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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,052
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

dosey-Thanks for the advice! I will definitely keep it in mind! We have a little money saved already, but with college costs growing in leaps and bounds I'm sure it won't be enough. Both my sons are involved in scouts, my oldest just crossed over to Boy Scouts, and we're hoping he'll go all the way to Eagle scout, hoping that will help. They don't really have a lot of interest in sports, they both just started wrestling. My oldest is only in 5th grade but he gets pretty good grades so far, so I'm hopeful. I'll try not to stress out when the time gets closer, worst case scenerio he'll just have to take out loans. My husband did, and we got them all paid off just a few years after we were married so I know it won't be the end of the world if he has loans, just not ideal. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@dosey wrote:

The boxwoods have to be removed because two are dead, and the rest are at least half dead.  Grub worms got to them late last summer.  We killed the worms but were not able to save the boxwoods.  They are 27 years old, and I am ready for a small update.  I am not sure what I will plant, but I know it will not be a row of one type of plant.  The area is large enough for two rows of plants.  I might choose two or three different things and stagger them instead of lining them up.  Now that half of the lawn is dead, this landscaping project is my priority for April.  As you can imagine, my home's curb appeal is very, very sad.

 

I have added the Great Horned Owls to my favorites.  Also, are you watching the Barred Owls?  I can't wait for the eggs to hatch!  The camera angle is awful, but they are still fun.

 

My product usage is going strong.  I finished a few products - 1. plain lip balm that I keep on my bedside table, 2. Clinique's DDML that I received in a bonus kit at least a year ago (used it on my hands, arms, elbows, and feet at night), 3. Isomers Vitamin C eye cream (okay - no repurchase), and 4. a leave-in conditioner that was too heavy for day use so I used it at night.  I have another leave-in conditioner that I am now using at night, as well.  It is 2/3 empty because I used it every now and then when my hair was long.  I am giving myself a pat on the back for using an Isomers serum and lotion all winter.  They are extra moisturizing, and I have stuck with them instead of giving up and trying something else.  The moisturizer is nearly empty, and the serum has enough for a few weeks.  I have a bit of Isomers VItamin C lotion (which I love).  I'll finish that up next.  Then, I will use an Obagi moisturizer that I bought for the kids last year.  They never use it, so I will.

 

I forgot about another purchase I made.  I bought M2 Body Refinish 15% from Skincarerx.  It was recommended on this board and is supposed to remove spots.  There was a sale, too.  Oh my gosh!  This stuff smells awful!!  Worse than awful.  I cannot describe the smell.  I applied it for the first time at night.  The "scent" dissipated but not completely.  I wanted to apply it in the morning and wear it for 24 hours.  No way will I do that.  Instead, I'll apply dots of it in the morning and more on the legs and arms just two or three nights per week.

 

Time to prepare dinner.  This is no easy task.  My son will not eat pork because he says pigs are cute and smarter than dogs.  (One day, he will have a pet pig.)  He doesn't like chicken and isn't crazy about fish.  He does like shrimp.  Beef is DS's preference.  My husband has decided that he wants to eat mainly chicken and fish, and limit beef.  DD announced about three weeks ago that she is a vegetarian.  And I do not eat pork (to make my son happy).  Monday-Friday, I pass at least one tractor trailer loaded with chickens in cages on the way to their doom.  Sometimes, I pass a tractor trailer loaded with empty cages going in other direction.  I just can't eat chicken anymore.  It isn't that good anyway.  Beef and fish are fine, but I am starting to feel bad for cows and fish.  My husband is in Canada, so the kids and I are having vegetable sushi, broccoli, and salad.  Done.


If anyone wants a landscaping challenge, come to New Mexico!  Plants that require shade and water need not apply.  I was so devastated about losing my two favorite trees but then I sat down and started a list of all the trees we planted in the past 20 years that have died.  Three pinons, a pine (I think it was a Japanese black pine), a Russian olive, a Bradford pear, a birch, a globe willow, two crabapples... a veritable forest of past tense trees.  There was this gopher, see, and...

 

Don't you have soil and water where you live?  That means you have options.  I tend to prefer plants that do something -- like produce blossoms and have leaves that change color.  In other words, things that attract birds and bugs and produce litter.  Better-half hated my chitalpa and purple robe locust because of the litter.  But the bees, hummingbirds and I -- oh, and the borers, too -- were happy.

 

You could plant flowering quince, crape myrtle, hibiscus, azalea, rhododendron, hydrangea, witch hazel... oh, I'm sick with jealousy!  Do you have any butterfly bush or oleander?

 

Lawn is a rare thing in the high desert.  Have you thought about replacing it with ground cover?  (Our ground cover here is called 'rock.')  You will spend a lot of money and work like a dog (if you do it yourself), but once it's done you will love coming home and seeing your transformed property.  Your neighbors will think you're putting the house on the market.  Please let us know what you choose!  I like to live vicariously through those who have dirt.  (We have sand.  Every time I plant something I feel the need to apologize to it.)

 

As for the barred owls, yes!  I'm just wondering about the barn owls.  If the eggs are laid and they hatch, that means Dash is not a girl.

 

I agree with the kid: Pigs are wonderful animals.  That's why I feel so guilty when I'm devouring Italian sausage and peppers.  My father was born in Virginia -- I have ham in my DNA.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

That reminds me!  Better-half planted a salsa garden last year (tomatoes and hot peppers); you need a sauce garden, dosey!  Plant some garlic, tomatoes, basil...

 

Did you see the link to the sauce recipe from last month?  San Marzano tomatoes -- noms!  Solve your family's eating problem: Let them eat pasta!

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@rnmom wrote:

dosey-Thanks for the advice! I will definitely keep it in mind! We have a little money saved already, but with college costs growing in leaps and bounds I'm sure it won't be enough. Both my sons are involved in scouts, my oldest just crossed over to Boy Scouts, and we're hoping he'll go all the way to Eagle scout, hoping that will help. They don't really have a lot of interest in sports, they both just started wrestling. My oldest is only in 5th grade but he gets pretty good grades so far, so I'm hopeful. I'll try not to stress out when the time gets closer, worst case scenerio he'll just have to take out loans. My husband did, and we got them all paid off just a few years after we were married so I know it won't be the end of the world if he has loans, just not ideal. 


The docs at work were talking about the insane requirements now.  These kids need to build a resume of not only good deeds, but proof of how they transformed the world on their summer vacation.  Started a foundation that raised millions of dollars to end hunger, cured cancer, orchestrated world peace...  Volunteering at the animal shelter or nursing home just doesn't cut it anymore.  I was lucky back in 1977: All I needed was a GPA.  When I went back to college recently, all I needed was a check.  Sometimes I think about what I would have done if I had had kids and I wonder if I would have saved for their college education or put money away for a fast food franchise.

 

How did life get so complicated?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I woke up at 3:00 and ComPacted my tea collection.  I woke up because I was having a disturbing dream about shopping.  I had a limited time to shop and I needed to buy a baby shower gift but my time was being eaten up because I had to pick up eyeliners and lipsticks for Sarah Jessica Parker.

 

Do you have shopping dreams?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Valued Contributor
Posts: 530
Registered: ‎05-14-2010

Shopping dreams?  Once again, I thought I was the only one.  I am losing sleep over the Dr Denese TSV coming in April.  I don't need it, need car tires so I don't need to spend money on this, and I don't even know where I would store it.  I am really having a fight with my inner self over this.  This is just crazy.  I hope you have a great purchase free weekend.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Beauty$Junkie wrote:

Shopping dreams?  Once again, I thought I was the only one.  I am losing sleep over the Dr Denese TSV coming in April.  I don't need it, need car tires so I don't need to spend money on this, and I don't even know where I would store it.  I am really having a fight with my inner self over this.  This is just crazy.  I hope you have a great purchase free weekend.


Nope -- you're not alone.  I haven't had a shopping dream in ages, but I used to have them all the time.  When I was younger I'd dream about finding obscure little shops in Palo Alto and there would be books, records and magazines that I'd been searching for and there they were -- and for such reasonable prices!  Sometimes in the dreams I wouldn't have any money with me and I'd panic and think that by the time I got back to the store everything would be gone.  A recurring theme in these dreams is finding something really wonderful -- it's like a treasure hunt -- but I'm not sure the dream ends with me actually taking possession of the item.  But the discovery of the item is always a mix of elation and panic.  I've found it, but can I actually have it?

 

Welcome to the analyst's couch.

 

Let’s work on this TSV issue.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Are we having fun yet?  I had fun on St. Patrick's Day: I took a vacation day and went to see a Queen tribute band Thursday night.  Next month I have tickets for fake Beatles.

 

It reminded me how much I liked Queen and how talented the band was.  Freddie Mercury was a force to be reckoned with.  What a voice.  Since I had Friday to do something other than sleep (because I took Thursday night off) I had a "bonus" day.  I sat and watched Queen videos on YouTube.

 

I found a video and posted it on another forum here.  The original post asked about a song that we could "drift away on."  Well, I immediately thought of Nessun Dorma.  But I needed a video to accompany it.  I found one.

 

Marc Martel, a Canadian singer known for being the lead of Queen's official tribute band, the Queen Extravaganza, performs "Nessun Dorma" as both Freddie Mercury and Luciano Pavarotti. Their "duet" was shot in one take with one camera on each side.

 

http://www.wimp.com/mercurypavarotti/

 

No, this wasn't who I saw on Thursday night, but he nails it.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

In the mood for...

 

pizza

 

What are you having for dinner?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,064
Registered: ‎12-28-2012

Just Bee - Thank you for sharing that link! That is fabulous!! I've always loved that song and that version is beautiful.

 

Dosey - That's great news about ysour son's future college!

 

I have been super busy working extra hours at work. Which led to me not wanting to stare at a computer screen on my off hours so that's why I've been missing. The extra pay is nice on my paycheck but I'm getting close to burn out. So I'm trying to squeeze in some fun here and there. The weather is getting nicer out so I'm starting to be able to go out for walks. Nice getting fresh air after being cooped up during the winter.

 

I'm doing fairly well with exercising more. I've started doing some weight workout dvds. My arms were really feeling it the other day. I fell for the PIYO workout dvds sold on QVC. It looked like an interesting option. I got it very quickly and just as quick, it was packed up and returned. The workouts had a bunch of poses that put a lot of weight on my wrists and I saw it really irritating them. They were also filled so much with lunges that I would never be able to force myself to do the dvds on a regular basis. I already own other yoga workouts that I like better and I know I will do.

 

Compacting has been going well on the beauty front. I haven't bought anything since the Paula Choice purchase at beginning of the month!

 

I have been buying new shoes to replace the shoes I tossed out before winter. The purchases were well thought out so no guilt about buying them and I've already tried them out enough to know they will be keepers! There was only 1 dud that was the Vionic TSV. They were cute and the black pair would have been nice for work. However, they rubbed the top of my toes so I knew I wouldn't wear them much and would have been major waste of money. They were returned. I have finally learned!!! For shoes, if there is any hesitation at all if I will wear them or if they are comfortable - they need to be returned ASAP. Prior years, I've wasted money keeping them and they would collect dust.