[turbojenn]

Yep, same here with the lack of QT. We did have a lovely Sexy Sunday, with no media and lots of HBI and wine, but this week has been so crazy, and it's just ramping up for the holidays. Haven't seen turbomann before 8pm all week. But, we'll have a week off between Xmas and NEw Years together, and we're both really looking forward to it.

Kari - sounds like the second gig is going well - and good scores on the gifties. I LOVE my pizza stone - and will be using it tomorrow night, in fact.

Ketto, it didn't used to bother me to have to bring food home for myself, but after 7 years, it's really starting to grate - it makes it a lot more work to visit my parents, and my mom STILL doesn't get it. I bought her glutenfreegirl's book last year for christmas, so she could read a more memoir-like book to get an understanding about it - she didn't read it. I bought my dad Dr. Green's Celiac book for Father's Day because I'm sure he has it too, but won't deal with it...and still, they don't even really try. Kinda frustrating, especially when my mom loves to cook as much as I do - would it kill her to put some thought into what I can eat? One good thing is that my nephew (turbomann's family) is celiac, and there's always lots of good, safe food at their house. They were accepting and accomodating of my issues the moment I was diagnosed.

And, I am So glad it's going to be Friday tomorrow. We've got a few holiday gifts to get, and a college friend is in town visiting, so it should be a fine weekend...and then I've only got a 2 day work week next week. Woot!

[ketto]

Jenn, how do you feel about having to cook your own stuff? I love my mom, she's doing pretty much everything gluten free. I think the new gf cooking is actually really fun for her because it gives her a new challenge. Most of her baked goods this year are all gf.

Kari, I'm jealous of the gifts your family is getting. I feel the same regarding QT with papeboy. It's just so damn busy and I feel like we're going to be on the run until Boxing Day. It's only 9:30 in the morning and I'm so tired I feel like I could fall asleep at my desk. I can't wait to go home tonight. I only have to work 1 hour tomorrow and I'm doing it from home in my pj's after I sleep in.

[kari]

Good Morning!

((CH)) I hope you are ok. Good to see you.

Ketto, glad you're feeling a bit better. Motor on, sister! It's Thursday, so that's good news. Your baked treats do sound good!! I love graham crackers! And what you did with them, yum.

Hey jenn! Grrr, UTI. Those hurt like a mother. I haven't had one in several years. Knock on wood. Work @ Williams Sonoma is going well! I used my discount last night to make some Chrismtmas gift purchases. Bought my sister & BIL a sweet butcher block cutting board & my other sister a pizza stone. Oh and got my grandmother some goodies to eat. I am trying to decide if I want to try to stay on there after the holiday. I don't even know if they have positions open, so it may or may not work out, even if I want to. Hmmmmmm

On the other hand, I was just lamenting to Mr K that we haven't spent any QT together lately. Of the friendly or uh, other variety. Just too much going on. Btw him having finals, pharm school apps, his friend's wife passing, another friend coming in town, and me working, we just haven't seen much of each other. We might be able to hang Saturday night for a bit. We are scheduled to go to a party, which I do want to attend. Maybe we can go to dinner beforehand. We are also planning a weekend getaway for Jan.

I have almost finished Xmas shopping. Have a few more things to get. How about you guys?

[turbojenn]

Hey y'all! Been quiet 'round here again I see...between work craziness, holiday craziness, and being knocked down by a wicked UTI last week...oh, and the stupid troll....just haven't had the energy to post.

Ketto! Your first GF Xmas - so exciting, and WOW - your baked goodies sound awesome! I'm not sure if I'm going to do any cookies - we'll see. My SIL always has GF sweets since my nephew is celiac, so there's always cookies at turbomann's dad's haus. I'm not much of a baker, and since I have to cook all the food I'll be eating at my 'rents haus before we go, baking is usually last on the list.

Kari - so how's work going in the beautiful world of Williams Sonoma?

[ketto]

Kari, I'm feeling similar health wise. I think I'm partly over tired and partly have a bit of a cold. I'm just motoring through until my week off between christmas and new years.

CH, hope you're feeling alright.

Kari, I baked up some homemade gluten free sugar cookies, ginger cookies, and graham crackers, and used the graham crackers to make cracker candy, which is basically melted butter and sugar (caramelly) baked on top and then frozen and broken up into small pieces. Deeeeelicious.

Nothing much happening here. Tired and cranky and I just want to get through the next 7 days.

[jade]

thinking of CH---you are in my thoughts.

[culturehandy]

I've been lurking a lot lately. Not really up to posting. but I am around.

[kari]

Hey Ketto!

Sounds like a good weekend. I hear you on passing on the show, I go out less & less it seems. Mr K was planning on going to a show Friday night, but he ended up not going either. They're just too late. I'm glad you and paperboy made up from the spat. We haven't gotten a tree yet. I am starting to feel like it's too late. Only 10 more days til Christmas! What did you bake?

My weekend was good. Friday night I met a friend out for drinks & sushi. Saturday I did some shopping & then worked 6-11. Sunday I hung at home most of the day, then worked 5-9.

This week has been so-so thus far. For the past week I have felt that I'm on the verge of getting sick. I don't know WTF. Just feel slightly achy & fatigued. I am at the point where I'd rather just get ill & get over it or start feeling better.

[ketto]

I'm around. How was your weekend, kari?

Mine was so-so. On friday we went to a friends place for his birthday. I was hanging out with my high school friends, who I'm not really very good friends with at all. None of them drink and they'll all content to spend an evening playing a board game or watching dvd's, which is cool once in a while but it's all they ever do. I had fun though. Saturday paperboy and I got some shopping done, which was a relief. We were going to go to a show in the evening but we were both tired so we watched District 9 instead. So very good. We also got into a stupid fight but all was resolved by the time the movie came on. It sort of left me totally exhausted for this week though. Sunday I did a bunch of baking.

Yesterday we got our tree and put it up. It's a little lopsided still but looks really nice. I was stressed out yesterday so it wasn't the best evening but then paperboy rubbed my back and went out and picked up dinner from our favourite take out place. While he was gone I smoked up and was in much happier spirits when he returned. It was a nice evening.

Today I'm at work and in an hour or two my friend is going to pick me up and we'll get some shopping done. I want to run somewhere before she comes to get me but it's so freaking cold out I think I'll just wait for her to pick me up at the door.

[kari]

hellooooooo o o o o o o (that's an echo)

Where are all the okayers???

I know I haven't been here either.

[ketto]

Jenn, that is such a fantastic idea for a christmas gift! I've come up with very few recipes over the last few years, since I lived at home and didn't have as much opportunity to cook. I'm going to keep that in mind for next year.

Kari, hope you get some hours, but I love getting christmas trees. We don't know if we're really allowed to have one in our apartment but there are no signs and nothing in the lease, so we're just going to plead ignorant if anyone says anything. We're putting it up this weekend.

This post has been edited by ketto: Dec 10 2009, 09:51 AM

[kari]

Good morning!

Thank you for your sympathies about my friend's wife. Funeral is tomorrow. Jenn, I know, you guys just went through that too. It's really horrible.

Ketto, wow, that is very somber stuff. I am glad to hear about the memorial though. We must remember these events, no matter how painful.

I'm glad your interview went well! Very good!

Jenn, the cookbook sounds awesome! I know it's a ton of work though. You finishing it up tonight? How many are you making? What a great gift!!

Things here are good today. I did my presentation at our board meeting yesterday, it went well. They are meeting again today, but I don't have to go. I'm thankful for that. I'm just workin'. On call at the store tonight. Hoping they will let me come in. Want some hours! If not, mr K and I might go get our Xmas tree. That poor man was up until 5AM this morning finishing up his physics project. Then he got up at 6 30 to go to school. I don't know how he does it.

Other than that, I don't have any real news.

Hope everyone is doing well!

[turbojenn]

((((((kari & mr K & friends)))))) So sorry to hear about your loss - we're still dealing with losing our friend to suicide Thanksgiving week...it's the hardest way to experience a loss, for sure. Take care of each other.

Ketto - congrats on the program!!!

CH - glad you're feeling a bit better.

I'm totally exhausted. Decided on Saturday night to make a cookbook for my family for gifts, and get it printed for reals (using Blurb.com). Copy, edit, layout...my eyes and brain are killing me. I really should have started this project a month ago. Oh well. After Xmas, I'll post the PDF to the site, for any and all who want it, but don't want to buy a copy. Even if the recipes aren't perfect, it looks absolutely gorgeous. One more round of proofing tomorrow, and then it's off to press. Gonna be another long night tomorrow. Oof.

[ketto]

(((kari and mr k))) I'm sorry to hear about mr k's friends wife. I can't imagine trying to deal with all that.

The Montreal Massacre happened at Ecole Polytechnique on December 6th, 1989. Marc Lepine walked into the school and separated the men from the women, screaming "I want the women. I hate feminists." He used a semi-automatic hunting rifle and a knife to kill 14 women before he shot himself. He had planned to kill 19 prominent women. Dec 6th is now the National day of action on violence against women. Pretty somber stuff.

My interview went really well. She told me I was in the program after the interview so I'm excited. It will be intense, but I'm also glad to have something to keep my mind occupied over the winter. I start training on January 4th.

I don't know what it is today, but I'm ansy and not in a great mood to work. I was planning to take Friday off but I'm thinking of leaving in an hour and either doing some catch up paperwork at home, or just working Friday.

[kari]

Good morning.

It's a dready one here. Hmpf. Rainy & dark.

My mood is so-so. Maybe b/c of the weather. Also, though, got some bad news last night. The wife of one of mr K's friends committed suicide yesterday. She had some serious mental health issues. Had gotten better, but recently started backsliding. I'm really sad for him. Mr K went over to see him last night, it was only a few hours after it happened.

Everything else is alright, I suppose. I'm prepping for my presentation to our board tomorrow. Tutoring tonight. Let's see....any other news.....no, I don't think so. Fairly routine 'round here.

Ketto, I'm glad to hear the memorial was better attended. What was the Montreal Massacre? I am sure I should know, but I don't. That's cool that you're going to volunteer as a counselor. I've thought about doing that myself. You will have to keep me posted.

CH, glad you're starting to feel a bit better. ~~~~~~~~~feel good vibes~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[ketto]

Diva, sounds like the new house is great. Sorry to hear about your grandpa, but it sounds like he's had a long and happy life.

Turbo, I'm just happy we live in a reasonably small city so we won't have to do too much running around on Christmas day. We'll spend the afternoon with his family and then head to my folks place around 4 or so. Then we get to stuff ourselves silly.

Culture, hope the new med dose gives you some relief. Lucky you for finishing most of your shopping. I've got about 75% of what I need and I'm really really hoping, that either than some baking I'll be gifting, that all my gifts will be purchased.

Kari, sounds like a good weekend. You always sound like you're on the go go go when you post.

Paperboy and I had a nice weekend. On Saturday we went to the Library because I wanted to get some of the Canada Reads books http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/. But obviously lots of folks were listening to the radio last week because they were all checked out with a line of 10 other folks waiting for them to come in. There happened to be a folk festival concert going on at the library though so we stayed and listened to Greg Macpherson and Cara Luft for a while. Then we went to The Bay, which is always surreal. I always feel like I'm going back in time in that place.

I had a great soccer game on Saturday night, we lost 4-3 and someone got hit in the face and had a massive nosebleed, but it was a high intensity game. Last night paperboy and I went to a candlelight memorial for the Montreal Massacre. Two years ago only one person showed up, last year there were 6, but last night there were 23 of us. Not great numbers, but a huge improvement. I think I've committed myself to continue going for years. This morning I went to the Sunrise Memorial, which was really touching and a heavy way to start the day, but now I'm working at home until 1pm. Then I have an interview to volunteer as a sexual assualt crisis counsellor at a community clinic. Then hopefully some christmas shopping and dinner at my folks.

Geez, I had a busy week and weekend so I only stopped in a couple of times but yesterday I finally got caught up on all the GT, troll business. Fucking ridiculous. And I'm pissed off because I've been emailing facebook for weeks trying to get them to allow me to get an invitation to the bustie group and they keep not reading my emails and ignoring my request. Gah!

[culturehandy]

Morning.

Hey kari! The increased dosage seems to helping so far. Feeling a little dopey today, but it's diminishing each day.

I had a quiet weekend, got my hair cut, but stayed close to home because of the meds.

[kari]

Good Morning!

It's Monday & back to work.

How is everyone?

I'm decent.

Had a nice weekend! Saw my niece's band concert on Friday night, then had dinner with the fam. Saturday I worked 12-5, it was really busy! After that MR K and I went out for pizza. Yesterday I met some friends for brunch, then I did some errands & decorated the outside of the house for Christmas.

This week is kinda busy, but not too bad. Have our quarterly meetings here at work. I have to present on Wed., but it's going to be a short presentation.

[kari]

Good Morning!

It's Friday!

Ch, I will be hoping that the med uppage helps! I am sure it will. Glad you saw your doctor. That rocks that you're almost done with your shopping! I've gotten gifts for 3 people so far. For me, by Dec. 4th, that's not too bad! I ordered them all online, which was great. I have several people left to buy for, but I know what I am getting most of them.

Things here are good this morning. I didn't have to work last night, so I hit the gym instead. Did a tough spin class. Felt great! I was supposed to go to a movie tonight, but then I found out my niece has a band concert. So I think I'm going to go to that, then to dinner with the fam. Might meet a friend for a drink afterwards.

Tomorrow I work 12-5. Mr K is meeting me at the mall after, he needs some new sweaters. Sunday I'm on call, I think 1-6. I hope they use me.

What are everyone's weekend plans?

[culturehandy]

Happy friday!

Hey Kari! Things went well, they upped my medication dosage, it's more than likely that my body got used to the very low dosage I was on and I had a but of a relapse, so up went the meds. takes a while to get used to the dopey feeling, though.

What's everyone got planned for the weekend?

I am almost done my xmas shopping!!! I just need to get one more thing then I am done!!! Plus, because of reward systems and points, xmas was super cheap!!!