Pat, I have been looking at the extensive areas of my house that our boys occupy now, and thinking that a little of that space back will be OK

Sounds like a nice office, Patti!

Thanks all, Hey Pat... could you send me a new list please. punchman@joimail.com and it should't be returned. Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone, Thursday nite. Dave is out of town for a few days so I'm taking advantage of Colin having nothing to do and I'm having a hole drilled in my office wall so I can run the cable in here. I'll be able to watch TV in the evening and not bother anyone who wants to listen to music or read or watch what they want. I have a sweet new office-sewing room created out of what was once one of the boy's bedrooms. I have a comfy chair, my dvd player and I'm good to go.

Since Colin is back home and not paying rent (again) he is more than willing to do my bidding. Tomorrow he will mow. I'm having a few school chums over for a Friday afternoon i't almost over gathering. Hope the rain holds off!

Congratulations Roland! Enjoy your new home. Sounds like you got what you were looking for. Have fun getting all set up. That can be fun.

Roland, your new place sounds great. I love doing all that stuff.

Hey all, on the move again but locally. Got a deal on a nice brick ranch. Lots more room and beautiful site. Convienient to all freeways too. Take it over July one. Lots of nice old plantings and room for a garden and also have a large outbuilding for my lawn stuff and tools for tinkering on carst etc. Room for a 4wheeler now too. Oh, a basement (unusual in GA) The place has 11 rooms, not fancy, just comfortable. So..... I'll be busy.

Good morning all! Birds are singing and my offee tastes good. Life is good. 3 more weeks of school!!
Yes, I can program a vcr. I'm a girl who likes to read the manual after trying things once and finding it didn't work. When we get new technology dropped on us at school (no manual in the box of course) I run out to the bookstore and buy the manual. We received a projector yesterday and I need to look into using it but I understand it's pretty much plug and play so I'll be o.k.

No Lori the new upgrade was by the blogger people, not Brian. How is he these days anyway Richard?

I'm not nuts about the new set up but I'll get used to it. I wonder if it's easier to get set up in here. there are still people who can't get in. Joanna was telling me that a week or so ago. She likes being on the mailing list as it's the only way for her to find anything out. I'll have to look into the joining section and see if it's any easier. Have a great day everyone! - Patti

I wish I saw the look on his face!!

Program my VCR? Are you kidding?!! My brother's wife is great at all those things. She's one of those people who actually reads instructions and knows how things work--like knowing how to use all the settings on a digital camera. I did manage to fix our vacuum cleaner once, though! Avi gave up on it and was amazed to see I fixed it.

Lets see, try again. I think I like this new format but it didn't publish a mpoment ago so....... Hope all is well in Cosmoland ya'll. Made an offer on another house today. I'm excited. Don't need it but I like it and the location is great. More room and better laid out that this one too. Been real muggy lately the ACs working ot. Got the Volvo back from the shop, love it still. Drives great. Going to restore it fully a bit at a time. Working on 300k and my club medallion from Volvo.

Lori, Can you program your VCR? I am not terribly proud to say that I can't.

It may not be So Cal but the water temp here (in my pool) on the West Coast of VT is up to 66 degrees. Air temp is 83. OK!! Can I survive the last 60 minutes at this desk? grrrrrrrrrrr!

Good, Karen. That's the spirit! I'm open to change for some things like food,traveling, etc. But I'm not too open to new technology. It took me years to figure out our TV remote--which doesn't really bother me cuz I don't watch much TV.

Careful, you guys are showing your age by reacting severely to CHANGE! We have to welcome new experiences and thirst for adventure! Bring it ON! Yeah, rah, rah! .......... yikes!

I think so. Still trying to figure this out. Let's see if it works. Did Brian do this?

Hey Bloggies!! Are you OK?

I think the complete expression is "Holey Moley, Batman!"

Holey Moley this is odd

Hope all you moms got the respect and affection that you deserve yesterday. I went in our pool for the first time. The water is 57 degrees- go in a man, come out a boy. It was actually (almost) hot laying in the sun afterward.

Holy cow, Karen you are a pack rat. I'd have to spend a little time working to find one of those invitaitons. They've traveled from town to state and state to state but I figure they ought to. You on the other hand, still having a copy, that's really something. I'm glad you came across it. Doesn't it make you think about what you were doing then?? 25 years this fall. my my

Are you taking it with you to MI or having you tossed it by now? I really like Mr. Vincent. I don't think I have any school work hanging around though. I wonder?........

It doesn't have to be on the couch. A picture of you in the basement or attic--or wherever it is you're sorting through all your "junk"--would be okay too. I'd like to see that poem you wrote!

At the end of the day yesterday I found a wedding invitation ........ the young woman was one Patricia Louise Smith and she was marrying David John Mahoney on the 6th of October, 1979 at the Summit Lodge in Killington!!! I never did make that wedding, sorry to say. Now tell me I am not a pack rat! What happens with me is, I get a pile of mail and then there is someone coming over and I stash it in a drawer or box and then it becomes part of what I lug around the country for the next 30 years. Also found some poetry that I wrote for Mr. Vincent's English class .... must have been soph. year. Just when you think you are still that same person you have always been ....... Lori, you wouldn't find me sitting on the couch lately, except maybe for the last episode of "Friends" last night.

Thanks, Karen. I just saw the pictures, and the house looks really nice. I feel like I visited you. The only thing missing is YOU! Too bad we can't see you sitting on the couch!

Richard, what's an octa-bong?

Lori, I just sent you my listing. I am not very computer literate either and I don't understand why the numbers change in the address bar for the listing. So it is not just you. I guess I should have just told you to go to http://www.grar.com/redesign/residential.html ....... and then put in the MLS # as 492329, that seems to work. Its a comfortable house, very open living and easy to clean. We have deer, turkeys and other critters. Lots of privacy. Today in cleaning I found some high school graduation cards and senior pictures of Mike Johnson, Celia Minnott, Mary Anne Tracy and Donny Eames, along with a 1971 yearbook. Those people don't know they have travelled to so many places for the past 30+ years!!! The sneezing is bad here though ...... dust!!

I did two days with an all-nighter in between cleaning my parent's house out last November. I know what you mean about how it makes you feel, a little strange and a little sad. I found some of my parents love letters from when they first met and I guess the rest is history. Never did find my octa-bong. Maybe my mom left it in Florida.

I don't know if that's a New England thing. It's hard to get Avi to throw ANYTHING away, and he's definitely not a New Englander! By the way, Karen, I couldn't get into that sight to see your house. Do I type in that first line ending in "Start?" And what are those other letters and numbers? Could you explain in computers-for-dummies language? Thanks!

Thanks, I needed that boost. Today I am in the basement storage room, reorganizing and going through boxes. I always have mixed emotions when I do this, because on the one hand I feel good about accomplishing something, but on the other hand I always come across so many memories that make me realize how time has flown, and I get so sad. There are so many "I meant to"s and projects in my stuff. I think that New Englanders like "stuff" more than other people, do you?

Karen, your house is beautiful. Good luck! Real estate is still a strong market here with houses selling quickly at full-price offers. I wouldn't mind seeing more of Michigan but I'm not ready to move there.

Karen your home is lovely. The pictures really show it to good advantage. I'm sure it'll sell quickly.

Richard, I was sure I remembered you talking about woodworking being a passion for you. The photo is of a Walnut rocker, really beautiful.

Wanna buy a house? Go to http://public1.grar.com/public/pubrecn.mac/start?UID=18021&CNTR=000012&PT=ST Click on Media for the inside pics. You will see my computer in the corner of the kitchen where I write all of these terribly interesting missives. I had a bang up open house on Sunday and thought for sure this was the day I would sell but ......... Know anyone who wants to move to MI??

Pat, Sam Maloof is a favorite woodworker for me. If my life had started 20 years sooner and in California, maybe Sam and I would be hanging out making chairs together. His work is among a small group that led a generation of woodworkers.

I see all's got Spring Fever. Its been in the 80's quite a bit her already folks. I love it. My rambling rose is almost in full bloom already. Started on a new venture after selling off my share of the landscape business. Into the duct cleaning thing. Its big here and not to hard to do either. Bought two new vans, a truck, and a bucket truck. I can also do carpets and preasure washing. Lots of work in the ATL area for service based businesses. They say we will have 2million more folks here within a few years!!!!!!! Any news on the mini reunion this summer anyone?

Richard on the picture page of my Smithsonian date book there is a Sam Maloof Rocker, 1980 in Walmnut the gift of Roger and Frances Kennedy. does that mean anything to you?

Karen you're right. Janice's birthday was the 2nd and Butch's today the 4th. Boy, we're just all turning 50 one right after the other here. Butch is of course just a smidge ahead of us. I wonder who the last one will be?

I got a few more e-mail addresses from folks Sue Pinto for one. I haven't spoken to her for almost 13 years now. So I'm still building the list back up. If anyone else knows of the whereabouts of our classmates and can get their addresses I'll gladly add them.

I was playing Ping-Pong two weekends ago in sleet that was bouncing about 2 feet off the table after each one hit and now, snow! Sure am glad I opened the pool.

Snow, how depressing! Warming up here afer a weekend in the 50's ...... supposed to get to 80's by the weekend. Planted some early pots of flowers but have been getting my exercise bringing all of them in when they give frost warnings. Anything to sell the house ....... Happy Birthday to Butch and Janice Stearns, May 2nd and May 4th I think. Another one falls to the big 5-0!

1 to 3 inches of snow here today. Talk about a cold fanny!

Whatever works Richard! Though today it's rainy and chilly so I'm not so inclined as I was over the weekend.

We did however have the diaper of a 15 month old changed on our front lawn Sunday afternoon. It was pretty nasty. Not really the same thing though I guess.

AWESOME!

It took both bottles of champagne to get out on the front lawn.

Geez Karen, I've never heard that one before. Though today you could actually do that. It's spectacular, mid 70's, no wind, the grass is sorta green, so why not?

Happy May Day to one and all

Picked my horse, picked my mint for the Juleps and am ready for the KY Derby! Will tear up when they play "My Old Kentucky Home". Never got to the Derby but have been to Churchill Downs a few times and it is really fun. And don't forget ........... "Hey, hey its the first of May ....... outdoor screwing begins today!" (that is from my past neighbor in Pittsford, VT and I feel compelled to pass it on every year)! Enjoy!

Wow I could figit for quite awhile if it burned 400 calories. That wonderful!

Fidgeting to lose weight is a little farther than I am willing to go, but the web site that I found claimed that all that nervous energy is good for burning about an extra 400 calories a day.

Boy Richard, with that list I ought to be skinny as a rail. I spend 6 hours a day walking back and forth in a class room that's twice the size of a normal room. It's also on the second floor so it's up and down over and over. I have read where figiters tend to be thinner. All that nervous energy is burning calories. I'd like the answer to uncorking the champagne.

The restaurant is on Topanga Canyon, Roland. It's called Inn of the Seventh Ray. Nice setting, nice music, good food--a lot of organic stuff. It's kind of New Age. A lot of hippies and nudists (I've been told) live on Topanga Canyon.

I like those exercises, Richard. More my style than the gym!

I'll try to remember, Karen.

Any official word on how many calories used to uncork a champagne bottle??????????? Lori, the answer to your question is August.

Pat, it punchman@joimail.com. Did you copy? No punchman1@earthlink for quite awhile. Yes, I've had some problems with Outlook Express too when I first used it and occasionally thereafter. On the note of the physical thing. I have always tried to take care of myself as its almost too late now. I am not into the gym thing but have many interests and being a couch potatoe was never one of them. That restaurant sounded great Lori. And in the LA area too!!!! What town or area is it? Richard, there is something to that list. Its again forming better habits. Like the one of parking furthere and walking a few more steps. The food thing does work to an extent and coffee has been one of my vices and I have cut back quite a bit but only to replace it with select loose teas (green being one)

Don't under estimate those finger excercises. Here are some ideas for burning calories that I just found on the internet:

Tap your feet
Swing your legs
Drum your fingers
Stand up and stretch
Move your head from side to side
Change position
Wriggle and fidget
Pace up and down
Don’t use the internal phone – go in person
Use the upstairs bathroom
Park in the furthest corner of the car park
Stand up when you’re on the phone
Clench and release your muscles

And here is my favorite: Eat Spicy Food. There is evidence to show that spices, especially chilli, can raise the metabolic rate by up to 50% for up to 3 hours after you’ve eaten a spicy meal.



Drinks containing caffeine also stimulate the metabolism, as does green tea.

I don't break much of a sweat that way Lori, not sure how many calories I'm burning.

Finger exercises? I'm pretty good at that one too!

-Yeah, I worry that I waited too long to take care of my body. I'm a work in progress. I want to be sure to be healthy and active when I'm a grammy! Ooo that felt funny to say. Dave is way too active, drives me nuts. I can't begin to keep up so I've stopped tryng. We do different things for fitness. Though we both enjoy golf. I'm awful at it but sometimes I like it. Only when there aren't people behind me so I don't have to worry about holding anyone up. Most people ask to play through. I keep my fingers slim and strong by using my keyboard everyday!

Glad you had such a wonderful and lengthy birthday celebration Lori.

Better to concentrate on the ping pong shot than the other things, Richard! Karen, when is your birthday?

I worry about things with my body, like not ever developing a slam shot in ping-pong that is reliable (and I'm still working on it). I worry about other things too and have become more active and careful in hopes of avoiding all those bad things. What I don't get is why I waited until 50 to care.

Gee Lori, I can't weigh in on that .......... I am only 49!!!!!! Haha!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone and thanks for the birthday greetings! It's been a sort of extended celebration, instead of 1 big party. It started with my 80-year-old friend, Blanche, taking me out to lunch at a Chinese restaurant. The next thing was a few days later--going out to eat with Avi and the kids and with my brother and his wife and kids (they're visiting from Vermont). We went to a place around here that was new to me, and I always like going to new places. My daughter's boyfriend and my son's girlfriend also came. It was also a celebration for his girlfriend since she and I were born on the same day. And yesterday my friend, Irene, took me out for the day to see some nice gardens where a dance performance was going on, and then for dinner at the Inn of the Seventh Ray, a nice place in the forest and near a brook (not typical L.A.) and then to a concert in a church--Albanian music. So I didn't get to MOCA, Richard, but I have been there before. I didn't celebrate yet with Avi's family, so maybe the party's not over yet! I'm having fun, but for some reason being 50 has made me feel suddenly aware of all the things that can go wrong with the body. That probably sounds pretty morbid, especially when there's not really any reason for me to feel that way--just a few minor things that you need antibiotics for. Did any of you feel like that?!!!

Pat, I would also be challenged by the temptation to be a cool surfer dude and act like one of the kids, but I think all respect would be lost if I ever tried. Even if I was 20 something, I don't think that I would do something that would cause me to lose my job, but like Jimmy Carter, I would certainly be guilty of lust in my heart.

After almost 20 years of fulfilling my contract of trust with my kids and being very involved in their needs, I am starting to regain focus on the things that used to matter a lot to me. That is why I am committed to doing more woodworking this year, spending more time alone with Gerda, and starting to think that their will be life beyond this Dilbert cubicle that I sit in (because I face into a corner and never turn-around, it only takes 2 walls to create privacy).

Richard, what is you're focused on? I don't feel focused. Sometimes at school I forget that I'm not one of the kids. That can be dangerous. I have to catch myself from saying something in class I might say in my backyard. Even though though it might be funny or just fun it can so easy to be inappriate. After all, my job opened because the early 20 something first year teacher there had inappriate social activities with some of her students and boys will talk. OOPs. Her name and photo now appear under the "A" section of sexual predators of Aroostook County. We're all pretty proud. (It's an alphabetical listing.)

I sent out a new class listing today. The darned Outlook Express had dropped at least a dozen names from my address book so I had to re-build the address book entry and then send out the ammended list. I don't know why it does that but it does. I've already gotten back several including yours Roland. No more Punchman? I've removed 13 names because they kept coming back undeliverable. Guess I do the same this time. Even Deb and Ron Young, Lindas Brochu and LaBonte among others.

It is a great accomplishment to be 50 Lori! Very courageous and nicely done. I still haven't quite got my arms around the fact that we are 50- not that it's bad, because I have needed some time to work out my nervous energy. I am just wondering- now that I am focused, what does that mean? I think it mostly means having fun. I hope that you are having fun. If I were you, I would definitely go out to lunch and I would probably go to the MOCA Geffen Contemporary. There is a show of photography there now that I saw a little of on line. It looks really interesting. Have you ever been there? It is kind of hidden on a street in Little Tokyo.

Happy 50th Lori! Hope your coming year is a happy one. Well, Roland it seems that legend has variations as the guys at work told Rich that Cumming was the last bastion of the KKK. Maybe everyone wants to get in on the notoriety???? I thought it was quite pretty with lots of horse farms and not many eyesores. The traffic however is not my cup of tea. Here we had 60's today and sun. I got out and mulched some of my gardens. What did you do for your special day Lori?