First Word -

SAME

Was thinking about you Sturgis and wondering how things were going on your end.

Then I come here, and see SUZIE... and realise she was the same colour as Ruby, caramel, bought back some nice memories, I'm pleased. That's what it is about the beautiful memories of our little ones. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Cherrie, you can be sure Dutchy will read that any time soon, he's a battler that never gives up.. Actually (Danny) you never give in either, still think you are the Boss

Hey Von, did you get your microwave now? All up and running again, cooking up a storm ? Hope so.

Just a strange tale. Of sorts. Remember the strange photo of Bigsy, same thing has happened with Ruby, stay tuned.

((((DUTCHY)))) You will still travel to PL to see your family for your birthday/Christmas...

Sending a few hugs today across from this sunny place.. to all.

I just found this thread, and I'm so glad to have discovered it. All of my favorite people seem to be here.

I'll be back...

Hiya FF Bonus Christmas Present, your presence no punt intended x

BEAUTIFUL

Awwwee, have to share. I just walked into the Lounge Room, and saw this woman who had a bit of a limp carrying this small dog, looking down on (her) looked like a little old lady who also had a lead. Seems she took her for a walk and when it was too much for her, carried her the rest of the way home.

Now that is for sure LOVE...

WELCOME

Great to see you across here, FF - you're one of our favourite people too - lovely to know you finally found your way to First Word. Look forward to seeing lots more of you. Don't be a stranger

GOOD

Good to have you here FF. Take your time, relax and enjoy the surroundings...

Thanks too for the mention of the lounge happenings, FS.


Back here later (which is later or really later) hope all is going well.

MANDOLIN

Bought one today - I've seen chefs on tv use them, looks so easy.

Two hours later - oops, not so easy! Courgettes - great, onions - lovely, carrots - super, my thumb - owwwwwww!!!



Well, maybe not that bad - but it did hurt!

OMG

OUCH!

I'm a shocker for doing that, when doing the dishes, I try now to remember to leave the knife out of the suds so I can see the 'thing'~!

I can feel that, almost.. poor thing...

USUALLY

I usually am safe with knives, it's the lids off of cans which always get me. I put them to the side, rinse them, then place them somewhere and the next thing I know is that familiar weird thin slice feel. Not believing it to be possible, I look and sure enough there's a red river starting to flow.

(less painful than a paper cut however)

36 degrees (Fahrenheit) and there's a nippiness in the air, even indoors although not that bad since I'm wearing a t-shirt and not a sweater or blanket.
All is well here, nothing to report as I don't want to moan and weep over the weeping willow tree thinning out as the winter moves in. It takes longer than the other trees but it has clearly started molting.

Hoping all is well and that Dutchy is doing better and exiting from the ICU and then the hospital so he can get back home where he belongs and his lovely bride can wait on him hand and foot...or is it he who waits on her? Hmm... I never thought about it before. Either way, he has to get home soon.

Witches, make your spells and brews and get the brooms going vroom, vroom, vroom as you sweep particles of health into the air.

Back again later...

VROOM VROOM VROOM
I'm not, I usually slice myself whilst doing the dishes You keep the cans do you use them or rinse them before throwing them out, have to ask.. Have to...

Weather is improving here as well, dunno your way, so 25 - 32 this week. Lately the nights have been a bit cool, dressing gown is such a comfy thing too much information I am sure

VROOM that's a Mazda MX5 in my case. Such a small car, it's been hit on the side twice probably from four wheel drives that can't see it, time to trade it in, driving me nuts I must say but YES the witches will indeed use what ever power but remember ginger boy who saw before, you obviously have your own so work it, on yourself as well whilst you are at it please x

OK

Dutchy.......... It is thought that his infection is a blood infection gawd, grrr from his heels that well didn't heal. I won't say what I am thinking.

He is still in ICU. Tests .. feeling week and short breathed but there is nothing that they can see wrong with his heart YAY.

Izzie will be checking tomorrow so check on Yabba.

We will combined keep you in the loop.

LOOP? No not you Dutchy you are too much loved here, we would never call you loopy xx

YOU WILL GET TO PL for your birthday... Everyone say it, and it will happen you know this Universe thingy, it does work..

Been so busy with work I think I need to call in help.. Keep gaining listings which is awesome and rentals which is awesome but I am only one person.. Will soldier on... Need a MASSAGE.

Going to see my nephews play in their band tomorrow AWESOME first time, ever. They do covers here in Adelaide I am going to be a proud AUNTY for sure.

Hope your finger is ok as well as it can be and not throbbing too much Von, much love.

Sturgis..............are you eating honestly ok? Tell the truth, tea and crumpets? Yep I read that thread

Everyone keep smiling and get back here, give us a photo, tell a tale, laugh, what ever, it's that typ0 I mean type of thread.

TOBY

Already posted it elsewhere, but here's my friend's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Toby. He's a little survivor - has a heart murmur and various other problems, but - having reached his 7th birthday safely - we have high hopes he's beaten the Cavvie curse!



Cut finger? I'm a complete wuss over my own blood - don't like to spill it! My thumb wasn't even cut as badly as the image I posted - gosh, what a lot of cut thumb images there are on the internet! But I do like my mandolin - will be heaps more careful next time.

Ouch, Sturgis - why did you have to remind me of paper cuts! EVIL things Hard to see them sometimes, and don't always feel them instantly - just OWWWWW when they start to hurt! Can lids - I'm better now that you just lift a little tab and pull - they used to be mean things to open when you had to use tin openers.

Dutchy IS going to see his son and spend his birthday with him - good vibes, witchy wishes, magic dust - whatever does the trick, here's wishing it for him. Can't have him being sad on his special day. Thanks for the updates Foundy - don't know what we'd do without you and Izzie letting us know what's happening.

Going to unpack the new microwave soon - OMG, I'm terrified! I know I know I know - I am a wuss about electrics too - even though we had the whole house rewired a year ago, I am STILL a nervous wreck when I try anything new for the first time. Not even sure if I'll actually try it today - unpacking it will be traumatic enough for me! Wish me luck.

If you don't mind ...........Side track for just one post, I just posted this on facebook............

Came home tonight and there was a box of beautiful flowers, including a (yellow/orange) orchid, purple everlastings, lilies.. And a card that simply said, "thinking of you"... Addressed to .................... Gawd knows what our animals names are, ............? ..........? ....from our vets. We've had 5 animals with them in just over a year pass. All they looked after, all well known to them and off course, some sleep overs.. Some were old, very. Some were diagnosed with an life time illness, and one got hit by a car. I remember the last communication from them , a well thought out card in the colours of our beloved cat, Bigsy... This though was different, no words, thinking of you and flowers. If we could all be blessed with loving Doctors/Nurses for humans or animals in this way that can't speak, but speak, then we are in a beautiful world. .......(edit david's name) I am going to give a thank you card with a photo of your baby, our baby as I know Alex is upset and I know the nurses are too and I know they will place him in their "home" reminding him that that, too was his home... His sleep overs with Kia. Everyone loved you Rubys... Because you wanted it, showed it and gave it. xx

BEAUTIFUL ....

Aweee what a darling, darling !!!

This is true Von, after googling we established Ruby's breed is prone to Cancer, I would never bother finding that out , a dog is a family member the last thing I will do is try to select a safe one, it's about love.. Bless this little one..

You can be a wuss I hate needles, you hate blood ...

IS - thanks Von let's put it out there for our Dutchy !!

WUSS

hehe couldn't help myself GO COOK WOMAN x

FRY!

That's the trouble - scared that 'I' might cook! Oh, you mean cook something other than myself Don't worry, I'm going to prepare a Chicken Tagine in the slow cooker AT THE SAME TIME as unpacking the microwave! See how good at multi-tasking I am ( )

Don't forget (how could you, with me chuntering on about it endlessly!) that it's an all singing, all dancing, all superstar microwave - in other words, it does one heck of a lot and has oodles of knobs and buttons - you'll howl when you see a photo of it - eventually!!! But it does mean that it has to be carefully positioned - and the manual committed to mind before it's even switched on. Switching on is the point where I switch off - close my eyes, grimace, make fists - the white knuckle kind, and feel a knot of fear hit my stomach - and that's for a new electric kettle!!!

Here's a photo I took of Sparki, another Cavvie,who belongs to good friends. He'd been badly abused before they rescued him. He's a darling!

ALFIE

Looking into through the window. Another gorgeous dog! Alfie, belongs to a lovely couple who've nursed him through multiple operations on his legs - it was thought he'd never live at one stage - but here he is, nearly four years old, and able to run and play like a 'normal' dog. His problem was a genetic bone disease, but he's another survivor - a wonderful GSD.

What a gorgeous dog. I'm glad he is a survivor.



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Drake, my sister's dog.

Drake is very beautiful - lovely eyes and a good coat. They are highly intelligent dogs - very loyal and very loving. Since I married, we've always had Labrador Retrievers, but my family owned a German Shepherd when I was a child - still remember him with a lot of love.

BLOOD

I don't mind blood - just don't like seeing my blood! I'm what they describe as a 'bleeder' (no rude comments please! ) - even a tiny cut looks like something out of a horror film. Did something different today though - cut my hand in a different place -owwww Yes, the mandolin again - guess I'm a bit of a klutz!

Oh, STOP PRESS! I not only unpacked and set up the combi microwave today - I used it! How about that! (APPLAUSE PLEASE)







I'd prepared my Chicken Tagine in the slow cooker, set the timer for 6 hours, unpacked the microwave, leafed through the manual, set the clock - and thought, why not! Go for it! So I grabbed a couple of potatoes, weighed them, and, following the instructions carefully, set the jacket potato programme and pressed START - then sat there, shaking like a leaf, while it did its 'thing' - still not sure what its 'thing' was - combination oven and microwave, or combination oven and grill - haven't read that far yet! But I did it, and for a scaredy cat like me, that was a real accomplishment.

And the jacket potatoes were delicious - will certainly have them again! Been looking through the recipe book this evening - wow, loads of interesting dishes in there. I guess cooking is my new hobby!

Hope you are getting some well deserved rest, Foundy - you've had a hectic time of it lately, what with Ruby, work, home, and Dutchy - impossible not to worry about him - he's never very far from my mind either. I guess there are an awful lot of people on A2K, especially on First Word and the Yabber-Liner, who are thinking of him right now, and wishing him a speedy recovery.

WHERE

Where am I? Oh yeah that's right I'm here which means I am not there (wherever there might be). Let's get this thing going.

Testing the new cable thing which attaches to the computer and the modem. The last one was busted at the connection point for well over a year and kept falling out, especially in damp weather. Being unsure what the cable was called, I kept delaying the inevitable, then finally today decided to tend to it. Much nicer in appearance than the last one as it is black and the old was more or less a strange white. Almost grey. Seems to be working which was my primary concern. The red cable thing was 50 feet in length which seemed rather ridiculous as I don't need something that oversized.

Still feels cold although it's warmed considerably and the winds have tapered to only an occasional puff. Guess the amount of frozen air which had come in just insisted on getting into everything. Thank goodness springtime is only some 6 months away.


Foundy don't fret over what I dined on yesterday. The tea and crumpet were for ehBeth after having nudged her 3 times over at the cafe. Got some catsyp on her apparently and had to atone for my treachery. (um, yes, it's spelled catsyp. Not catsup or ketchup, just regular old catsyp. Has been since the aliens invaded in the 4th grade. Alright, they didn't really invade, it was a creative writing assignment by our teacher Miss Neinstein (pronounced Nine-Steen, even though both parts had the 'ei'). Speaking of invaders, I used to enjoy watching the television show The Invaders.


So back to the incident and back before that to dinner. I ate a delicious turkey and cheese sandwich which I fried up in the skillet on the right front burner. Gas stove of course as I can't work with electric stoves, they seem so...um, uh, alien. Realize it wasn't the best of dinner choices, it was added to whatever I'd eaten earlier (which I can't recall). Hope to make an improvement soon, will have a discussion next week with the doctor about all of this. In the meantime, stop worrying. As you may recall, my blood work a few moon phases back was very good.

The Bunsen burner can be a useful item when wanting to heat a cup of tea or coffee, or just to slightly soften the licorice ice cream. No home should be without it. (the Bunsen burner...and the coffee...and the licorice ice cream)

Anyway, be back again later.

Truckin'
... Keep on truckin'.
It took me a while to read everyone's posts. Very overwhelming.
I'm not sure how to respond to death and life. I'm very empathetic for you Foundy.
... I thought maybe I could post a joke to cheer you up.
My sense of humor though ... is nothing short of strange.
At the least, it will strike some kind of expression.

Allow me to introduce Johnny to you.

John is out with his friends and stops by his grandmother's house 



for a visit. There's a bowl of peanuts on the coffee table, 


 
and John and his friends start snacking on them. 



When they're ready to leave, his friends say, "Nice to meet you, ma'am, and thank you for the peanuts." Grandma says, 



"You're welcome. Ever since I lost my dentures, all I can do is suck the chocolate off of them." 




Live like there's no tomorrow. (;