Psalm 71 one

Hi Mr Feathers! SPLAT!!!!!!!!! Have some baked beans!

HUH???? EH????? WHATTTTT???? I'm missing an ear, cuz someome gave one of mine away. . . . (Can't find 'em to yell at them, though ) I don't know what the fuss is all about though-- we all know pigs CAN fly-- so there!! And they don't like BBQ!

Dang! The more I read, the more i wonder just when they're gonna start telling us about the dry foods? My dogs get a pretty decent amout of homemade foods I make them--sometimes half and half. But my cat will only eat cat food-- and that is dry Nutro--and pounce treats! YIKES! I wonder now about my Ellie--my cat that died several weeks ago. Yeah, the vet found a string, so it could have been only that, but I have my suspisions about her foods, too-- she was a piggy when it came to the pounce treats. And she went downhill so fast. I can't prove anything, and she DID swollow a thread, so it may just be that, but I am now very suspicious of the pet food makers. And i wonder how soon before we find it in a LOT of people foods.

This thread has been hard for me to read through--and a learning time, too.Abi and Kathy, your dialogues back and forth are helping someone else-- me. Kathy, reading your posts all the way through--geesh, you and I could be bookends! I've gone through the same emotions as you! Wanting to forgive, wanting to try to accept, thinking it would help me to understand the reasons behind my Dad's self-justification. (He "only fondled me"--I want to barf) But coming to the realizations that I haven't really set my boundaries firmly enough. When i was raped, I was afraid to fight back, because i didn't want to hurt him. How sick is that? (I was also afraid of the gun he'd set down on the dashboard.) I also willingly took the blame my corps roommate informed me that i was guilty of. I've gone through some wild ranges of emotion on this thread. Feeling the "need" to forgive, fully accept this person as a valid part of this board. And then rage--at him and everybody else like him. And total discust at him. I wish Oen hadn't left on account of disagreements about this person. I do believe God forgives. And we are supposed to forgive, also--especially those who harmed us, or it will eat us alive. But also be able to set firm boundaries--I hadn't realized til this thread that I don't really know how to do that. Satori, your post about missing an opportunity--I'm not sure that would work with someone like him--I agree with everyone here who has stated he'd never really show his hand. Having him openly post about his rationalizations, I dunno, I don't think it would educate us--for me, it just stirred up a lot of bad memories. I also don't think we ran him off. He left because he didn't get the reaction he wanted. I don't think this is the right place for his confession--not when so many here have been victimes of this type of abuse. I don't think I am making much sense..

:wub: (((((((((((Kathy!)))))))))))))

Aww, duct tape sticks to everything anyway, so ya might as well stay! Me too, Kathy, eta al-- I've never watched American Idol-- or survivor!

David, the Tutor who tooted a flute is one I say all the time! The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick There was a young fellow named Hall Who fell in the spring in the fall t'would have been a sad thing if he'd died in the spring but he didn't he died in the fall I'm not the fig plucker I'm the fig plucker's son but I'll pluck the figs til the fig plucker comes A big black bug bit the big black bear A box of mixed biscuits, a mixed biscuit box Little Susie took a drink but she shall drink no more for what she thought was H2O Was H2SO4 Six simple simons sucking suckers Seven Syrian sailors sailing the seven seas Once upon a baren moar there dwelt a bear, also a boar the bear couldn't bear the boar the boar thought the bear a bore At last the boar could bear no more So one morn, he bored the bear The bear shall bore the bore no more There was a young fisher named Fischer Who fished for a fish in a fissure. The fish with a grin, Pulled the fisherman in; Now they're fishing the fissure for Fischer I could go on and on!! LOL!! I LOVE tongue twisters and "ditties" I often start telling 'em when I'm with a group of kids!! Surely?

Boy am I glad i peeked in here at the right time!! So nice to "see" ya pamsandiego!!! I've been wondering how you've been abd what you've been up to! now i know!

THIS one's MY FAVORITE! 9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

YEAR of the PIG! HA! I was also born in the year of the pig, so what does that make me? (NEVER MIND, FEATHERS!!!) 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007--all year of the pig, so THERE! "My Guys" (My hubby and two sons) took me out yesterday, all day. We went to a woodworkers store and I picked out some gadgets for my woodcarving hobby, then they took me to the movies and a nice WINGS dinner--NOT PIG WINGS! PTTTHHHHHHTTTTT! Here I was feeling so important, then my older sister called me on my birthday, (Thursday) and reminded me that 48 years ago, I didn't have a name-- I was just "baby girl xxxxx" And didn't have a name the next day --for three whole days, I didn't have a name! HARUMP! Well, actually, they DID have a name for me, "David"! Haha! They decided to save that name, and gave it to my younger sibling--he likes it a bit better than if he'd been named Carol! Not that I dislike the name, but it's better on Mr. Miller and my brother! LOL! Anyway, thank y'all fer the birthday wishes! (Lifty I got a sore knee from tripping, over that dental floss again--WHEN will I learn?!!!! ) Dot-- YOU're SO MEAN!!!!! LOL!!!! BTW, didja know that March 1st is also National Pig Day?

Groucho, please don't eat pork it's bad for flying piggies bad for you

I second what Kathy, Freeatlast, Dot and Abi said--too much to repeat it all, you all put it so well. I'm happy for Jonny and his family, I'm not "offended" that he's leaving us or that he chose to give God the credit. I agree with you, Kathy about having second thoughts about sharing stuff here--I'm very careful what I post. Yay for Jonny, I'll still miss him, and I'm still glad for him. And God is good even if we don't get big monthy royalties checks. (Now that will offend people, huh? Oh well) I AM GLAD HE'S NOT EATING PORK AND BEANS!!

Thanks again for all the advice/info. dmiller, I had wondered about the squealing--figured it may have "bitten" into the rotors, so when the guy said nothing about it, I thought I must have been "lucky" that the metal hadn't scraped into the rotors. I asked my hubby again tonight what the mechanic actually said concerning the rotors. He'd said nothing at all the first time, then when my hubby brought it back said we'd said nothing to him about the rotors, only the drums/pads. (We got front and rear done at the same time-- AND we had to go get the parts, then they only charged the labor to replace the pads and drums! Hmmmmmm) About the vacuum hoses--nope-- evrything looks right. My hubby called the owner, they said bring it down, it stalled every time I braked on the way there. Mechanic checked under the hood with my hubby--nothing out of place. He revved up the engine and then it started idling higher again. We drove it around for about 10 min--with the mechanic, and he asked a few questions, and concluded we need a fuel filter and a tune up. My hubby wants to give them a second chance. . . I have several questions; Ron and 1000names, the whole front end shook when I braked. Like from the front wheels--as if they were doing a gazillion tiny little bounces. Not the brake pedal at all. I have no idea where the rotors got turned-- these guys took them out to another place to turn them. If they were warped, and still got turned, what should I look for in potential problems? I really want to take them to be looked at by another shop, since one other time, the pads or the drums (on a different car) had been put in "backwards". I'll do my best to get my hubby to at least check with another place. I met this mechanic, too. He IS a nice guy, (really seeming genuine) but nice doesn't necessarily mean he's a competent mechanic. I did have it happen one time with a car that kept having new things go wrong so that I had to take it back to the mechanic. We did go back to the same place several times, until we became suspicious, and went elsewhere. Nothing seemed to turn up as "wrong" for about 6 months. (BTW, this guy was nice too, and the car WAS 12 years old) Well, the car broke down one day in front of a gas station where that particular mechanic had been reccommended to me by several different people. He called me the next morning, and told me I needed to come down there and "see this". The car had been "fixed". One vacuum hose was stuffed with rags, one was hanging and the guy said he didn't even know WHERE it belonged. Several other things, but it's been a long while and I don't remember, but the guy said I needed to give up on the car-- HE certainly wasn't gonna touch it with as many things that were wrong with it. <_< Back to my questions. THis car is one of those where you get the tune up every 100,000 miles. At 65,000 a mechanic in Baltimore suggested I have one done anyway. He replaced spark plugs, wires, fuel filter, air cleaner-- probably other stuff. I didn't have any problems with that, but we did wonder if we'd gotten talked into doing that tuneup sooner than necessary. We get the air cleaner changed every time we do an oil change--which ends up being about 5000-6000 miles instead of 3000 miles. At about 3000 miles I need a quart of oil, and then it's a quart low at the time I get the oil change. So now the car is at 110,000 miles and this nice mechanic who said the stalling is because of the fuel filter, is totally flabbergasted that we hadn't had a tune-up in about 45,000 miles. He is absolutely certain that the fuel filter is clogged and we need spark plugs, and an air cleaner-- didn't mention spark plug wires. He assures us that will solve everything. So am I stupid? (don't answer that! LOL!) I thought if it was a car that only needs a tuneup every 100,000 miles, it doesn't need a tune up but every 100,000 miles. And a little sooner than 100,000 miles probably wouldn't hurt, but he acted like we'd taken poor care of the car in not having a tune up in so long. Can someone explain this 100,000 mile tune up thing to me, then? And does the clogged fuel filter make sense-- since the car ran poorly, stalling, then once it got revved up, it is now running fine again? (A little rough, but no longer stalling) Thanks

Happy Birthday to YOU, Shellon! awwww about the "appy nama" !!! CUTE!!

Happy Birthday from me too, ((((((((((((((((((((((((((Robes)))))))))))))))))))) Sorry to be late!

Awww Jonny . . . :( I'm really gonna miss you! I'm not here as often as I used to be, either, but you are one of my favorites. Please consider not erasing your name here-- mebbe you can do what the ! Family does and pop in with updates? (I'm being selfish!) I know also when ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I had to break away awhile back cuz it was bad for my family. I can pop in every once in awhile, but can't ever let myself get as addicted as I had once been, or it wouldn't be good. So I know what you're saying about having to move on, I'm just being selfish cuz I'm gonna miss you!! Rocky, as to him "just not showing up", he DID say "I will not ask Pawtucket to "erase me" for awhile yet, for, in my vanity, I guess I want to hear a goodbye from you." I understand that totally. And I am glad to get the chance to say Goodbye to Jonny--thanks for telling us! (((((((((((((((((((Jonny)))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you all. We will follow through on the ideas. I hope for one it's as simple as Nottawayfer says-- just a hose. We'll check tomorrow. Exxie--thanks so much-- you are too sweet! My hubby is pretty good about being nice--I really hope it's a genuine mistake! Fellowshipper, dropping the brake fluid on the exhaust manifold would account for the smell, right? But not the stalling? I do think a place that asks for only cash sounds fishy, for sure. This van is 10 yrs old, so i would expect that repairs are going to be needed, but the day of getting brake work done? hmmmm

We had some brake work done about two weeks ago at a small local auto mechanics shop. I knew my brakes really were bad-- they squealed when I stepped on the brakes! This location fixed my brakes--front and rear, shoes and pads. (I'm a woman--forgive me if i get terms wong! ) They said nothing about rotors, so I thought maybe I was lucky. Well, Sunday when I was driving, I noticed the car shook hard every time I braked. (seemed to be front end) My hubby took the car back to the place-- we thought maybe they'd knocked the little balancing weights off the tires or something. My hubby was told that that sound meant we needed the rotors turned, that we probably should have had them turned when we had the brakes fixed. (Same place as before). We took it in yesterday morning. We weren't told they couldn't get to it that day. It was only this morning that they'd put it up on blocks, and sent the rotors somewhere to be turned. They told us they'd call us when it was done. Late afternoon, get a call, the car's done. My car was running fine when we brought it in, it was stalling and idling very low after we picked it up. It stalled every time I braked, either to a complete stop, or even when slowing to make a turn. It also smells--like when you're behind a truck that belches out thick black smoke and stinks like burning oil-- that kind of smell. And there are scratches on the hood. Now I know that when you go to get brake work done, there's no need to do anything with the engine, but this seems like a pretty weird coincidence that all of a sudden my car is stalling. My hubby wants to take it back there and insist on them fixing it, but I'm not sure i want them touching my car again. I also know I can't prove a thing--either about the stalling or the scratches. But it sure sounds fishy to me Oh another thing. My hubby really liked the mechanic-- and he's ususally a good judge of people, but this place (the owner's policy, not the mechanic's) wanted us to pay in cash, no check, no debit, no credit. (Makes ya go hmmmm . . .)And the other mechanic that we'd spoken to the first day we were there had told us how the owner lets his son drive the cars they fix and has wrecked a couple of them--this owner sells cars from this lot, also, so I'm guessing the mechanic meant ones the owner bought to fix up and then resell. Any suggestions as to what we can do? My hubby called the shop, and they said bring it back in. I'm afraid to drive it, since I stalled on the way home on a left hand turn with traffic coming. And I don't want him driving it either. He called back and asked if they had a tow truck-- they do but I seriously doubt they will tow it for us for free. The scratches are new, but I also can't pinpoint since when--It's been cold and I don't always look at my hood when getting in! My older son plays catch with his football in the driveway, so there's always a chance he somehow brushed it when catching a ball recently? I dunno. The scratches aren't deep into the paint, but I still don't like them! And my car is 10 years old, so scratches and poor running is to be expected, but all of a sudden?????

I don't like different foods on my plate to touch each other, and then I eat all of one food before I go on to the next! But I love casseroles!! (ya know, where all the different types of foods are mixed up!! LOL!) Go figure!! I like ice cream with a bit of ice crystals--and will sprinkle some water on my ice cream and refreeze it so there will be ice crystals. So how weird is THAT?? I wear socks all the time, too! I wash my dishes before they go in the dishwasher--rinse EVERYTHING off them, so I might as well be washing them! I also hand wash dishes more often than I load em in the dishwasher!

This is a good thread. I love the responses here. Linda's post on the first page put so well what I was thinking, too. (About mutual respect) I haven't run into "preachy" vegetarians in recent years also, but I remember a few obnoxious preachy ones in my early years in TWI. I s'pose people like that and the ones Ron describes that picket eateries and do the handouts to kids--the zealots, are what helps cause animosity between "omnivores" and Vegans. (As do all the zealots of each cause, huh?) Vegan, I bet pro-life protesters get things thrown at them, too. And I bet some of those protesters can be pretty obnoxious themselves--I remember a lady who was the neighbor of one of my cleaning accounts many years ago. I'm anti-abortion, but this woman was downright annoying-- and I bet she didn't get any "converts" to her cause with her attitude-- and she used her children in her protests! Anyway, several of VeganXTC's and SafariVista's posts on here have triggered my own looking into what I eat-- and the qualities of the foods I feed my family. It's been "food for thought" (pun intended) I don't think I'll ever become vegetarian--and definately don't think i could ever go vegan cuz I do love red meat and cheese too much. On the other hand, we eat too much of these and I have been looking into alternatives--such as TVP and nut milks. I have really appreciated your posts! And I would love if ya would get down to the kitchen with some recipes-- I asked ya for your Neatloaf recipe in the Meatloaf thread. Hap your kids sound awesome!

Vegan I would like your Neatloaf recipe, please. Shellon, my kids never liked my normal recipe for meatloaf, but then a friend told me her recipe that the kids LOVE. Ground beef, salt, ketchup, and shredded cheese! I add an egg per lb of beef, also. I just made one tonight that the kids aren't so sure about. I'm trying to cut back on the amount of red meat we eat, so I did the ground beef, salt, and TVP (texturized vegitable protein), eggs, unsweetened applesauce, and whole oats. It was very moist. Hubby and I liked it, the kids were a bit unsure! LOL!

Thanks for the prayers and comfort. I miss her a lot today. :( I don't have a digital camera, but discovered I have some pictures of her on my computer because I got a cd of some of my rolls of film. This was taken when she was about 8 months old, she got darker as she got older, but she was always such a pretty little thing.

She's gone. :( We took her to the vet and put her down this morning. I did the oil in a dropper--first one she kept down. I waited about 45 min, gave her a second--she kept it down. Hour later I gave her a third--she threw all of it up about 45 min later. And while she was retching, it looked so painful. I didn't give her any more. (that was late last night. This morning it looked like it hurt her just to walk, so we took her to the vet about 10am. The vet said she felt a lump in the intestines, and she was full of fluids, so she thought the string had already cut through and the junk was poisoning her. It was the right time. :( I held her while the vet gave the medicine and cried like a baby. The vets office gave us a little bag with a sympathy card and a pretty candle in a jar--to burn in memory of her--that was sweet. (There was a poem that was like the Rainbow Bridge story) We buried her in our back yard by my garden. MY younger son, Ben and I are going to make a flat memorial stone for her--one of those stepping stone kits from the craft store. It's good closure--my hubby thinks its crazy, but it's good closure. And that is the area of my yard that this year, I'm going to plant a wildflower garden, and it's nice and sunny. God is still good and wonderful and merciful. He didn't give us a miracle of healing for Ellie, and His ways are higher than mine. So while I don't understand why, I still know He is good! Sorry I didn't let ya know sooner, but I couldn't type at that time.

Dot's suggestion of the oil confirmed a thought that crossed my mind last night. I didn't follow through at the time because she was spitting up the water she was drinking. But when I read it an hour ago, it confirmed the thought, and all I can think is in the midst of asking God for a miracle, He may have given me an answer. It can't hurt--her time's ticking. (My hubby has shut down emotionally concerning her, and would have taken her in this morning to be put down--as far as he's concerned, God told us the kitty was dying, so let's get this over with. I've begged for a full 48 hours from the appointment yesterday, and that will be tomorrow about 11 am. He's not going to give me till 11 am, I am sure-- he'll be packing her up in her crate as soon as he gets up.) I do believe God told us--as His way of preparing us, but I am asking Him for a miracle-- a second chance. He'll either grant it or won't. As to the other site, I haven't posted yet. I know enough that my self-esteem does not ride on whether those folks agree with what I do with my animals or not, but rejection still hurts and I'm trying to avoid it as long as possible. As for Ellie, I've given her her first dose of the oil, so far she hasn't spit it up. She actually hasn't spit up since the wee hours of this morning. But she's also lethargic. She sometimes responds when we call her name and sometimes doesn't. She'll let us pet her, but doesn't purr. I couldn't sleep last night for awhile, so I loved on her and petted and rubbed her ears and gor some purring from her for a good half hour, but then she moved away. (She's never given me a half hour of purring, she's never been that kind of affectionate kitty--hates being held, lets us pet for a few minutes, purrs and then moves on) This is a hard day-- tomorrow will be harder if she doesn't pass anything tonight.

Maybe this should be in the prayer forum, but I have a whole lot of thoughts running through my head right now, that are more than just prayer requests--sorta thinking "outloud". Our little kitty Ellie is sick. She's been throwing up since Tuesday night. She threw up a whole lot, Tuesday, then it seemed she was okay. I didn't run her to the vet at that time, because sometimes cats puke and then they're okay again. Wednesday she threw up a few more times, but it wasn't frequent, and to be honest, we were running around a lot that day and didn't really look at her too much for any other symptoms. But then last night, she seemed lethargic, she looked stiff when she walked--like something was more serious than I'd thought. That was when I sterted thinking back and realized she seemed to be throwing up soon after she drank water--and she hadn't eaten--and oh-oh--I hadn't seen her use the litter box in a long time (at least 24 hours) It was late, so I posted at the animal forum here in my area where I'd first posted about the sick little stray dog Mugsy, asking advice. I didn't really want to be running to the emergency vet unless i had to, or even to the vtes office today if it was something not that serious, but even in posting, realizing how long it had been since she'd used the litter box, I knew it probably WAS something serious and that she'd need to be seen. But was it really necessary to go last night or not? I got a few answers, most pretty much backing up what I was thinking-- see vet in morning. Which we did today. Before we went, the four of us sat on the floor with her and prayed together. We all felt we understood from God she needed to go to the vet, but that it was because she was dying. (each of us thought that seperately before the others told what they thought they heard) We thought it would be ot take her to be put down, so she wouldn't suffer. We all cried together, then I called the vet, explaining the situation. I also told the receptionist that if it was an obstruction, (which is what was in my mind as what was wrong--God telling me or not?) that we wouldn't be able to afford surgery, so we figured they would have to put her down for us. I know this sounds heartless, but surgery is expensive and there are other nice kittys around that need a family. I love Ellie, and would grieve a lot, and then would go get another-- knowing no new cat will take her place, but will take their own place in my heart. NO, I would not opt for no surgery if it were my human child, but for a furry child, our decisions definately take into account the financial cost. At the vets' office, the vet found a piece of string or thread around her tongue, and going down her throat. She suggested they try cutting it first, to see if she would pass the thread, but that to really be sure exploratory surgery was what she recommends. She also understood we had said that wasn't necessarily an option financially. So we opted to have her cut it--she had to be sedated for that--they weren't real promising as to a good outcome. Thye said if we could get her to eat and pass stool, that would be a good sign, and recommended soft canned food. The next 48 hours will be telling. In hindsight--only today after taking her to the vet, I think she may have been sick as early as Monday, because she didn't hang out with us much that day--and didn't eat much, either. At the time we thought it was because she was mad at us because we'd cut back on the cats' food cuz they were getting fat-- and she was the one that always was at the food dish. Tonight it's not looking promising. She can drink and not puke now, but she still walks stiffly and will not eat. I have made the food into a drinkable mush, even and she won't go near it. I am in an emotional turmoil right now. Today was a cold gray day. I'm feeling the gray. On one hand, the logical thing is put her down peacefully, don't make her suffer, and there are plenty of greta cats in the shelters looking for families. And surgery is expensive. And this cat pees on the rugs. And we all heard in separate prayer that she was dying. And for the amount of money spent to do the surgery, she still could die. But hse's my kitty and I love her. She's never been a real lovey type kitty, she's kinda dumb--and scares easily. But she and Zippie are great playmates and make us laugh when they play. And when she does her kinda dumb things, she's so cute we wanna pick her up and squeeze her. (cept she doesn't like to be held and loved on. Well, she actually does have a time when she wants to be lovey--at 4 am! ). But she's mine. When I bring a kitty--or any animal in my home, I am responsible for it, to feed it well, and take good care of it. And I expect to keep it til it dies--at a ripe old age. Our first pair of kitties accomodated me. They lived to 12 and 14 yrs old and died of things that were unfixable. And not having the money for surgery is relative--we had money to go out to eat last week. So that makes us heartless to just let her go--or outright put her to sleep. And now I can't even post at the previous sight--I've seen the negative comments they make about people taking their animals to the shelter because they couldn't afford to take care of them--medically or otherwise. I know on that thread i posted they will want to know the outcome since i asked ofr advice, but I can't tell them we're not opting for the surgery. Yesterday's news is over-- yeah, I found Mugsy and made sure he got rescued before he went another night out in that cold, but today I'm not opting to give my own kittycat surgery. And (HORRORS!) I bred my two Maltese--never mind I screened the buyers, and stay in touch with them, and know the responsibility is on me if they ever can't keep the dog. Never mind that this year there really wasn't any other way we'd hvae had Christmas money for the boys without the sale of those pups (we don't do credit). People don't know me, really, and don't know how I dote on my animals. dang! I make clothes for my dogs and dress them! how dote-y is that? And made the collars for all 4 animals. But today I'm not going to spend the money on surgery for my kitty, so I'm now going to be judged heartless. "You wouldn't treat your human children like thet!" (I've seen that comment there) and, no I wouldn't--we'd loose our home first tahn to not treat our children if they needed surgery. I'm rambling and I'm mad at the world as well as sad about my kitty, and I'm dumping here. I'm leaving my dyslexic typos, and know I look like a jerk to not take "proper" care of my kitty. And if i get too crucified, my life's blood doesn't depend on anybody's approval of me or what I do with my pets, but I'm still defensive right now. And greiving my kitty. and dumping on anyone who cares to read here. I guess I'm sorry--will be tomorrow anyway and will want to delete this whole thread.