Well gals, I'm back in the land of the living finally. Not fully recovered but much, much better!

Are we going to be able to get together this month? I'm available for lunch any days except Tuesdays & Wednesdays (as usual) or supper any evening before the 28th (meeting that night, then over to Vancouver for the rest of the month).

Glad you are feeling better Glenda. I'm still coughing but otherwise better too.

I'm around all month! Off to the States for the first weekend in June.

Lunch or dinner is fine with me but as you all know I have more time to visit if it's a dinner, unless it's a weekend (gee wasn't that a long sentence....)

Hope to see you all soon.

Julie

This month will have to be a "wash" for me I'm afraid.

Broke after paying my taxes and feeling blue. (PMDD)...so not great company right now.

xx.

Big hugs Steph - I'm sorry you are feeling low. When I still had a uterus I suffered too.

I can match you for feeling blue though....Warning - kleenex alert.


Seriously.


I had to put my beloved Lucy down last week. For the first time in almost 16 years I have no pets. She was dying of renal failure and I had to make that tough choice. At first I thought she'd had a stroke. I was wrong. It was pretty fast all in all, from acting like her normal self to near death in 36 hours.

R came to see her and went with me to the vet clinic where we both stayed with her until it was over.

Right after that I find out my dear friend in the states "didn't want to worry me" so didn't tell me he spent 2 days in ICU getting 4 stents put in his heart. He has advanced Parkinson's and his heart is failing.

Did I mention I had a REALLY hard week?

Then there's kid issues. And SO issues. And work crap.

Whine!!!

Stop the planet for a little while, I want to get off!!!

Miss you all, Julie

Steph, sorry to hear the tax man hit you that hard! Next year, make sure you don't earn so much (not really, but maybe put a little more in RRSPs?)!! Not sure what PMDD is ... is that related to PMS? Or dogs? Anyway, blue is NOT a good colour to feel - are you sure that a meal with us wouldn't help chase that depression?

Aw geez you two ... group hug time!!!

Julie, good for R for standing by at that time ... I'm glad you're friends, he seems like a winner in many respects! And I'm so sorry to hear about your friend in the US ... I agree, it sounds like he's on the slippery slope so I hope you're preparing yourself. Not that stents are a scary thing ... I've had two myself for about 10 years and no further problems.

I think a group hug is definitely in order. We can set a date when Jude chimes in. I'll chip in for Steph's meal.

Glenda - here's PMDD info - http://pmdd.factsforhealth.org/what/

On the brighter side - I love my new roof and am sure to love the new fireplace insert that's coming next week.

Again on the bright side - I need a lock fixed on the Mousemobile and it's actually covered under warranty!

Julie

I know what's inevitably going to happen but will have to see how he's doing when I'm down in June. His mom is still around at 96 so......

It's too bad that R and I couldn't have worked something out years back. Not that we didn't try!

Take care, Julie

Been there, done that, on all fronts...and I'm only saying that so you know that I know exactly what you're going through. It's hard.

Glenda is right, a group hug is definitely a better way to go than lurking under the furniture (something else I know too much about)...so let's find a way to do it.

My EI hasn't come in yet, but if we pick a date roughly around two weeks from now but before GC leaves town , maybe it will be here and I can chip in for Steph, too (and don't let that teutonic pride get in the way, SKJ, you need us and we need you).

So far, my schedule is open...though I'm thinking of seriously taking on some evening and weekend underpaid cooking work (leaving M-F open for passably paid and optimistically available IT work)...we shall see.

Let's get that group hug!

How about a dinner on May 20 (Wed) 21 (Thurs) 26 (Tues)?

Julie

I'll chip in for Steph's meal too and Jude's as well if the EI hasn't appeared yet. A little short can happen to any of us at any time so I'm sure you'll get a chance to "get even"!

I know quite a few people in the same situation ... good friends but who just can't live together. I also know a few SOs who get their noses out of joint over it!!

Either date works for me ... Jude? Steph? Janet? Any trips over here planned? Should we try for a weekend instead, like the 23 or 24th (Sat or Sun.)?

Julie...I am SO sorry for your troubles! Big hugs to you...what a lousy week.

I'm free on the 23rd (Sat.)

Let's try for the 23rd then! Where?

Thanks Steph.... hope you're feeling better.

Take care, Julie

hi again, everybody! I'm starting to come up for air, too, or that could be the long-awaited long weekend talking and everything will snap back to overstretched Tuesday (if you know what I mean )

You're talking about next Saturday? I actually might be able to do that, if you'll still have me, and would be happy to chip in for Steph & Jude too.

On the off-chance it's a nice day would you all consider a place with a patio? Or at least lots of windows? Is there anything in the entertainment book that might work? I don't have mine handy...

Anny - we would be VERY happy to have to back with us!!!! We've missed you!

Yes, next Saturday is the plan so far. A patio sounds like an excellent idea too - take advantage of good weather assuming we have some.

Hope to see you soon, Julie