[moxiegirl1977]

have you asked anyone about an FHA loan? That let us get much more house than we rightly should have with our shitty credit. Only like 2% down- we get a bit screwed on the fees, but this winter, we plan to refinance to a traditional mortgage. Just a thought. You're doing great! I can't wait to have another flordia vacation spot.

[falljackets]

diva, that's part of the problem: it's not as though we're looking in the expensive part of town or anything. we're looking at average priced/sized homes for st. augustine. prices have literally increased by 70-85% in our county over the past year and a half. great for people who got in their homes a few years ago at $150K and can now sell them for $280K. we aren't setting our sights on living in some kind of mansion on a hill. we're even looking for fixeruppers and they're amazingly expensive. it's just nutty. we've got a lot of ocean and marshland in st. aug and that's where we would *really* want to be, but you can't get something like that for less than half a million.

mrfj's new job is actually our saving grace. he's doing really well there and the only real issue that causes stress to us is that he's going to be travelling a lot more than he has in the past. but i'm getting used to it and i'm ok with the time alone (sort of appropo to the present convo, eh?). plus, our income is increasing, but not enough fast enough. i wish we had a few more months to wait. we can go month to month for three more months after our lease is up in september for only $35 extra. so that might wind up being our only option unless we can luck out and find something.

and yeah, we can find something in jacksonville for a little less money but i'm not sure if that's going to help us much.

[pinkpoodle]

I'm counting points, just not "flex" points, which is the new way they do it (the flex points, that is). When I lost a lot of weight on WW a few years ago, I just had a daily point maximum (29) and if I wanted to eat something naughty, I would plan ahead of time by saving up points. I rarely ever indulged without having saved up points. I mostly saved points so I could have lotsa beers. I also walked like crazy during that time, so I ended up losing 16 lbs in 6 weeks. Anyway, I know this works and so I swear by it. I lost weight by avoiding the treats and the restaurant food. They also gave you activity points, but I didn't use them.

[pinkpoodle]

Yeah, John Gray is a turd. SOOO many women I know, including myself, don't act the way he describes women to act--as high maintenance, irrational cling-ons.

Aero-boy and I have lived in this small space together since mid-June, and I don't feel deprived of alone time at all. He does his own thing enough and I do mine. When we're both in the apartment, we're not constantly engaged either. Some days we'll have only a couple brief conversations and that's it. Other days we'll stay up talking non-stop. It ends up being a good balance. We're not dating either, so there's not some weird affection factor getting in the way. I'm sure I would go crazy if I had to snuggle with someone or even pay attention to them all the time.

[catsoup]

just a quick HI! will post more later hopefully.

[divalla]

FJ, is there any way you and the Mr. could get something reasonably cheap in an okay-ish area, stay for a few years to build some equity, then move into a better place like you're looking for now? This seems like a lot to be taking on, especially with wanting to get pregnant at the same time and the Mr's new job. Not criticizing, just a little concerned. You're a big girl and you know what you can handle.

I was going to be so WW good today, I really was, then I got roped into going to a baby shower for a girl at work. I was just about to wander out because the head of the department was all hopping mad about something and I was sick of listening to him bitch at the legal staff about a case, then I ran into this lady who I had to ask about dress code at the Sofitel buffet, and she roped me into going to the baby shower. All I wanted was to go for a little walk and get a little air, but I couldn't rip myself away from the gravitational pull of cake and punch with sherbet in it (and a sloppy joe and a brownie and some pasta salad and some fruit salad and some chips and a rice krispie bar - but small portions of everything). The amounts were small, at least, and I did go for a short walk and got a couple shirts (one's an aqua cardigan with a low round neck and lace trimming that fits like a dream, the other's a brown tunic with lace trim, both under $20) on clearance. Quite the little adventure just for wanting to get away from the head guy going freako.

I think next weekend I'm going to lay down the law to Divagiant. We've already sort of made plans and I don't want to break them and leave him out cold, but next weekend will include more me time, plus I want to go up and see Sam for awhile. I think that since he's recently divorced, he's just comfortable with being around someone a lot, it's just hard for me not to think that he wants to be married again.

Poodle, if you aren't doing points, then what is the program like that you're doing? I don't know anything about WW other than points and core. But... nobody can be completely good all the time, and I think that WW has come to realize that. I also work on the fact that there's really not much you can put in your body that won't come out somehow in several days. It's just a matter of planning. The WW thread has a link in it somewhere to the Wendie Plan, which I think is pretty reasonable. Your body eventually gets used to less calories and more exercise and runs more efficiently on it, burning less calories. And you can't always just increase your exercise - sometimes the body needs a shock once in awhile to keep it on it's toes and burning more calories.

[ithilien]

Thanks for the hugs on my folks, and all. It does, indeed, suck. I was adopted when my parents were in their late 40s (and I was going on 3 years old), and so I've known all along that I'd have to deal with this before my peers, but it sucks. And not for me--I mean it sucks for them, and that hurts (I was sounding big time selfish there for a bit).

Tesao, yeah, I'll prolly want to chat about it.

But thanks!

On other topics: I'm with Lurv on the crotch doctor. I have HUGE problems with this. They literally have to hold me down and I cry and it's awful. No, I've never been raped, yes, it's quite likely I was at least somewhat messed with as a toddler (pre-adoption) but I don't know and it's past, and no, sex is not a problem whatsoever.

It's being in the spotlight, stranger (one I didn't pick up over drinks, that is) putting his/her hands and other things where I want fucking control.

I hate it, and will avoid it at all costs.

Norplant was great for me because it meant five years between visits. (Yes, I was supposed to go annually, but "supposed to" and a buck-fifty would get me a cup o'joe, LOL.)

So, good luck, Lurv...last time my boy came with and held my hand and got me to focus on him instead of the doctor (or stupid posters on ceiling) and didn't laugh at me when I cried and it helped.

On being alone (said in my best Great Garbo voice): Oh, I'm *so* there, too. I'm an only child who really, really, awfully, tremendously, likes her space. I'm social, but, well, only if I can control the amount of social going on, if you get my drift.

The brown-eyed-boy is the opposite, mostly--he's fine with little space and he's very cuddly and all of that.

It took us time to work through that; he now knows that my needing my "cave" (John Gray can go to fucking Hell on his gender theory, but I like the "cave" terminology--it ain't just for boys, dammit) isn't a rejection of him, nor do I have to feel threatened by his clinginess when I'm not in a clingy mood.

I hope you can find the same, Diva. Takes time, I think, but being honest about what you need is the first thing.

[turbojenn]

*pulls a crotchie out, ever so gently feeds it to minxie*

[minx]

*Stares back at turbojenn with cack and frosting all around her mouth*

[minx]

Nice. I love doing nice things twice.

[turbojenn]

oh poo! I missed a food fight while turboman was lurking and a postin'! *wipes cack off the monitor, and eyes minxie devilishly*

[turbomann]

Turbomann here. Turbogal says that she has already blown my cover as an occasional lurker. I had to post because, I have to say, all of this CACK business is cracking my shit up. I don't mean to hijack anyone's vocabulary, but for years my friends have been using the term "cack" in the "throbbing manhood" sense of the term. Makes phrases like "cack splattered boobies" sound a bit different...

Poodle- totally agree with you on the that's-my-house feeling. My dad almost lost an eye building a treehouse for us kiddies when we lived in IN. We found out a few years after we moved that the house usurpers tore down the treehouse. Makes you think, hey jerks, don't you realize that's not yours to tear down?

[pinkpoodle]

Oops! I guess I'm not double-posting! I thought it was just me in here.

Yeah, I am a good fuck. Just ask minx.

You may be right about aero-boy, doodle. He does take very long showers....

[pinkpoodle]

Double-post:

Puppy, Marileen is right on about doing a little research before you list your dress. You're more likely to lure in bidders if you have if listed at the same price or even a little below the lowest comparable price.

Also, marileen, I TOTALLY know what you mean about seeing your former highschool grounds and feeling a little sad. This weekend, I was visiting a friend in my hometown, and I took aero-boy past my old house, highschool, downtown, and Catholic grade school. It really freaked me out. The downtown looks like Disneyland, because they put all these cheesy streetlights everywhere and made the buildings look like low-budget Norman Rockwell paintings. My highschool is now an elementary school (though still prison-like), and my Catholic school looks like a bunch of rich people started sending their kids there and pouring money into the building (which is probably what happened!). The freakiest part for my was seeing the house where my family lived for 23+ years and knowing that I couldn't go inside, even though I have more emotional ownership over that house than the current owners have. I don't care who bought that property--It's my house dammit. It will always be my house. On that note, it's time for me to smoke a ciggie.

[doodlebug]

Hi catsoup!

[doodlebug]

After the way you are humping minx in that pic, you are bothering to ask why she wants to look at your bodacious bosom? Hah!

And fuck aero-boy!

Oh wait, you're not doing that.

He should go fuck himself. Hmm. Maybe that's what he does at night, while he pines away for poodley-noodley......

I have been flopped out on the sofa, reading snippets of the new BUST to my mama while she presses tiles into my floor...

[catsoup]

you all are so silly with your cack attack(ing). I love rhyming. :D

the pics were terrific. you look like you are having fun which is great. and i want the recipe for Diva's chocolate mousse cack thing.

[pinkpoodle]

Minxie, you....MINX!!!! Why--do you just want to stare at my cack encrusted breastesses???

Diva's man is probably feeding her chocolate mousse cack in a candlelit bedroom, and I'm sitting here watching Tommy Lee Goes to College with my cats, while aero-boy is stinking up my bathroom.

ETA-I showed our Whiskeybake 2005 photos to aero-boy and he's not surprised. He seemed somewhat disgusted, actually.

ETA, again-I've editted this post far too many times within the past 5 minutes.

[minx]

Umm...leave the cack on poodle's boobies.

Please.

[pinkpoodle]

*smooshes cack splattered boobies in doodle's face*

There! That outta help yer sneezing problem, biznatch!