into the skin and can cause nasty damage, no? We have them in Australia also but generally up north more so than down south where I live.
> I have heard of people using Methylated spirits also to kill the little buggers off.
> ...





Santaclear said:


> Well, good news on my sister's health front - great news, in fact. The interferon evidently worked (she's been on it for some years now) even tho it was hardly expected to...I need to read her mail again, but evidently her Hep C antibodies are way down or something and things are looking the best they have in years. Not sure what this means for the overall picture of her health (she has cirrhosis) but this is great and she's excited. (Normally she's a real depressive character.) Thought I should update on that.
> 
> *Santaclear, I am glad to hear your sister is doing better. I don't guess they would want to do a liver transplant on her would they?*
> 
> ...





Santaclear said:


> Sounds awful. I hope those ticks settle down and go elsewhere, Moore. (Ticks um, suck.)



*It's not the sucking part that so dangerous. Before they suck, they inject you with a little anti-coagulant and this "syrup" of tick spit is where you can get Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme Disease.*


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## moore2me (Jun 10, 2008)

It doesn't take much to make this old girl happy anymore. One of the important events in my yearly calendar has just come to pass this week. The annual beginning of the new Irish potato harvest. A little background here - my father's family immigrated from Ireland during the Irish potato famine, so part of my genetic and family heritage is strongly tied to growly this little tuber. 

Hubby plants them every year & this week, the spring potatoes are ready to harvest. My favorite are the little redskins the size of golfballs. I wash them off with a scrub brush and boil them for about 10 minutes. They can then be dressed with butter, salt & pepper and eaten with just about anything. This year they are delicious. Larger redskins can be chunked and used in all kinds of recipes. We will use them all summer. Hurray for the lowly potato. For many years it kept lots of my kin alive in Ireland.

Soon to come in Arkansas gardens - Tomatoes and peaches are due within a week!!!


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## Shosh (Jun 12, 2008)

Hi Cookie,

I love potatoes. They are a real comfort food, no? There must be many a recipe for them also. Actually my Auntie made a cheesecake this week and she put some potato in it to make it a little less sweet and sickly tasting. I was surprised when she told me this, but it actually tasted nice, sweet but not too sweet. As I get older I can't seem to tolerate really sweet tasting food. When you are a kid you love to blast your brain with Fanta etc. The sweeter, the better.
I love peaches also. Peach compote, peach cobbler, peaches n cream.

Well I am exhausted Deborah. On Tuesday I had the brain MRI, and yesterday I had the MRI of my spinal cord. The cord mri took an hour to do. I had to lay completely still also. It was stressful. The Xanax did not really help. Maybe I should have taken a bigger dose.
Anyway I should know the results by next week. A lot of progression no doubt, I think especially in my brain.

Cookie I am feeling upset that the whole bloody paysite issue has been brought up again on the main board.
I never wanted to hurt anybody, and I feel that I have evolved so much since then.I actually think the girls are wonderful. I wish I had love for myself like that.
Anyway.
Wishing you were down the road from me and I could just sit on the porch with you sipping lemonade. ( Or Scotch

Love
Susannah


ps- Russ thank you so much for your caring words and concern. You are a good mate to me here.


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## moore2me (Jun 12, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Cookie,
> 
> I love potatoes. They are a real comfort food, no? There must be many a recipe for them also. Actually my Auntie made a cheesecake this week and she put some potato in it to make it a little less sweet and sickly tasting. I was surprised when she told me this, but it actually tasted nice, sweet but not too sweet. As I get older I can't seem to tolerate really sweet tasting food.
> *
> ...



..............


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## Shosh (Jun 14, 2008)

Be careful Deborah. Are you ok? You are my inspiration and a real trooper with this illness. I am a bit of a baby right now.

More discussion to come. I am going to go and rest now.

Smooches
Susannah


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## moore2me (Jun 15, 2008)

How did it go with the meeting you & your sis went to for the disability?

Have you gotten the results of your MRI yet?


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## Shosh (Jun 20, 2008)

moore2me said:


> How did it go with the meeting you & your sis went to for the disability?
> 
> Have you gotten the results of your MRI yet?




I have been granted what we call the Disability Support Pension in Australia. It is generally an uphill struggle to be granted this pension, but Multiple Sclerosis is a serious progressive disease as you know yourself Deborah. It is not the common cold. 
My neurologist wrote a fairly detailed report that was submitted and it was accepted.
The MS society also went into bat for me which helped. Thank you to my social worker Emma. You are so wonderful.

Anyway they have processed all of the paperwork and my payments have started as of this week. Somebody is watching over me.

I will travel to the city next month to learn the results of my two MRI scans.
I know that there will be progression.
Anyway I have started injecting the Rebif so let's see how that goes.

Now I have to apologize to you Deborah for falling asleep at the wheel of this thread!

Where shall we take this thread now? Can we possibly venture outside of Arkansas to learn about other places in your wonderful nation?

Steer this ship wherever your heart so desires Cookie.

:kiss2:

Susannah


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## Shosh (Jun 22, 2008)

View attachment mail.jpg


This pic was taken this afternoon. Here I am on the right, with my older sister
Rebecca on the left. She has just returned from Russia.
We had a family lunch today. Some of my siblings came up from the city.
We laughed and had fun. We also discussed what has been happening to me in regards to my illness, and how the family could help me at this time. I cried because I was very touched by their love and concern.

You are very priveliged to see me here without makeup! I look like hell here.

I have always thought I have a boy's face.

Anyway.

Hug

Susannah


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## Shosh (Jun 26, 2008)

Bye Bye Deborah! I will talk to you when I return from my trip.

I shall miss you.:bow:

Shoshie


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## Shosh (Jul 8, 2008)

Hi Cookie. How are you? I missed chattin with you whilst I was away.
I will not rabbit on about myself. I just would like to know how everything is for you in your neck of the woods.
Got any more funny pics or games to share? I like your pics.

Shoshita


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## moore2me (Jul 12, 2008)

Soshie, I am glad you enjoyed your vacation. Please post some pix when you get more. And tell me more about the horseback riding. I am sorry to hear you have more lesions with the MS. I have been using a cane for years now & it is second nature to me. I need it more in the afternoons and in the evenings than I do in the mornings. I use it for balance, not for support, it sort of like a kangaroo uses its tail. Without it, I walk with my arms out like a tightrope walker or I am on a balance beam. I just don't have good balance.

I love my cane. I have four or five of them. (I have given several away to strangers on the street who appear in need of one. I always carry a spare in my car.) I buy inexpensive, but sturdy ones at a discount store.

Hubby and I have been very busy lately with the garden. Our veggies are starting to come in and we are putting things "up". Between me and mom, we have canned about 100 quarts of sweet pickles from our cucumbers. It takes about 36 hours to do a batch (8 qts) of cucumbers. We also have processed and froze quite a bit of yellow squash. I have made some pepper sauce too with cayenne peppers. Okra and purple hull peas are coming next.

We also have a new renter that we let move in the house next door. He is a 78 yr old man, so maybe he will be calmer than the last tenants (the ones who raised the ax against Hubby & were starting fires in the woods). So far, he keeps to himself and causes no trouble.

Our tick epidemic has dwindled down and been replaced by a snake invasion. We have come across at least one good sized snake a day around our house in the past few weeks. So far, only one of them has been poisonous. I won't let Hubby kill the non-poisonous ones. We need them for mouse & rat control. The poisonous snake was a copperhead, he was coiled up in the cucumber patch, we Hubby went out to pick cukes one morning.

So now you are somewhat caught up with our day-to-day actions, how are you doing in your new home?


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## Shosh (Jul 13, 2008)

Hello My friend,

I really enjoyed the horse back riding while I was away. The horse was very gentle and ambled along, and we trotted and broke out into a run also.
I felt at home in the saddle and was not once worried about my balance issues etc. I threw caution to the wind.
I think I am going to take it up as a hobby come September, the start of Spring, and the warmer weather.

My brother took some pics, and I am still waiting on them. He is notoriously slow and forgetful.

I like the sound of your pickles. Being of Hungarian ancestry I am a big fan of pickles.
Tell me, do you ever can preserves, like plums, apricots etc? I love those made into what we in Australia call jam, not jelly as you call it. We call Jello, Jelly here. Confusing I know.

I love plum Jam so much.

What is Okra? I don't think I have ever eaten that.It sounds very exotic.

I am glad to hear that you have a new elderly tenant. Here is hoping for some peace and quiet for you and your hub. You do not need the stress and aggravation. 

As for snakes my grandfather once killed a Copperhead in the backyard.
Australia has got some particularly nasty snakes.
I do understand about you wanting to keep some of them in a job though Deborah. I believe that spiders are also important for that very purpose. If we had no spiders we would be over run by bugs.

My MRI results.

Lesions. Plaques of demyelination. Apparently I have newbies in the spinal cord, Cervical and other regions.
I apparently have 7 new lesions in the Periventricular white matter of my brain. Oh well. Here is hoping the Rebif does it's job.
The neuro offered me Tysabri also should things start to go pear shaped.
How you doing with the Copaxone?
You are a trooper. I could learn a lot from you.

Can you give me your email again. I would like your address to send you a little something from Australia. Whatever your heart desires. Within reason!

Thanks mate.

Shoshie


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## moore2me (Jul 14, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hello My friend,
> 
> I really enjoyed the horse back riding while I was away. The horse was very gentle and ambled along, and we trotted and broke out into a run also.
> I felt at home in the saddle and was not once worried about my balance issues etc. I threw caution to the wind.
> ...


............. 

View attachment 250px-Okra_Growing.jpg


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## Shosh (Jul 27, 2008)

Deborah,
Sorry x1000. I have really fallen asleep at the wheel of this thread.
Forgive me.
I was not aware that you had a problem with diabetes. Sugar is one of life's joys, but it can also come back to bite you if you consume it in excess.
There are a number of sugar substitutes that I use, but nothing beats stewed rhubarb in sugar.
You are right about the preserves. They taste better with sugar.

I do cook Deborah, just not every night. I cook a main meal about three times a week, and the other nights I will just have a snack.
I want to cook a meal once a week for family or different friends and make it very special. I am now settled in here and can do that.

Do you have Aldi in Arkansas? Aldi is the discount German supermarket that is worldwide now. You can save a lot of money shopping there and that helps people like you and me who exist on disability benefits etc.

I went out today with my sisters. They wanted to surprise me by buying me a pair of winter boots, as they believe that all my shoes are flimsy and unsuitable, now that my walking and balance is getting worse.
I didn't see anything I liked, and my sister insisted that comfort and safety is more important than having a fashionable shoe.
I think shoes should be comfortable and practical, but they should also look cute in my book! That is important.
Rebecca sometimes treats me like a two year old in that she still orders me around. Older sister syndrome.

Anyway. How is your summer going you lucky ducky? I would love to feel some sunshine on my shoulders right now. Roll on springtime!

Thanks cookie.

Shoshie


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## moore2me (Jul 27, 2008)

Welcome back Shosieboo,

No we do not have an Aldi. I never heard of it until you started talking about it. As far as our summers go, we are starting the hard part now. It is supposed to be in the 100's for the next couple of weeks. Whoopee! Moore stays indoors and only goes from one air conditioned building to another. This is the bad part for my MS. Head = Kryptonite.

I told IMFree I would post this story about how I ran over myself with my electric power chair. It is funny, but I did end up in the orthopaedic surgeon's office and my injuries still hurt four years later - I'm just glad it wasn't worse.
Moral of the story - Don't wear floor length robes when your using a power chair. You have my permission to laugh at this story - everyone does.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
How I Ran Over My Own Feet​*
Okay, you twisted my virtual arm; Ill tell you the details. I had come back from the hospital after having recent surgery and was still using my electric power chair, I was still pretty weak. I was wearing a long, flowing nylon robe that came down to my ankles. My husband had fried crappie (a local fresh water fish) for supper and had fixed me a plate of hot fish and fries and I was powering over to the TV so I could eat while watching. 

Well, somehow  my long robe hem got tangled in the tires of the electric scooter. As I reeled the robe accidentally wound around the tire, and the robe started binding and pulling down on my right hand which trapped my hand down on the on power switch and made the chair race at top speed into the sheet rock wall of the house. The chair and I hit the wall at warp drive and it threw me on the floor, naked, having completely tore my robe off and wound it around the tire. The plate of sizzling, hot crappie went all over my naked body and left burns on my tummy & legs. Then the chair, having hit the wall was rebounding and still traveling using its inertia and ran over both my feet. Hubby had to pull the chair off me when it came to a stop on top of me.

One of my feet had several bones chipped in it and I ended up in the emergency room being X-rayed. The X-rays got me admittance into an orthopedic surgeons office the next day. Every time, I had to explain my injury to a nurse or a doctor, they would crack up laughing at me. I got laughed at and snickered at for the next few weeks by doctors, nurses, transport van drivers, X-ray techs, and occupational therapists. I imagine that my story amused a total of two dozen health care providers. I got a lot of mileage out of this little true, but tragically funny story. So, I am one of the few people who ran over their own feet with a power chair.


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## Violet_Beauregard (Jul 27, 2008)

Oh my god Deborah.... despite being horribly tragic (thank GOD you weren't hurt worse!!!)... it really is quite amusing! I'm trying to picture the whole thing happening in what was probably a matter of minutes. I'm sure THAT robe (if there was anything left of it after being wound around the wheels) probably won't be worn while in the chair again!!

I'm really glad you weren't hurt worse... and thank goodness your hubby was there to help you. 





moore2me said:


> *
> How I Ran Over My Own Feet​*
> Okay, you twisted my virtual arm; Ill tell you the details. I had come back from the hospital after having recent surgery and was still using my electric power chair, I was still pretty weak. I was wearing a long, flowing nylon robe that came down to my ankles. My husband had fried crappie (a local fresh water fish) for supper and had fixed me a plate of hot fish and fries and I was powering over to the TV so I could eat while watching.
> 
> ...


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## imfree (Jul 27, 2008)

moore2me said:


> ..................snipped........................
> I told IMFree I would post this story about how I ran over myself with my electric power chair. It is funny, but I did end up in the orthopaedic surgeon's office and my injuries still hurt four years later - I'm just glad it wasn't worse.
> Moral of the story - Don't wear floor length robes when your using a power chair. You have my permission to laugh at this story - everyone does.



Thanks, Deborah, and I'm not in any mood to laugh
at you. I'm very glad that your injuries weren't any more
severe than they were. Vehicles and firearms are so damned
unforgiving of even the most minor mistakes!The power chair 
probably did look comical, however. The old warning, "Don't 
wear long, flowing clothing when working with rotating 
machinery", as you well stated, is always right. I will do well 
to always be mindful not to wear or carry anything that could 
get caught in a wheel when I'm on mine. It's way too easy to 
forget! Thanks for the heads-up.


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## Shosh (Jul 27, 2008)

Well Cookie, I dont feel like laughing at that story because you hurt yourself. I never find it amusing when people hurt themself. I hate those funniest video shows on TV where they show babies falling and hurting themself and we are supposed to laugh at that?

I find funny things amusing just not that.

I am sorry that you burnt yourself also.

I guess that you will not wear a long robe again like that.

Keep cool in the heat Deborah.

Shoshie


----------



## Shosh (Jul 28, 2008)

I want to laugh at this instead........


View attachment mspoem.jpg






Hugs

Shosh


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## moore2me (Jul 29, 2008)

Soshieboo, I like your Cat in the Hat Poem and graphics. Did you do that? Many days I feel like I am in a Doctor Suess movie. . . . .


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## Shosh (Aug 7, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

I have been thinking about the special present that I want to send you from Australia.
Would you prefer a general Australian type souvenir, or would you like a souvenir from Castlemaine the town I live in? 
Are you allergic to soaps at all? There are local specialty soaps here that are divine that I could send you.
Of course if you want a koala oven mitt etc just say the word.
Love to you

Susannah


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## moore2me (Aug 7, 2008)

Soshieboo, No allergies to soaps - I love lavender, rose scent, gardenia, melons, most flowers, eucalyptus, tea tree oil. 

The only thing I cannot tolerate for some reason or the other is nutmeg. It is like wolf bane to me or garlic to a vampire. It just makes me want to roll in grass, scratch, and spit.


----------



## Shosh (Aug 7, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Soshieboo, No allergies to soaps - I love lavender, rose scent, gardenia, melons, most flowers, eucalyptus, tea tree oil.
> 
> The only thing I cannot tolerate for some reason or the other is nutmeg. It is like wolf bane to me or garlic to a vampire. It just makes me want to roll in grass, scratch, and spit.



Done and done.


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## moore2me (Aug 7, 2008)

*I Need a Break, Here's What I Did Yesterday​*
I have been working extra hard in the kitchen lately and deserve some time off.

I am fixin’ to get really cranky real soon if I don’t get some time off. Here’s the score. First off it’s too hot outside. When the temp reaches over 100 degrees F (usually around noon) we let our two dogs inside where it’s air conditioned. They can stay inside until around 8 PM. (I’m not as hard-hearted as I make out to be.) So, I am continually running two big dogs out of my kitchen &#8211; they are worse than kids when they smell something cooking.

Also, being the peak of summer, hubby has to irrigate the garden & the produce is coming off like gangbusters. Here’s what I put up yesterday. Eight quarts of tomatoes canned in glass jars, three quarts of butterbeans, blanched & packed for the freezer and two gallons of okra washed and packed for the freezer. Hubby also picked the rest of the butterbeans and is in the process of shelling the rest for me to put up today. The purple hull peas are going to be ready by this weekend too, so add those to the list to do in a day or two. 

The outdoor heat and the indoor cooking makes my kitchen warmish and makes momma more cranky. By 5 PM, I am fairly dangerous and the men folks are walking fairly far away from me. (I think I scare them.) The hummingbirds are in hyper drive too, they are drinking about three quarts of liquid a day, and I have to keep they feeders filled. 

I know when winter comes, it will be nice to have this stuff put up, but if I don’t survive or if there is a domestic violence occurrence here, it will be a moot point. Tensions may rise if hubby catches me putting tomatoes down the garbage disposal again so I don’t have to can them. 

What else is happening? Oh yeah, he is catching baby snakes outside. When you start catching baby snakes about as big around as pencils, and they are copperheads &#8211; you know you have trouble. Usually, when momma snake lays eggs, she lays several dozen and they all hatch at pretty much the same time. Now where are the rest of those little beasties?

I know it's getting time for some relief when the two warning signs are showing up. One is I am starting to crave horror movies. Yesterday, I was looking for some really gory ones I could TIVO. I picked the Bone Collector and was thinking Stunt Man Mike is really a funny guy - he was just misunderstood. 

The other warning sign is the dreaded "Red Monkey Butt" syndrome. This you get from sitting too long in a power chair and working in a hot kitchen hour after hour.


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## Shosh (Aug 11, 2008)

Hey Gurl,

How are you coping in the heat? Oy Va Voy is all I can say. Tomatoes and Butterbeans, yum yum. I love beans of most varieties. Do you like lentils? How about Dahl?

I would not have picked you for a horror movie freak Deborah.

I used to love to watch horror movies back to back when I stayed at friends houses on the weekends when I was in high school.

I like some of the old classics and some of the newer tackier ones like the Halloween movies, and Nightmare on Elm Street etc.

The Amityville Horror ( The original) is a fave too.

Do you like zombie movies then as well?


I am ok. 

Thanks for being on the other side of the computer screen Cookie.

One more thing. It is wonderful that you take the time to post special pics for people on their special occasions. 
I liked the octopus pic you posted for Juanito ( Jon B)


Susannah


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## Shosh (Aug 11, 2008)

It aint Tiffany, but it is just for you Cookie.


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## moore2me (Aug 11, 2008)

Susannah said:


> It aint Tiffany, but it is just for you Cookie.



Soshieboo, Thanks for the virtual charm bracelet. Yes, I do love zombie movies. Of course, my favorites are vampires. Next, would be monsters (like Godzilla, Cloverfield, or Alien). I would say Zombies would be a definite third place. Here is a partial list of zombie movies I have in my collection or recommend:

1. Shaun of the Dead*
2. Fido*
3. Otis*
4. White Zombie
5. The Serpent and the Rainbow
6. Night of the Living Dead
7. Dawn of the Dead
8. 28 Weeks
9. 28 Days Later
10. I Am Legend

* Zombie Comedies


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## Shosh (Aug 12, 2008)

Hi D,
My mates and I watched 'Dawn of the Dead" a million times in high school. The original one though, not the inferior recent re release.

Deborah can I ask your advice about something? Firstly can I just say that I am stupid and nieve and believe everything people tell me. I just never want to see the bad in situations.

Well I have been talking to a few guys here, nothing concrete yet, just fun etc etc.

I have still been talking to my Mr Wonderful on my MySpace page that I have been talking to for close on a year now. We speak on the phone and message each other etc etc.
Well on the weekend I called his home. His home phone had been disconnected. I called his cell and we spoke for a while.

I asked him about his disconnected land line and he told me that things have been bad for him in the last month and that something had happened and that he had to leave his home.
I did not want to pry, but I think I know him well enough now to ask him exactly what had happened, and why he had to leave suddenly.

He is living out of a suitcase somewhere in Florida now and he wont tell me where.
His ex wife and two daughters live in a seperate house in the same town, so he has reason to stay there and not leave.

He has also had a falling out with his family and was asked to not come to his brother's wedding the night before the event. Something happened there that he is not telling me.
Something is not right here. What could it be?
We have been talking about meeting up, and I have even invited him to accompany me to my brother's wedding in February.

I am worried that maybe he has done something bad and he is not telling me.
Could my instincts be right?
Sorry for the thesis Deborah. I hope you will not mind me saying, you are older than me and have more life experience, so I want to draw on that experience.

Thank you.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Aug 12, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi D,
> My mates and I watched 'Dawn of the Dead" a million times in high school. The original one though, not the inferior recent re release.
> 
> Deborah can I ask your advice about something? Firstly can I just say that I am stupid and nieve and believe everything people tell me. I just never want to see the bad in situations.
> ...



.......................


----------



## Shosh (Aug 12, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

You just said pretty much everything that has been in the back of my mind. Thanks for your analysis. I think it is spot on.
I spoke to my sister about it and she had the same concerns.
Anyway. Crazy I know, but I still want to be his friend, maybe I can help him to redeem himself in some way if he has done wrong. He does have a lot of nice qualities, all the bad stuff aside.

Maybe I will take someone else to Matthew's wedding next year.


Cookie today is my first free day without any appointments, so I will have time to go and get your lil surprise. I will have fun picking it out I think.


Thanks.

Susannah


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## moore2me (Aug 12, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> You just said pretty much everything that has been in the back of my mind. Thanks for your analysis. I think it is spot on.
> I spoke to my sister about it and she had the same concerns.
> ...


......................


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## Shosh (Aug 13, 2008)

Cookie your surprise arrived in the mail today. I love the keyrings! They are perfect, especially the long one with the beads spelling out Arkansas. I can hold that keyring when I am holding the whole bunch of keys. It is pretty and practical. 

Thanks.

Thank you for your little note too and the highway map.

The problem with the electrical wiring has been found. Apparently many country towns have had mice plagues. Well a few of them have gotten into my roof and chewed away the electrical cable. That was what was causing it to short out.
The electrician who represents the landlord told me that there was no way to completely keep the mice away, and that I would have to get up into the roof on a regular basis and keep laying poison pellets etc.
I don't think so! I cannot do that for obvious reasons.
If I do not do it often though the mice will chew my electrical cable again.
What to do?
Why should I have to pay somebody to come and do it, just to keep my electrical supply protected?
I will work something out. It is all too much right now.

Deborah I bought your little surprise today and it is on it's way!
I hope you will enjoy it.

Please take care of yourself. The heat is so hard.

I found your little town on the highway map. I see that the closest big city is Little Rock.
All interesting stuff.

Your friend

Shoshieboo


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## Shosh (Aug 13, 2008)

Hey Deborah,

I know that my Mr Wonderful is not in jail at least because he has been answering his cell phone. They do not allow cell phones in jail, no?

Night night.

Shosh


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## moore2me (Aug 13, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Cookie your surprise arrived in the mail today. I love the keyrings! They are perfect, especially the long one with the beads spelling out Arkansas. I can hold that keyring when I am holding the whole bunch of keys. It is pretty and practical.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> ...



..................


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## Shosh (Aug 16, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

How are you my wonderful friend?

I have been having a lil fun online with a site called www.wishlist.com You can go through literally thousands of items in a million categories, and add items to your wishlist.

It is not that I want everything on the wishlist, it is just fun choosing all your favorite things and having your own little list and putting them on it.

So far I have a lot of Guess handbags, boots, and cute umbrellas.
Each day just for fun I add a few more items to the list.

It is a whole new world with online shopping now isn't it Cookie? I got my canes online.
Have you bought anything online?

The world is changing. Some for the better, some for the worse.

Here is one of my fave songs. I love 50's and 60's ditties.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnFlpTwe0lQ


Susannah


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## moore2me (Aug 17, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> How are you my wonderful friend?
> 
> ...



...................


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## Shosh (Aug 17, 2008)

moore2me said:


> ...................




The song is " The end of the world" by Brenda Lee.


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## Shosh (Aug 17, 2008)

Welcome Caroline.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Aug 17, 2008)

Wooooo Hoooooo! I'm subscribed! Thanks Shoshie


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## Shosh (Aug 19, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

How goes it for you? I am ok. I had physiotherapy today. I am doing a special exercise program at my local hospital twice a week. 
The physio gets upset with me because I refuse to wear exercise type attire like sweat pants. I hate sweat pants. I just feel sloppy in them.

She wasn't too happy when my skirt got caught in the rowing machine.

I like to look pretty and I hate wearing sloppy clothes. I did concede to possibly wearing a pair of pants next time, just not sweat pants.

Tomorrow I will travel to the city to hear the results of my neuro psych testing. 

What else? I am going to a social function next week. Should be fun, at a Chinese restaurant. I hope there will be a few nice guys to talk to there.

My Mr Wonderful is Awol at the moment. Surprise surprise.

There is a hurricane due in Florida, but he is in Northern Florida, and it is supposed to be in south west Florida.

Guys suck sometimes. I hope no guys are reading this.

Love to you

Susannah


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## imfree (Aug 19, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> How goes it for you? I am ok. I had physiotherapy today. I am doing a special exercise program at my local hospital twice a week.
> The physio gets upset with me because I refuse to wear exercise type attire like sweat pants. I hate sweat pants. I just feel sloppy in them.
> ...



It's OK, Shoshie. We guys really do suck sometimes.


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## moore2me (Aug 19, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> How goes it for you? I am ok. I had physiotherapy today. I am doing a special exercise program at my local hospital twice a week.
> The physio gets upset with me because I refuse to wear exercise type attire like sweat pants. I hate sweat pants. I just feel sloppy in them.
> ...



...................


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## Shosh (Aug 20, 2008)

Hi Cookie,

How are you? Anything exciting happening for you at the moment?

I wanted to ask you how do you choose your avatars? Why the obsession with Meerkats? That is not a bad thing, I just wonder how you decide who will get a starring role under your name?

I will check out the exercise wear that you suggested.

You know what Deborah? I am not worried about Mr Wonderful at all at the moment. I have got so much on my plate at the moment, that he will just have to go on the back burner. 
He aint the one anyway.

I am sure he will call me, when he is good and ready, and in his own time, But I just may not take the call.

Anyway. Who is your NFL team? Mine is The Steelers. I want to try and get some of their merchandise online.

So tired tonight. Got my neuro psych test results. Can you guess what may be wrong?
You win a set of steak knives if you can guess?

Love to you

Shoshieboo


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## moore2me (Aug 20, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Cookie,
> 
> How are you? Anything exciting happening for you at the moment?
> 
> ...


...........


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Aug 20, 2008)

I'm in the blog................I'm here...........I haven't had a chance to sit back and read it all yet........but I am here Ladies......


Do you hear me?



I am here  :bow:


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## moore2me (Aug 20, 2008)

GEF,
I am reading you loud and clear. I was wondering when you were going to give Sohieboo some advice about Mr. Marvelous. Seems like he has morphed into another life form. (I have run into a few men who did that too.) Sort of like the pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

By the way, GEF, I love the fairies you are creating lately (like for birthdays). They are very cool. How are you doing that? And magic fairy dust is not an acceptable answer.


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## Shosh (Aug 20, 2008)

This is a nice one don't you think D?


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## Shosh (Aug 21, 2008)

I love the new title of our thread Deborah. It is a little cocoon here.

Don't eat the chocolate soap when it arrives! 

I am off to the city today for another medical appointment.

I am also going to do some shopping. A little retail therapy will be great.

Hope life is all peaches and cream there in Arkansas.


Shoshana


ps- I think I had better start talking more about Australia and less about nonsense, as per the new thread title! Lol!!!!


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## imfree (Aug 21, 2008)

I get it, girls! I'm in Arkanstalia! congrat's
for a brilliant concept!


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## stan_der_man (Aug 21, 2008)

Ooh, I just saw the new thread title! Very unique concept... at both places start with an "A"!  


Speaking of Australia Susannah.... I was loading software into one of the classrooms the other day at the university where I work and had time to spare so I Google Mapped Australia, just a bunch of random cities. They now have the street view maps which give better ground level views.

I noticed that the desert areas (or semi-arid areas...) seem to look more like African savanna (short, scattered trees and grass...) than California / Arizona type desert that has cactus / tumble weeds / scrub brush / yucca plants. Is that an accurate observation? I also noticed that Australia is much flatter, the western and northern coastal cities all looked very flat, and the northern, central coast (as opposed to the northern, east coast...) was much more arid than I expected... lots of red dirt.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Aug 21, 2008)

moore2me said:


> GEF,
> I am reading you loud and clear. I was wondering when you were going to give Sohieboo some advice about Mr. Marvelous. Seems like he has morphed into another life form. (I have run into a few men who did that too.) Sort of like the pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.



Lol, know what occurred to me when I first read this? I thought what in heck kind of advice should I be giving about men? I am twice divorced, last relationship with a boyfriend ended because he became physically abusive...on top of all the other abuse I put up with. I have dated drunks, unemployed jerks and men that were looking for a mother to raise them for the rest of their lives
So what kind of 'sage advice" could I possibly give to anyone?

Then it hit me.........I am good at one thing when it comes to the advice....I can recognize those bad, bad, bad behavioral patterns....
Yeppers, Shoshie..........remember when I told you in your other thread to let him come to you...don't make any special trips to visit him even if you could?
This is why.........so many turn into jerk-offs....so easily...so suddenly........with no warning. It's common.....and so is that guy. 

Anything else?  




moore2me said:


> By the way, GEF, I love the fairies you are creating lately (like for birthdays). They are very cool. How are you doing that? And magic fairy dust is not an acceptable answer.




Lol, google is a powerful tool in e-magic on the internet 

I will often time take the person's name...real or screen name and google it in combination with the word fairy/pixie/nymph....that sometimes lands me some quite interesting ones......and sometimes it might look like a "specially created" fairy made just for them....but it really was just luck of the draw with google + whatever fairy art is floating around in cyber space 

Oh, and I do have quite a few saved on my hard drive 



Also want to add that I love this "shared blog"...two heads are better than one


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## Shosh (Aug 26, 2008)

Caroline your advice is always welcomed. So the men you have had as partners have had issues? That is not your fault, those issues are theirs alone.

I thank you for your presence here.


I am really upset tonight. My sister's children really treat me like dirt. I say hello to them and they just ignore me. When I say hello again they roll their eyes and grumble at me.I realize they are only 10 years old, but even 10 year olds should be encouraged to have basic social graces.

I hate to say it, but they are quite nasty and arrogant. I feel terrible saying that about my own nephews, but I am tired of trying to love them and be nice to them, only to have them yell at me or ignore me.

My sister also told me not to hug them. Apparently when I hugged them at sleeptime, one of them did not like that and complained, so my sister told me to not do it.

I was pretty offended and hurt by that. I am in trouble for hugging them? I could understand if my sister was upset if I had raised my voice at them or had hit them, which I have never done and would never do. I hugged them, and I am in trouble with my sister.

I no longer want to go over there. I dont want to deal with being treated like dirt. I am not well, and I feel frail, and this is too much to deal with.

Sorry. I have been going along so well and have not cried for a little while until tonight. It is too much.

Anyway. I am sorry. I will get back to fun topics soon here.

I am going to see my little Marcus tomorrow. I never want him to grow up and stop loving my hugs.


----------



## moore2me (Aug 26, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Caroline your advice is always welcomed. So the men you have had as partners have had issues? That is not your fault, those issues are theirs alone.
> 
> I thank you for your presence here.
> 
> ...



Soshieboo, Maybe I can help here. There may be a couple of things going on. First, as kids mature, they start wanting their own space - not just physically, but emotionally too. Kids that are preteens probably will develop an adversion to being hugged and touched by family members. I remember my mom saying "Kiss you grandpa" "Now give him a hug" and I really didn't want to. Now, I wish I could. This is typical of the average preteen and will probably get worse as they turn teenagers. 

You will not be able to connect with them on the same level as you do Marcus. You will have to try something different. They will not try to connect with you - it is not the way most teenagers & pre-teens are wired. I suggest start small by finding something they like. I will probably be a rock star, and actor, or a sports figure. Now, use the internet to read up on this person and next time you see the kid, try to start a small conversation about the celebrity.

Most teenagers & pre-teens will answer questions (if at all) in one or two words. So, try and ask them something that needs a detailed answer, such as what do you think about . . . . .? Start treating them more like adults than children. This will impress them and elevate you in their eyes. Tell them jokes or give them info that they can impress their friends with. (This may be hard, but you can start with some of the jokes here in DIMS.)

Remember, hugging is your way to express affection. It probably not their way. When I was teaching school, most schools even forbid hugging between students and teachers. Most of my kids were pre-teens and teens. You just have to realize that teenagers, especially young boys will not want to be hugged by their aunt. It is not a dis on you. Most teenage boys in our culture are like this. You just have to find another way to continue to bond with them. Since you are frail as you say, popping each other with wet towels is probably out of the question. So would be hitting them on the shoulder (a male bonding ritual), or patting their asses (a football ritual). You will have to bond mentally, buy talking to them. Like Scherazade of ancient fame.

And, if you say hi and they don't speak, I would say "hi" again a little louder. If they still don't speak. I would direct it to each kid. Seperate & conquer.
"Hi Ralph". "I said Hi Ralph" and keep on until Ralph either says something or stalks out of the room. You also might try bribery. Find out what candy the like and bring each one of them a treat. Hold it out, like you would for a dog, and say "Hi Ralph. . .I brought a Snicker bar for you." See if he says something then.


----------



## Shosh (Aug 26, 2008)

Hi D,

I understand what you are saying, and I thank you. The way I feel now this whole incident has left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I no longer wish to go to their home and visit with them. I think I prefer the peace and calm of my own home. 
I don't wish to hug them anymore anyway, given that they treat me like dirt. 
I understand the whole pre teen thing too, but I do believe they need to show me at least some respect, as I am their Aunt and not a hobo on the street. Actually I would expect them to treat a hobo with respect also.

Despite it all I am still very upset about this Deborah, and I can't help how I feel.

Anyway I hope that you are well and enjoying summer's last stand.

Best wishes to you as always

Susannah


----------



## JoyJoy (Aug 26, 2008)

Susannah, 

I hate that your nephews have been allowed to treat you like this. I say "allowed" because your sister should be standing up for you and expecting them to treat you better. If anything, your sister should be intervening to ensure that her sons understand your condition and help you feel comfortable, instead of expecting you to cater to how they feel. I realize, though, that you have little, if any, control over that part of it. 

I completely understand your desire to stay away from them now. I do think, though, that your nephews should understand the effect their behavior has had on you. They're young and impressionable enough that even if their behavior doesn't change now, the knowledge that they have hurt you may hang in the backs of their minds and one day change how they treat you...and hopefully others. So this is a valuable opportunity to give them that lesson. I do understand if you're not up to expressing to them or your sister how you feel, assuming you haven't already, but it could be healthy for you as well, in getting it out of your system instead of holding it in. Just something to think about. 

I wish I could give you a big, tight hug. It pains me to know you're hurting over something like this.


----------



## moore2me (Aug 26, 2008)

Soshieboo, You have given us glimpses that your childhood has been traumatic and your father and stepmother have not treated you well. I assume that they also have not treated your sister well either. If this is true, your sister may not have much grounding in what a healthy family relationship should be like. She may not have much of a reference point or previous model to raise her boys by. 

Joy Joy is right in that you are owed basic respect as a human being and even more respect and dignity as a blood relative of these boys. But, if your sister will not cooperate or is functionally unable to train these boys to socially respect their elders - someone may have to intervene. Someone like her husband or her minister or a counselor, but this will be difficult to do and is outside of my field of expertise. I am used to dealing with kids in a classroom situation - teacher to student. 

I understand that you don't feel like going back to their home. It is sad that this has occurred. Maybe you could write a letter to your sister & explain your feelings and how it has hurt you. Sometimes others just don't understand their actions on us and need to be informed. And training her boys to be respectful is one of the important lessons in growing up. If they don't learn it, they will have trouble down the road. Where is there father in this? Will he help? Or is he gone?


----------



## Tina (Aug 26, 2008)

Shosh, I agree with Joy. Those children should be taught, and it should be enforced, that they treat you with respect. They should not be made to hug anyone they don't want to hug, and we can't make people like us, but I believe that any parent who does not teach their children manners and proper social interaction does their child a HUGE disservice, as their peers as well as their superiors will find them an annoyance and it will hinder their progress in life. I'm always amazed to see parents who are otherwise good parents not realize how they are in some ways damaging their children by not disciplining and teaching them how to be good people that others enjoy being around. Also, that's not the same as being a suck up or a door mat, just good manners, decency and an enjoyable personality in whatever fashion they develop as human beings.


----------



## Shosh (Aug 28, 2008)

imfree said:


> I get it, girls! I'm in Arkanstalia! congrat's
> for a brilliant concept!



You are indeed in Arkanstalia! Through the looking glass like Alice in Wonderland.



fa_man_stan said:


> Ooh, I just saw the new thread title! Very unique concept... at both places start with an "A"!
> 
> 
> Speaking of Australia Susannah.... I was loading software into one of the classrooms the other day at the university where I work and had time to spare so I Google Mapped Australia, just a bunch of random cities. They now have the street view maps which give better ground level views.
> ...



Hi Stan. Sorry I missed your message here. That is how my brain works, or doesn't work these days. I miss whole segments of things often.

South African people say that the Australian bush looks a lot like the South African desert areas, so yes your observation is correct.

Australia is generally pretty flat although the little town that I live in is quite hilly.

Castlemaine is featured in the Wikipedia if you want to check it out.

Thanks for stopping by.


----------



## Shosh (Aug 28, 2008)

JoyJoy said:


> Susannah,
> 
> I hate that your nephews have been allowed to treat you like this. I say "allowed" because your sister should be standing up for you and expecting them to treat you better. If anything, your sister should be intervening to ensure that her sons understand your condition and help you feel comfortable, instead of expecting you to cater to how they feel. I realize, though, that you have little, if any, control over that part of it.
> 
> ...




Thank you Joy. I understand that they are young, but I agree with you, they should be expected to treat myself and other people with at least a minimum level of respect and courtesy.

My sister has allowed them to behave in any fashion that they desire, and has only just recently started to try to address their behavior, but in some ways I think it could be too late. The horse has bolted, and they are now used to yelling at people and not listening to directions etc.

I understand that raising her children alone is hard for my sister, but I have offered to help where I can to ease the load.

I do love my nephews, I just do not like them so much at the moment.

Thanks Joy for being an ear to listen.



Shoshie




moore2me said:


> Soshieboo, You have given us glimpses that your childhood has been traumatic and your father and stepmother have not treated you well. I assume that they also have not treated your sister well either. If this is true, your sister may not have much grounding in what a healthy family relationship should be like. She may not have much of a reference point or previous model to raise her boys by.
> 
> Joy Joy is right in that you are owed basic respect as a human being and even more respect and dignity as a blood relative of these boys. But, if your sister will not cooperate or is functionally unable to train these boys to socially respect their elders - someone may have to intervene. Someone like her husband or her minister or a counselor, but this will be difficult to do and is outside of my field of expertise. I am used to dealing with kids in a classroom situation - teacher to student.
> 
> I understand that you don't feel like going back to their home. It is sad that this has occurred. Maybe you could write a letter to your sister & explain your feelings and how it has hurt you. Sometimes others just don't understand their actions on us and need to be informed. And training her boys to be respectful is one of the important lessons in growing up. If they don't learn it, they will have trouble down the road. Where is there father in this? Will he help? Or is he gone?




Deborah thank you.

My sister is raising her boys alone after divorcing her husband several years ago.

Things have been hard for her, and I have tried to help with the children. I used to be able to do so much more for her like housework etc, to ease the load. All I can do now is just sit for them when she wants to go out, to give her a break.

I love and admire my sister a lot, and she is a wonderful mother in all other regards.

I just do not know what to do. I feel stressed when I am in their home now, and I do not feel welcome there by the children. 

Maybe a break will be a good thing.

Something I can't understand and I had forgotten this, is that the time before when I had sat for them, my sister specifically asked me to go in and check on the children at bedtime and give them some TLC.
I did that and got in trouble for it.

I won't hug them again.

Thanks D.




Tina said:


> Shosh, I agree with Joy. Those children should be taught, and it should be enforced, that they treat you with respect. They should not be made to hug anyone they don't want to hug, and we can't make people like us, but I believe that any parent who does not teach their children manners and proper social interaction does their child a HUGE disservice, as their peers as well as their superiors will find them an annoyance and it will hinder their progress in life. I'm always amazed to see parents who are otherwise good parents not realize how they are in some ways damaging their children by not disciplining and teaching them how to be good people that others enjoy being around. Also, that's not the same as being a suck up or a door mat, just good manners, decency and an enjoyable personality in whatever fashion they develop as human beings.




I agree Tina. I have also been thinking about it some, and I think you are right, maybe I should not hug them. 
Hugging is my way of showing love and care, but maybe they do not like it.
I won't do it again.

Anyway, yesterday I saw my little Marcus and he let me hug and kiss him and suck his cheeks off! That made up for all the stress of the past few days.

Thanks Tina.


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## moore2me (Aug 28, 2008)

Susannah said:


> All I can do now is just sit for them when she wants to go out, to give her a break.
> 
> I love and admire my sister a lot, and she is a wonderful mother in all other regards.
> 
> ...



Soshieboo, You should not let a couple of kids (pre-teens or even teenagers) dictate whether you should visit your sister's house. *Do not let these children push you around. It's not good for you and it's not good for them. If they see they can get by being a bully, things will only get worse as they get older.* There behavior really needs to be nipped in the bud (as Deputy Barney Phiff would say). 

You should talk to your sister and make her your ally in this situation. It is not unusual for a single mother trying to raise kids to not discipline boys the way a father would. Women and men have different styles of communicating and teaching children and moms have a lighter touch. Boys need the added input of their father and when he's not around, mom has a difficult time doing everything (working, housework, cooking, helping with schoolwork, teaching manners, teacher's meetings, drs visits, playing with the kids, having free time, etc.)

And lastly, some people, including myself, just don't like to have their personal space invaded. I have a 3 foot circle around me that is my personal space and when someone comes inside it, it freaks me out. I really don't enjoy being hugged, patted on the back, patted on the head, etc. I have never been a touchy-feely kind of person. There are a group of ladies in my exercise class who are always wanting to have "group hugs". I cringe when they want me to group hug with them. I like these ladies, I enjoy talking to them and think they are fun. I just don't want to be hugged. 

Good luck with your sister and her kids tho. Don't give up on the boys, but don't let them bully you. You are the adult. Do not let them run your life with their childish ways. But, I have a few words of warning . . . . When they become teenagers, they will probably get worse. Most teenagers go thru a period of several years where they are either demon posessed, or worship Druid Gods, think Marilyn Mason is the boss, or want to join the Army so they can shoot infidels. This period will pass in time (if they live thro it).


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## Shosh (Aug 28, 2008)

Ok! I now know not to send you anymore cyber hugs!


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## moore2me (Aug 28, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Ok! I now know not to send you anymore cyber hugs!



Susannah, Cyberhugs are not a problem. And as I said previously, I still remember my mom making me hug my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. She would stand over me and monitor my show of affection to make sure I was polite and would make me kiss most of them as well. I was not allowed to be sassy or I would get my little butt whupped and still have to hugg & kiss them again. And do it nicely. My two little brothers underwent the same procedure. No mercy. 

(Note: This was the last time my butt was little.)


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## stan_der_man (Aug 28, 2008)

As for the children's behaviour...



All I'm saying is that canes aren't only well suited for assisting walking, they are also quite useful in administering a good swift whack, and sometimes accidents do happen...



...ya get my drift...?


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## imfree (Aug 28, 2008)

fa_man_stan said:


> As for the children's behaviour...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Spare the rod and spoil the child. One should
be mindful that the rod, while often
associated with whacking, can more effectively
be used to tenderly nudge and guide in the
right direction.


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## Fascinita (Aug 28, 2008)

Susannah,

Is your sister trying to distance _herself_ from you in some way? It struck me that this gesture--denying you closeness with your nephews--might just put more distance between her and you than anything else. The kids are kids. In a sense, they don't know what they're doing. I found it strange that a sister would tell a sister not to hug her children, even if the children did not "want" it. Would she let her kids not bathe, if they did not like it? No. They're kids. And hugging is a bonding gesture, and in most circumstances more beneficial than harmful (not saying there aren't harmful hugs...) And hugging is something many healthy families do all the time. And children usually follow in the footsteps of the adults in their lives. 

Is anyone "allowed" to hug the children at all? Could you have a talk with your sister and let her know how you feel about this?

Wishing you luck with this... :bow:


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## Tina (Aug 28, 2008)

Susannah said:


> I agree Tina. I have also been thinking about it some, and I think you are right, maybe I should not hug them.
> Hugging is my way of showing love and care, but maybe they do not like it.
> I won't do it again.
> 
> ...


Kids are weird. Sometimes it takes stepping back and letting them get to know you and care for you before they will sometimes then come to you for a hug. 

I've always been one to, when a friend or whomever, tells their child to hug me and if they hesitate at all I smile at the child and say that it's okay, they don't have to hug me. As someone who had my own space invaded in hideous ways as a child, I don't want to force myself on a child and feel that I wouldn't want a hug that wasn't given freely anyway. Obviously, I don't really know your situation with your sister's children, and I have no idea what's wrong with your sister in that area, and how or why she created such selfish, snotty kids, but it seems to be an epidemic these days. I'm sorry your feelings get hurt in the process, though.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

Fascinita said:


> Susannah,
> 
> Is your sister trying to distance _herself_ from you in some way? It struck me that this gesture--denying you closeness with your nephews--might just put more distance between her and you than anything else. The kids are kids. In a sense, they don't know what they're doing. I found it strange that a sister would tell a sister not to hug her children, even if the children did not "want" it. Would she let her kids not bathe, if they did not like it? No. They're kids. And hugging is a bonding gesture, and in most circumstances more beneficial than harmful (not saying there aren't harmful hugs...) And hugging is something many healthy families do all the time. And children usually follow in the footsteps of the adults in their lives.
> 
> ...



I think my nephew Tom said he did not want to be hugged and my sister then asked me not to hug them, after previously asking me to check on them and give them TLC.

My other family members do not really hug them. I am the hugger of children in my family.
I don't however have the emotional reserves to deal with all of this anymore, so I will not hug them again.

My sister is always very adament about anything related to her children, and she probably will not listen if I tell her how I feel.
To be honest I am enjoying the peace and solitude of my own home, and would prefer to not have them visit at the moment.





Tina said:


> Kids are weird. Sometimes it takes stepping back and letting them get to know you and care for you before they will sometimes then come to you for a hug.
> 
> I've always been one to, when a friend or whomever, tells their child to hug me and if they hesitate at all I smile at the child and say that it's okay, they don't have to hug me. As someone who had my own space invaded in hideous ways as a child, I don't want to force myself on a child and feel that I wouldn't want a hug that wasn't given freely anyway. Obviously, I don't really know your situation with your sister's children, and I have no idea what's wrong with your sister in that area, and how or why she created such selfish, snotty kids, but it seems to be an epidemic these days. I'm sorry your feelings get hurt in the process, though.



I know what you mean. I prefer a hug freely given also. There are a number of issues where my nephews are concerned.
My sister allows them to eat and read at the dinner table. I try to engage them in conversation about how their day at school was, and they either completely ignore me, or yell at me to shush up.

Tina it is a sad state of affairs when you enjoy your friend's children more than your own nephews.

I hope that things will get better.


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## Shosh (Aug 30, 2008)

Deborah,

I have to ask you more about your painting. How long did you paint for, and what kinds of things did you most like to paint?

I know that many artists like to paint things like fruits, and vases with flowers, birds and landscapes etc.

My Daddy's mother was a painter into her 80's, when she had to give it up much like yourself due to illness. She had rhuematoid arthritis especially in her hands.

Being able to paint is a special gift and talent that not every person is blessed with.
I for instance have never been able to paint or draw.

I do like to go to the National Gallery of Australia in Melbourne every few years and tour the gallery for several hours admiring the artwork. I am an admirer, and not an artist.

Some of the paintings on display are hundreds of years old which is exciting and fascinating to me.

Some of the paintings are on loan from international galleries for six months at a time etc.

Occasionally the gallery will put on an exhibition of a particular artist's works.

I do not have a favorite artist per se, I am just possibly moved and inspired by an individual peice of art that I may see.

I do adore Australian landscape type paintings, especially ones that tell a story about our historical heritage.

Here is " Shearing The Rams" A painting by Tom Roberts.

1889

Sheep shearing was a big part of Australian life in days gone by.

View attachment apa00106.jpg


Enjoy.


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## moore2me (Aug 31, 2008)

Soshieboo,

I liked to paint animals, birds, butterflies, and flowers. I painted on wood, canvas, ceramic, and sometime on cloth using acrylics, oils, watercolors, and sometimes pens and pencils. I too loved to tour museums and gone to everyone I have gotten a change to. I like your shearing picture.


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## moore2me (Sep 1, 2008)

Just thought I keep you up with the goings and comings around the Moore homeplace, or more appropriately called "Snake Central". Within the last week, we have had a plethora of the reptiles around our house and garden. Within a hundred feet from my front door, hubby has come across three large adult snakes. He thinks two were non-poisonous and one was poisonous. It's kind of hard to tell, because several of our non-poisonous snakes make it their camouflage to imitate their poisonous cousins. 

For instance, one was a three foot "hog nose" snake, who imitates in appearance and action - a rattlesnake. Another was a king snake that looked like a copperhead. And, hubby is pretty sure the third was a copperhead. He left all three alone to go about their snake business. As I have said before, we have a plague of mice and rats and snakes are necessary pest control agents. All I ask is that the snakes do not come into the house or bite my dogs. My dogs are big boys & can take care of themselves. I have seen them kill snakes, so I know they are capable of this.

But, around the Moore house, you better not be walking bare footed or laying outside sunbathing is probably a bad idea too (not that I would do this). And for darned sure, don't stick your hand into a bush or vegetable patch unless you know what's inside it. All three snakes were over three feet long and were denned up in the shade - the Arkansas heat is brutal during the daylight. I'm sure these guys hunt at night. And all were big enough to be parents as well.


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## moore2me (Sep 3, 2008)

Thanks to Hurricane Gustov, we have had non-stop rain for the last 48 hours and they are predicting it for the next 24 too. We are soaked. The ground is so wet that the wind gusts (also courtesy of Gustov) are blowing trees over and knocking out power lines around the states. Roads are flooded too. We sent hundreds of our linemen to Louisiana to help with Gustov, but they are having to recall them to come back and repair this mess here.

The Moore homestead is okay, just really soggy. The ground is like a sponge and it continues to rain. Those snakes in my previous post, can you guess where they are going? To high ground. Can you guess where high ground is? The Moore homestead. This has put me on 24 hour snake patrol and varmit patrol. Every creature that lives underground is flooded out of their home and looking for a place to sleep where they won't drown. It's the skunks that worry me the most. I despise skunks. If my stoopid dogs would leave them alone it wouldn't be so bad, but noooooooo . . . . . . .

If the rain doesn't stop by tomorrow, there may be violence due to too many crazy adults penned up in this house with too many crazy dogs dodging too many snakes, skunks, and high water. I must go to the quiet place in my mind and find peace. I must be a good girl. A calm girl. I really need a Walmart fix.


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## Shosh (Sep 16, 2008)

Snakes and skunks. I would be so scared if those snakes came anywhere near me.
You all in Arkansas, and Louisiana etc are so at the mercy of the elements, that it is not even funny.
The thing with New Orleans peeps though is that the city is in the blood and their very soul, that leaving forever is unthinkable.
I know that Candy has also just been through an ordeal in Louisiana with Gustav, and her cousin Aletha in Texas has just been through Ike.

Have you seen the movie "Snakes on a plane"? I haven't, but I imagine that those critters get too close for comfort on the aircraft?
I hardly watch movies anymore.

I do read and follow the teachings of "The Secret" though.
The basic premise is of the law of attraction, namely what you think about in your life you are attracting to yourself.
I have been reading it a lot and have found it very postive and comforting.

That is all.

Shoshieboo


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## moore2me (Sep 16, 2008)

Well, nice to have you back stranger. Have you been behaving while you've been gone? (I hope not.) Nothing like a little meaness to make a girl feel feminine, at least it works for me anyway.

As to the Secret, I never read it. The book received some bad reviews from other peeps here on the DIMS boards, so I just bypassed it. I had other things to read instead (like issues of Fangoria).

And as to the snakes, I like them. I just want them to keep in their natural place and I'll keep in mine. Our worlds should intersect as little as possible. I'll leave them alone if they'll leave me alone. If they'll eat my mice and rats, I will be forever in their debt. (But, they should understand that there are others that eat mice & rats too. So they shouldn't get too cocky.)


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## Shosh (Sep 17, 2008)

moore2me said:


> Well, nice to have you back stranger. Have you been behaving while you've been gone? (I hope not.) Nothing like a little meaness to make a girl feel feminine, at least it works for me anyway.
> 
> As to the Secret, I never read it. The book received some bad reviews from other peeps here on the DIMS boards, so I just bypassed it. I had other things to read instead (like issues of Fangoria).
> 
> And as to the snakes, I like them. I just want them to keep in their natural place and I'll keep in mine. Our worlds should intersect as little as possible. I'll leave them alone if they'll leave me alone. If they'll eat my mice and rats, I will be forever in their debt. (But, they should understand that there are others that eat mice & rats too. So they shouldn't get too cocky.)



I am finding the insights that I am gaining from The Secret to be very important and valuable for my life.
Each to their own I guess, but I would say give it a look at, even if others here did not like it.
You are a smart and intuative person. You can decide it's worth for yourself.

I am currently participating in " The 29 day gift giving challenge". Basically you give one gift per day over a 29 day cycle. That gift could be just about anything, your time, your assistance, a posy of flowers, washing the dishes. Just any gift you give to another person.
I am on day 3 of this cycle, and I hope to just do cycle after cycle.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 19, 2008)

Susannah, I have seen "snakes on a plane". It was, indeed, campy but actually quite good for what it is......  

Please tell me about your new volunteer work? Have you started yet? Or when do you? 

I am so excited about that for some reason..... :blink:


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## Shosh (Sep 20, 2008)

Hi GEF,

I have not started the voluntary work as yet. The woman at the county is currently finding a project for me to do. I shall let you know when I start though.

This is the party that I am going to tonight. I think I will just get loaded and pick up a nice man, and make a general goose of myself! I deserve a lil fun!

View attachment phpFej5znAM.jpg


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 20, 2008)

OoOooOo that does look like fun! 

I hope you party your hiney off and then have lots of good stories to share with us


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 21, 2008)

Who were you kissing at that party, Shoshie?  

Glad to hear you're starting to work out- I think it might yield immense health benefits


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## Shosh (Sep 21, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Who were you kissing at that party, Shoshie?
> 
> Glad to hear you're starting to work out- I think it might yield immense health benefits




A guy decided that he wanted to kiss me out of the blue while he was standing there talking to me. 

I think working out again will be good for me in many ways. Maybe we can encourage each other to do it, given we both need to.

Thanks C.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 22, 2008)

Surprise kisses.....sometimes those can be a good thing


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## Shosh (Sep 30, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Surprise kisses.....sometimes those can be a good thing



A kiss yes, a slobber, well.

Love to you.


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## Shosh (Sep 30, 2008)

Hi Deborah,

Sorry I have been so lax with keeping the fire tended at our little home.

I am doing a number of things at the moment and I also do the Myspace thing to death, with leaving messages and comments on people's pages that I am tired by the time I get around to posting at Dims.

I am more of a reader in The Clubhouse as I have said before. I am more of a poster out there in the big bad main boards.

How are you? Please know that I do read all of the advice that you give me and I try to apply it. I do appreciate the benefit of your many more years of experience on this Earth than mine, and I figure that you would not steer me wrong.

What is happening at the Moore Hacienda meanwhile? How is your hub? Your home after the hurricane season?

Do you think that you will ever travel overseas? Imagine if you came here?

You would be treated like royalty with my family.:bow:

I know that it will likely not ever happen, but I will make a trip up your way at some stage.

As for Mr Wonderful. Hmmm. I heard from him a few days ago.

He has been relegated and downgraded in my heart, just like a hurricane is to a tropical storm.

More problems I don't need.

I told my sister my plans about manifesting a cute Vespa scooter and she like you has nixed the idea.

She doesn't want me to be a style icon apparently.

I am only allowed the mobility scooter.

Where there is a will there is a way though.

The election madness rolls on unabated.

Enjoy!

Shoshie Bug


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## Shosh (Oct 1, 2008)

Deborah I will be away for a few days. I am apparently supposed to let others know when I will be away now. Things will be fine.


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## imfree (Oct 1, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Deborah I will be away for a few days. I am apparently supposed to let others know when I will be away now. Things will be fine.



Only because we love you and need to be assured
that you're OK, IMHO.


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## moore2me (Oct 1, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Hi Deborah,
> 
> Sorry I have been so lax with keeping the fire tended at our little home.
> 
> ...



*Back at 'ya - Cookie Monster*


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## Shosh (Oct 1, 2008)

I am sorry to hear about the tragic accident where your friend was killed.

Only yesterday here a 19 year old lost his life as he was hit by a car early in the morning, that was being driven by another 19 year old who was drunk and exceeding the speed limit.

So tragic. 

I am going to the city tomorrow to have my second Fraxel laser treatment to my face. I will be away for several days as I will be in a world of pain and recovering at a friends house.

I also have other stuff that I need to work through.

My psychologist has given me a lot of homework to do.

Shall be back soon.

Shoshie


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 6, 2008)

I hope to see you back soon, Shosh


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## Shosh (Oct 19, 2008)

missaf said:


> Feel better soon my down under friend! *hugs*



Thank you sp much. How are you feeling? Gosh you have been through the ringer lately. Have you worked out your diet yet?


Green Eyed Fairy said:


> I hope to see you back soon, Shosh



Thanks Caroline.


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## moore2me (Oct 19, 2008)

Missaf, Armed with the knowledge that you know have about hospital stays and how to get the best treatment by being your own advocate, your "incarceration" this time should be much easier. We learn from our bad experiences and those trials make us stronger. You should not fear going back into the hospital. You should resolve to make things better for yourself and decide right now that you won't take any crap from staff like your "jerkwad" doctor during your kidney surgery. Just keep telling yourself - these guys put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us. They are not Gods. They make mistakes. But, if they make a mistake in my case, I swear I'll nail their butts to the wall.


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## Shosh (Nov 11, 2008)

missaf said:


> Thanks Deb. I'm remembering Janes "If I grabbed you by the balls..." statement, too



I am glad you are doing better. That was certainly a rough time for you. It is only when our body malfunctions that we realize we need to be a better guardian of it.

Best wishes to you.


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## Shosh (Nov 11, 2008)

View attachment Shoshie 074.jpg


I am sorry that I cannot make this pic smaller.


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## Shosh (Nov 11, 2008)

Above is a pic of my twin nephews BB ( Brandon) and Tom ( Thomas).

They are ten years old. My sister has been raising them alone since they were two years old, and she was divorced from their father.

Apparently I am not allowed to hug them anymore as they are too old and too cool for that now.

I do love them even though they drive me nuts sometimes.

My brother's son Marcus will celebrate his first birthday on December 8th.
He lives with his Mum and Dad in the city, so I do not see him much anymore.

These are the twins that have caused me so much trouble this week and got me banned.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Nov 11, 2008)

Those twins are too adorable- no wonder you are such a proud Aunt! 

How did your dating thing go last night, Shoshie?


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## Shosh (Mar 10, 2009)

Deborah,

I have been thinking about you tonight, and I would love to have a complete update on how things are in your lil world.

xoxo


Shoshieboo


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## Shosh (Jul 14, 2010)

Hi Deborah,

It has been so long since I have written in our little blog. I hardly ever read The Clubhouse stuff anymore.

How are you? Gosh I admire you a lot. You have been a wonderful friend to me here. Good friends like you do not come along often.

What is news with you Cookie? How are you and your hubby doing? All the critters in Arkansas?

I can see you clobbering feral critters in my minds eye.

My wonderful friend Victor who I love and adore has been working in Arkansas this week, so I have been getting regular updates about the lay of the land there.

I am ok. It is however such a burden to carry with this hideous illness. Such a daily burden, but there is nothing either you or I can do except carry on.

We are all well here.

My sister in law is in Europe at the moment, so Simon has his son and daughter all to himself.
He called me tonight to tell me that Marcus has been waking him up at 4.30 in the morning and asking him to dance and sing for him.
Once again 

Life is good.

Peace out.


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