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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

You Make A Difference


by Dianne

A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in high school by telling them the difference they each made. She called each student to the front of the class, one at a time. First she told each of them how they made a difference to her and the class. Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters, which read, “Who I Am Makes A Difference”.

Afterwards the teacher decided to do a class project to see what kind of impact recognition would have on the community. She gave each of the students three more ribbons and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgment ceremony. Then they were to follow up on the results, see who honored whom and report back to the class in about a week.

One of the boys in the class went to a junior executive in a nearby company and honored him for helping him with his career planning. He gave him a blue ribbon and put it on his shirt. Then he gave him the two extra ribbons and said, “We’re doing a class project on recognition, and we’d like you to go out, find somebody to honor, give them a blue ribbon, then give them the extra blue ribbon so they can acknowledge a third person to keep this acknowledgment ceremony going. Then please report back to me and tell me what happened.”

Later that day the junior executive went to see his boss. Who had been noted, by the way, as being kind of a grouchy fellow. He sat his boss down and he told him that he deeply admired him for being a creative genius. The boss seemed very surprised. The junior executive asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon and would he give him permission to put it on him. His surprised boss said, “Well sure.” The junior executive took the blue ribbon and placed it right on his boss’s jacket above his heart. As he gave him the last extra ribbon, he said, “Would you do me a favor? Would you take this extra ribbon and pass it on by honoring somebody else? The young boy who first gave me the ribbons is doing a project in school and he wants to keep this recognition ceremony going and find out how it affects people.”

That night the boss came home to his 14-year old son and sat him down. He said, “The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office and one of the junior executives came in and told me he admired me and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. Imagine, he thinks I’m a creative genius. Then he put this blue ribbon that says ‘Who I Am Makes A Difference’ on my jacket above my heart. He gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody else to honor.”

“As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about whom I would honor with this ribbon and I thought about you. I want to honor you. My days are really hectic and when I come home I don’t pay a lot of attention to you. Sometimes I scream at you for not getting good enough grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess, but somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and, well, just let you know that you do make a difference to me. Besides your mother, you are the most important person in my life. You’re a great kid and I love you!” The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he wouldn’t stop crying. His whole body shook.

He looked up at his father and said through his tears, “Dad, earlier tonight I sat in my room and wrote a letter to you and Mom explaining why I killed myself and asking you to forgive me. I was going to commit suicide tonight after you were asleep. I just didn’t think you cared at all. The letter is upstairs . . . Now I don’t think I need it after all.” His Father walked upstairs and found a heartfelt letter full of anguish and pain. The envelope was addressed, “Mom and Dad.”

The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch but made sure to let all his employees know that they made a difference. The junior executive helped several other young people with career planning and never forgot to let them know that they made a difference in his life … one being the boss’s son. And the young boy and his classmates learned a valuable lesson. Who you are DOES make a difference.

55 comments:

Just_Lin said...

Good morning, Hooters!

Thanks for the blog, Dianne. If it wasn't for you, I don't think we'd ever have new blogs so you are definitely making a difference here. This blog was a nice reminder that even the smallest gesture can make a big difference.

Mary/MI said...

I give all of you a virtual "blue ribbon". Many times you have been my "life savers". This blog may be dwindling, but you are all here when I need you!
Thanks Dianne for keeping us afloat when others left our little sinking boat :)
Love you all bunches!!

sacBarb said...

Dianne, I echo what Mary and J/L said. It's so mice to be able to come here and 'talk' to you all about what's happening in our lives. I love hearing about what's going on with all of you!

Dianne/Denver said...

Thank you for the thank you. I try to keep sending blogs to Tina to keep the flow going. I agree that the each of you get a blue ribbon. How you've all listened to me vent and whine over the years ....thank you.

Mary, I'm glad you are safe from your tornados. Boy, that is scary. I'm really scared of that kind of weather. We had a small earth quake in Colorado today. It was a few hours from here but very unusual for Colorado. How's Jim doing? I hope better now.

JL, better get those cards ordered. I beat you this year. You will probably get yours out before me. I should do them now and get them all ready to send ...if I was that organized. Yes, I'm lucky to go to a few concerts. I got these tickets to Josh in November for a Christmas gift for Louis. My next one is George Strait in December in Vegas. I'm looking forward to the show but not to the flying and getting around there.

Barb, I love hearing what's going on with all of you too. It makes us close friends and I like that a lot.

Went to dinner with the girls tonight and Kayla is moaning over missing Jake. She can hardly wait until she is 18. I still think she is sneaking seeing him. She's very mad at her mother over this restraining order. Her dad is the one that filed it but she's always mad at Tammy. I worry so about Tam as she is so beat over this whole thing. I worry about her job too having to keep taking court dates off.

Canceled our cruise for October/2017 since Louis is working another year. We do have one planned for June back to Alaska. We got a great deal on it through our time share so we only had to pay for the upgraded room. I like going there plus I love the weather.

Guess that's about it. Sure do miss hearing from Jodi.

Dianne/Denver said...

Lost in my music tonight. Having a hard time going to sleep. I have my headset on picking my music to try and get lost in tonight. It's the day the I married my deceased husband and the day one of my very best friends died of cancer a few years ago. It a nostalgic night. It seems like a lot of people are going thru hard things right now .....makes me sad.

Just_Lin said...

Dianne It sounds like you could have used a hug last night. I hope today feels brighter to you.

That's discouraging that Kayla is still pining over Jake-ass. There's still a couple more months until her 18th birthday, isn't there? At her age, a lot can change in a short amount of time I will keep my fingers crossed.

Just_Lin said...

Barb I went to see "Hell or High Water" last night and it was really good. Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges are in it. All three of us liked it a lot. When I got home, I watched last night's episode of "Bachelor in Paradise". I am soooo over Ashley I.

Just_Lin said...

Mary What's the status with your insurance situation? I had some trouble getting the people who own the property next door to pay their half of fence cost. The guy was really dragging his feet about it. Miraculously, when I started sending cc's to the wife, I got a check in the mail. Ha!

Mary/MI said...

JL, I can't remember if I told you that we got a lawyer. I got too frustrated with the ins. co. I will let him duke it out with them. It has been 2 weeks. I wonder what is going on! I am glad your situation was straightened out.

Dianne, I am sad that you are sad :( My day of sadness is Jan. 10 and 22. My Dad passed Jan10, also married my ex the 10th! My sis passed on the 22nd. Of course Mother's day is hard too since my Mom passed a couple of days before that. I guess we all cope as best we can on those anniversaries and Birthdays. Play some happy music today!! I am always only a call,text and blog away :)

SacBarb, What's happening in your beautiful part of the world? I checked my FB just before I went to bed last night and saw that my beautiful Italy had a bad earthquake! I hope there weren't any casualties!

Hodi honey where are you?

sacBarb said...

Mary, I saw there was a lot of damage in Italy from the earthquake. Very sad that people also died. It's too bad you had to resort to getting a lawyer for your home repair. I hope it gets settled quickly.

sacBarb said...

J/L, I am sooo over Ashley, too. I can't understand why they let her back in! Sharon and I went to see Florence Foster Jenkins and I loved it. Meryl Street is such a good actress and Hugh Grant is no slouch either. Good thing I had Kleenex.

sacBarb said...

Dianne, I'm sorry you have been sad. We all have days that make us sad. My Hubby died on April 2 and his birthday was April 10, so those days are not good for me. Even after all these years, it still makes me sad.

Dianne/Denver said...

Hello....thanks for the concern my friends. I wasn't exactly sad but it was a weird night the other night. I'll take that hug JL. Barb, I always feel sad the day my husband died too. I'm still in touch with his daughters. One lives here so I see her and the kids. It's nice to keep in touch all these years later.

Glad you guys liked that movie. I did too. I was very surprised after a week to see in at the cheap theater this weekend. I really like Meryl snd Hugh too. It was more interesting since it was a true story.

Well, Kayla hasn't gone to school for three days and now has detention. I talked to her tonight and she said she's not going until they lift the restraining order! This is a person taking online classes so she can graduate in December. I tried to talk to her to remind her she's just hurting herself and that it's only four months away. She called in sick to work today too. I reminded her if she doesn't graduate, she'll be working at the pizza fast food the rest of her life. I don't know if she listened or not...probably not. She's very very mad at her parents and Andy found Jake in her car yesterday. She says she was getting some things from him....lie!! They called the police but nothing was done. I don't think it was pursued enough...who knows as no one talks to me sometimes...like today.

Mary, I hope the insurance company gets a settlement out of this mess for you. You shouldn't even have to be going thru all this after what happened to you.

JL, what as that movie about that you saw the other night?

Just_Lin said...

Dianne Kayla seems to think she has the upper hand. Doesn't law enforcement get called when a kid refuses to go to school? I feel really bad for your family continuing to deal with this crap. Kayla is definitely not acting like a kid mature enough to be going into college. Have you ever asked her what it is about Jake-ass that she likes? I have a feeling she's confusing lust for love. It's a rookie mistake.

We went to see "Hell or High Water". It's kind of a modern day western. Two guys commit a string of bank robberies in order to save a Texas ranch from foreclosure. Chris Pine is one of the robbers and Jeff Bridges plays the Ranger pursuing them. It was very good.

Just_Lin said...

Mary Well, my daughter and I are back to talking about doing a cruise next spring and adding on some time in France. We'll see. The cruise we are looking at at the moment is early April, 7 days, from Rome to Barcelona. The earthquake in Italy was terrible. So many lives lost.

What a shame you had to get a lawyer involved in your insurance issue. Fortunately, I had no problem at all with my insurance company, just with the guy who owns the house next door. Funny how things got settled pronto once I started communicating with the wife instead of with him. I've decided he's just an ass.

Just_Lin said...

Barb I keep thinking to myself that I need to shop for new clothes but 1) I hate to shop for clothes and, 2) I should probably wait until it's closer to my October cruise. The 20 pounds I've lost so far is making a difference in how my clothes fit but are still do-able.

I'm kind of interested in the Meryl Streep movie but I always go to the movies with my married friends and I don't think John would care about seeing it. I will probably wait until it is On Demand.

Mary/MI said...

Kala reminds me so much of my Granddaughter. (Jim's sons)She was on the honor roll and was Valedictorian. Its a wonder because she was seeing a kid that was nothing but trouble He did drugs and went to jail for theft. He cheated on her a lot. She turned down a scholarship to be with him! In her case, I think she thought she could "fix" him! Her parents, hard as it was, kept their mouths shut. She stayed close to her mom and did talk with her. I'm not sure what happened, but she finally figured out he was not a very nice person. I am happy to say she is now with a sweet hard working young man and has a beautiful daughter. I can't imagine what would have happened if she would have gotten pregnant by the other dude! Life is crazy! Kala is going to wish she had enjoyed her school years someday. Like it or not she has to learn things the hard way. All you can do is try to be patient & keep the communication lines open. I know, easier said then done!

No word yet from the lawyer. He must be having the same trouble we had, especially getting them to answer e-mails and phone call!

My son Matthew had an MRI last week. He finds out Monday if there is something "fixable" in there! We know he has bone spurs, just not sure how it is all connected to his stiff neck. Send some prayers and good juju for him please! I will let you know what happens.

My Niece Lori had a hard day/night with my sis yesterday. She actually had to call the cops! Sis was very agitated and insisted on going home! She was saying some pretty awful things to my Niece and accusing her of stealing her money. Poor thing only has her SS.Barley enough to get by. Constantly writing over drafts! She was writing all kinds of checks yesterday! My Niece voided them! The one officer said his Mother was the same way. Some days worse than others. They told her to place the couch in front of the door so she would not leave in the middle of the night! Today is just the opposite! She insisted on helping clean the oven! Lori sent me a vid of her yesterday (very hard to watch) and one of her today. She was laughing and singing. I think she gets messed up when she talks to her hubby on the phone. He insists she is ok and encourages her to go home! He will be in rehab for at least a week. My niece is trying to keep them together either at her house or his sons. His sons so far have not volunteered to help! Oye Vey!!

sacBarb said...

Mary, I will keep your son and your sister and family in my prayers. My Uncle Mike is 92 and ever since he broke his hip things have been going downhill for him. He also suffers from macular degeneration and his eyesight is failing rapidly. He has become very grouchy and while he was in rehab, a relative had to be there to help feed him and keep him calm. Jim, his partner has just had surgery and while he is in the hospital my cousin, LOuis, who lives in Virginia and is a geriatric nurse, has come to help care for him. Not sure how long Louis will be able to stay, because Jim will still need help when he gets home. This getting old, is really getting old!

sacBarb said...

J/L, Congratz on your 20 lb loss. I wish I could get going with a diet. I am eating Jenny Craig food, mostly, but unfortunately, I eat other stuff too! I do really well for 3-4 days and then I blow it, usually with something sweet! I don't know why I do that!

I think you would like the Meryl Streep movie. I got a biography of her life for my Kindle and as soon as I am finished with the current book I am reading, I intend to read it. I'm sure the book will have more details than the movie.

sacBarb said...

Dianne, Is Jake the first guy that Kalya has ever liked or gone out with? Maybe she is afraid if she dumps him, she won't find another guy who will like her or pay attention to her. She seems to have low self esteem, probably due to the way he treats her! He may tell her that no one else would like her as much as he does. That's common for abusers to break down their victim's self esteem. Is she still getting counseling?

Dianne/Denver said...

Hi..BARB, Kayla had a boyfriend for a year that we weren't nuts about not realizing what was to come. She has terrible self esteem and I just don't know why. Yes, she goes to counseling and very week and after an hour a parent goes in with her for a half an hour. She seems to like her counselor. She finally worked all weekend. She got a lot of hours in too. Hopefully she won't give the money to Jake. She has also day detention tomorrow from missing school last week. I hope she goes to it.

Boy Mary, Kayla does sound like your granddaughter. I so worry about her getting pregnant. I hope she sees the light like your granddaughter did and soon!! My daugheter is so depressed over all of this with Kayla. I reminded her she has another daughter there that needs attention too. I worry about that too. I guess I worry too much.

Mary, I'm sorry about your sister. I'm sure that is hard for you to see. Your niece has a big job. I hope your sons MRI comes back good tomorrow. Is he still going to his job? Be sure and kept us know how it turns out for him. Prayers!

JL, you are doing so great on your weight. I lost three last week but will probably gain it back this week. I seem to do that on a regular basis. We went to listen to my friends band last night...Barb and I. We were there at 4 and on our way home at 7. We are big night people. Louis and I were joking about me going to a bar and he said to let him know if I wasn't coming home. I told him if I hooked up, I'd have to bring the guy here since I use a CPAP. LOL. my how things have changed over the years.

I did ask Kayla what it was about the ass she likes so much as he has nothing to offer. She said he's so kind and loving. I about threw up.
School calls the parent when the child doesn't show up but no more truant officers like our day.

I get my impression done at the dentist tomorrow. I'm nervous about it since my bridge is loose. It better not come out.

I started my packing process today as we are leaving for New Mexico on Thursday to meet my cousins from Texas. We are going to a little mountain town where there are some Indian casinos. We will stay until Monday morning. It should be fun.

Just_Lin said...

Mary I hope things work out for your son. This must be so frustrating for him. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he gets the MRI results that he's hoping for.

Speaking of frustrating....... I think if I was you, I'd find a different insurance carrier as soon as you get things settled with them. This has been unnecessarily complicated and now that you've had to go to a lawyer, it's been more expensive than need be, too.

I'm so sorry about your sister and her husband. Your poor niece certainly has her hands full trying to keep that situation manageable in some way. I guess at some point, they will need to be treated like toddlers as they can't really make rational decisions for themselves anymore. I pray that I keep my full faculties (meager as they are) for the duration of my lifetime.

Just_Lin said...

Barb I'm sorry about your Uncle Mike and his partner. Getting old really does suck but he's certainly had a good run of it. If I was in a rehab place instead of home, I guess I'd be getting really grouchy, too.

The last couple of days has been a struggle as far as weight loss goes. I just got on the scale and I am up a pound. I guess it didn't help to have fried chicken last night. LOL My friends came and picked me up specifically to go to a local restaurant that makes friend chicken on Sundays. They give you a whole half of a chicken so now I've got leftovers in the refrigerator. I have to admit that it's very good. I hadn't had fried chicken in many years. My mother used to make excellent friend chicken.

Just_Lin said...

Dianne You made me LOL with your comment about the CPAP machine!

You are showing very good restraint as far as Kayla is concerned. I wonder what she thinks kindness and loving looks like. It certainly doesn't look like his hands on her throat or the bruises he's given her. It doesn't look like stealing from her mother, either. I would have a hard time keeping my mouth shut about that.

Here's hoping your bridge stays in while they make that impression. I remember having those same concerns and all was fine. At least you'll be at the right place in case there's a problem.

It sounds like you have another fun get-away planned. My daughter and I now have a mini-suite booked for a cruise from Barcelona to Rome for April 16 of next year. We want to add on some time in France but I'm not sure if that will be before or after. Hoping I can get her to do it prior to getting on the ship as I'm tentatively hoping to visit Barb right after the cruise.

sacBarb said...

J/L, I weighed in at Jenny Craig today and I am down 1 1/2 lb. I am struggling to try to keep on track. I like getting their food because (a) I don't like to cook, and (b) there are no left overs to tempt me. I'll see how long I can keep this up. I have not taken any meds to control the fibromyalgia, but I have been having frequent flairs and I don't know if I am going to be able to continue with no meds. Lyrica is the most common RX given and there are so many side affects, not the least of which is weight gain and memory loss. I wish there was another drug with less side affects!

sacBarb said...

Dianne, I hope your dental appointment went well. It sounds like you've got a long haul with the dentist before you are finished.

sacBarb said...

J/L 2, Yes, my Uncle has had a good run in his 92 years. They have traveled extensively and have been able to do almost everything they wanted to do. Their traveling days are over now, but they have wonderful memories and tons of pictures.

Just_Lin said...

Barb I got on the scale this morning and I have finally got rid of that extra pound I had for most of the week and am down 1/4 pound more than that. It could be better but it could also be worse. This will be another tough week for me as a friend and I are going to Red Lobster tomorrow night. I guess I better just eat fruit for the rest of my meals. Congrats on being down 1 1/2 pounds. I'm sorry to hear about your fibromyalgia. Do you know if there's anything specific that can cause a flair up?

Dianne/Denver said...

Hi...had to have the goop put in my mouth to make an impression three times to get one she really liked!! She put wax around the bridge that's left so it wouldn't pull out. I was there over an hour. Gross. On surgery day I will be with surgeon in the morning and then her all afternoon so it will become an all day ordeal. I'm so dreading it. I got my prescriptions yesterday so I can be all ready. She gave me one for Valium too for anxiety. I don't know if I'll do that or not but always nice to have on hand. Lol.

Barb, that's good with your weight. You were afraid you'd gained. See...you're doing good.

JL, sounds like your cruise coming up sounds really fun. I guess I thought you were going to Barbs sooner. Yum yum....I love fried chicken. We have a good place for it by WW we go to sometimes after weigh in. That day is a free day, right?

I'm dont keep quiet to Kayla about the Jake things but try and word it a little different so she's not so defensive. I took them to dinner tonight and she was in tears with missing Jake and how can her parents do this to her? She's counting the days until she is 18. She's scared she's going to jail for the guy (not Jake of course) stealing things. She still swears they thought those things were that other guys. It wasn't a very fun dinner because they both are so distant and mad at my daughter. I don't know if that will be fixed and it makes me so sad about it. Andy tells me Tammy has "checked out" with all the worry and drama. I'm really worried about her job too. I really see Emilee getting lost in the drama and that concerns me a lot.

I'm about half packed and will finish tomorrow night...you know me ...last minute after packing sort of for a week. I hope thereafter isn't too hot there. It's in the NM mountains.

Mary, what are you doing? Heard from insurance yet? I hope so. So, you're going to Arizona in October. The weather should be nice. What all are you going to be doing?

Jodi.....hi.

Just_Lin said...

Dianne I'm sorry about all that drama. Perhaps you could have alone time with Emilee to help her get through this period of time when so much attention is on Kayla and her problems. Kayla is determined to make her own mistakes and hopefully she will learn from it. Is she still planning to go to college?

I completely understand your anxiety about your upcoming dental procedure. Maybe you should try out the Valium so you know how it affects you and then take it in time for your appointment. Reducing the anxiety won't be a bad thing. Try to think positive as your dental troubles will finally be over and done and you will feel so relieved afterwards.

I'm still hoping to go to Barb's and am trying to time it when Lynn can go, too, and that isn't decided yet.

Mary/MI said...

My son went to a pain specialist today. He found out he had a herniated disc. They gave him a shot of cortisone between the two discs and some meds. His family Dr had already started him on steroid pills. We are keeping our fingers crossed that he gets relief! I drove him and took Zoie. I forgot how long those appmts tend to be! She was a good girl, but wouldn't sleep, so her and Matthew are zonked out! Matt hasn't been sleeping due to the pills.

I haven't heard from our lawyer yet! I will call tomorrow. He is a busy man and we are pro bono soooo. If he manages to get more money out of them I am sure he will charge. No problem! I will be glad to get it over with!!

Judy is going to meet us in Phoenix too! Her parents live there so she is planning a visit with them all week. I sure wish you guys could come too!

I have finished canning peach and blackberry jam, all local fruit. I give them out as gifts for Christmas.

Tomorrow will be busy. I will be on the road visiting a friend up north who is giving away a bunch of hosts from her flower bed, then on to deliver homemade chicken soup to my ailing Niece, and to my home town to meet up with my Nephew who is visiting family way up north. We will be meeting for late lunch before he heads back.
I am pooped just thinking of tomorrow lol!

Just_Lin said...

Mary You are such a busy lady. So nice of you to deliver homemade chicken soup to your niece. I hope she's feeling better.

That's so nice that Judy will be in Phoenix at the same time so you all can get together. Maybe another time we can plan a BABB there. :)

I hope Matthew is feeling better. I take it this what was causing the restricted neck movements that they were noticing at this job. Can it get resolved so that he can stay on the job?

Today I attempted to be very good to make up for the calories I consumed last night at dinner. Not only did I have lobster tail dipped in butter, but I had some flourless chocolate cake, too. So yummy. Not only did I use up my daily WW points, but used up most of the extra ones I had for the week, too. LOL

Mary/MI said...

JL, lobster sounds wonderful!! I am all for splurging :)
Matthew is seeing a little improvement. It's still pretty early to tell.

I was getting ready to call our lawyer today but decided to check my email in case he had sent a note. Nope, not there. I went to clean out my spam and made my usual quick
scan of e mails. waaay dawn the list I spotted a heading that read "County Road Commission Damage". then I noticed the lawyers name!Whew! He didn't have much to say except that he was still working on it and asked me to send photos of the damage.
I told him what happened to his email. He wrote back, " I am glad I made it out of the spam folder." He really is a cutie and very personable.

My Niece is doing a lot better. Thanks for asking. She will never be totally well. Many years ago her ex, drove while very intoxicated with her in the car. Her hit a tree and totally wrecked the car. He took off leaving my niece trapped in the car. They had to use the jaws of life to get her out. Her leg and arm were almost severed! She suffers from chronic pain and many side effects from the accident.
He was in prison for a while.

Have a great week end my sweet owls :)

Dianne/Denver said...

Hi from New Mexico.!!! The weather is pretty nice here and not very hot since we are in the mountains. I'm still using the air if course. We are staying at a very cute cabin/lodge type place and my Texas cousins are right next door. Today we went to the casino and I lost...as usual. Louis broke even. No big winners in our foursome. It was fun. It's pretty crowded as not only Labor Day but this place is famous for its big horse racing place. We are busy yakking and catching up. It as a very long drive here...9 hours. Too long of a day for me.

Mary, boy that's quite a story about your niece. How awful for her. Hope she's somewhat better. Glad that guy went to jail!! Terrible.
Is Your son still on the job? I sure hope he gets better and work turns out for him.

JL, yum...lobster sounds good to me. I had a nice steak last night. I'm trying to get in all the steak I can before Sept 15.
Yes, Kayla still, talks about college. We shall see. I'd like to just see her get out of night school right now!! I have been trying to do some dinners with Em. She just has a lot of anger in her against her sister and mom. She feels like she's raising herself and that concerns me.

Barb, what are you doing this weekend? Anything fun? Relaxing?

I think I have pink eye or something. My left eye is running and yucky and very red. I took an allergy pill and finally found some eye drops in my purse. It didn't help being in a smoky casino either. We are so spoiled in Colorado that smoking isn't allowed anywhere.

Ok, guess I'll go to sleep now. Night

Just_Lin said...

Mary That lobster was good. Thankfully, I don't eat such rich food every night but I must admit that I treat myself pretty well when it comes to feeding time. LOL

Yesterday my daughter came down and we went out to breakfast before going over to my friend Kathy's to discuss the Europe trip next April. Kathy is a travel agent and had some good ideas about the time we want to spend in France as she has been there many times. Anyway, on the way home we stopped at a really excellent bakery in town and got ourselves some treats. Elizabeth got an eclair and some cookies and I got two brownies with chocolate frosting. That didn't do me any favors on the WW plan. LOL

That's quite a story about your niece. I'm so glad she survived that horrible accident and that jerk she was with at the time.

Just_Lin said...

Dianne I hope you don't have pink eye and that your eye is just irritated from the "smog" in the casino. You can't smoke anywhere in California anymore, either. It's a good thing I quit smoking 10 1/2 years ago. Besides being bad for one's health, it has gotten very expensive and very inconvenient.

That's nice that you can give Em some extra time. Her happy home has been disrupted by Kayla's antics and there is so much going on centered around Kayla that I'm sure Em feels like she's gotten lost in the shuffle.



Just_Lin said...

Barb What's up? I see you've been working away on those Christmas cards. You did all that work already and I haven't even begun shopping for mine.

My weight loss has slowed down to a crawl lately. My weight in day is Tuesday. By last Tuesday, I had only lost 1/4 pound and as of yesterday I still hadn't lost any more during the previous 5 days. Yesterday I had those two brownies and I got on the scale and am down another 1/4 lb today. Maybe brownies are the answer! One can only hope.....

Dianne/Denver said...

We are home! Had a great time and the place we stayed was really cozy and nice. It was so fun to be with my cousin and husband. We went to a casino one afternoon and yesterday we had snacks and ate and talked all day until dinner time. I hated leaving today and it's a long drive back. I doubt I lost any weight this long weekend!

JL, you are doing good even with brownies! I think I'd better get some. I feel like I have to eat every crunchy thing for the next week until dental day when I'll never get anything good again!! So, did you get your trip all planned? Where will you be going and for how long? I know France but what other places?

I don't have pink eye and now my eyes are good today. I'm wondering if someone had a cat in the room before us? I'm so allergic and that was how my eyes were acting. Hmm

Barb, are you resting today from all the card work you've done all weekend? Doesn't it feel good to have that all done?

Mary, what are you up to this weekend?

Mary/MI said...

Helloooo!

JL, I so envy your trip to Europe! I can't wait to hear all about it! I doubt if I ever go back to Europe unless I go with someone who can pay their own way lol!
Jaimie is just too expensive. She always says she has the money, but I never see any of it. It would have been nice if she would have bought my dinner or lunch once in a while. I think I would prefer someone closer to my age. Jaimie was a great guide and planner. That counted for a lot, but in the end she was not the best travel companion.

Dianne. I love New Mex.! My brother lives there. His wife is from there. She has Indian ancestry. Her name is Star. She is very sweet.
I bet your allergies were caused from something in that room. Who knows what was in there lol! I am glad you are better.
Chew away! You will be drinking out of a straw soon enough poor baby!

This is a very busy week. Hair apptmt,mani/pedi, and visiting friends in rehab. I also have to take Jim have his first eye done Fri.(cataracts). We have to drive to Jackson because it is cheaper for some reason! I hate driving in big cities, especially if I have never been there!

Matthew can't go back to work until he is able to move his head better. They are giving him 90 days to do it. At least they haven't totally given up on him!

We are supposed to get some bad storms tonight and rain most of the week. It better not rain Friday! I hate driving in the rain!

Just_Lin said...

Dianne Well, when I got on the scale on Tuesday morning I was down. Hallelujah! I've now lost 22 lbs in spite of the lobster and cake and brownies last week.

I'm glad your eye cleared up and that you had a fun time with your visit with family. A week from Saturday I'll be going down to SoCal to visit with my brother. His birthday is on the 22nd and this has become a yearly trip for me to spend that week with him. We will go out to eat a lot so it will be a challenge for my diet. At least on cruises, you have to walk far to get to the dining room. LOL

Just_Lin said...

Mary I hope it doesn't rain when you have to go into the big city. I feel the same way, especially going into a city I'm not familiar with. I think I've become a bit of a chicken in my old age.

That's a shame that your niece wasn't more forthcoming with sharing expenses. My daughter is also a good trip planner. She enjoys doing the research and all that stuff. We are letting my travel agent friend make arrangements for the cruise and France trip in April, though, as she has been there so many times. My daughter has been once and I have never been. My daughter didn't get a chance to visit the Alsace Lorraine area so we will spend a few days there before going to Paris.

I hope you lawyer gets that insurance business settled. What as pain in the arse that all has become.

Just_Lin said...

Dianne2 You keep asking about my trip in April and I keep forgetting to answer you. We will fly to Barcelona and spend a day there before getting on the ship. From there we will stop at Cartagena, Gibralter, Marseille, Genoa, Florence/Pisa, and end in Rome.

sacBarb said...

Hello HOoters.

I am sorry I have been MIA. I haven't been on the computer much. I am so happy that we got our Christmas cards done. Usually, we are just starting about this time. But this year it won't be a rush to get them done. Our card this year is not as elaborate as some in the past have been, but there are still a lot of elements to it and each element has to be done individually.

Sharon and I went to see the movie Sully today. It was very good and there was some details about the incident that I didn't know. I love Tom Hanks and the real Sully and the real passengers were shown while the credits rolled.

I am watching, or rather listening, to the CMA Honor Awards show. They are playing a lot of good country music and since they are honoring Glen Campbell, they are singing a lot of his songs. It's very entertaining.

sacBarb said...

Dianne, You trip to New Mexico sounds like it was fun. I love catching up with family. I wish we all lived closer so we could spend more time together.

How nice that you are trying to spend alone time with Em. I'm sure she loves the dinners with you.

sacBarb said...

J/L, Your cruise sounds exciting. Maybe someday I will break down and take a cruise. Congratz on your weight loss. I sure don't lose weight when I eat brownies. Maybe I'm not eating the right kind. LOL

sacBarb said...

Mary, That's terrible that your niece was left in the car while the driver took off. Your niece will have these problems for the rest of her life and no matter how much time he spent in jail, he is out now and she is still suffering.

I hope the cortesone shot helps your son so he can continue to work.

Just_Lin said...

Barb I'm glad you give a thumbs up to the movie "Sully". I plan to see it Tuesday night with my friends Jane and John.

Mary/MI said...

Hi gals! So far it has been a busy week. Yesterday was a wash, waiting on Jim while he had his cataract surgery. He drove to Jackson and I drove back. At least the traffic wasn't too bad. We had to stop at the Lansing office where his Dr has his office. They have the fancy dancy equipment there to check to make sure the suery went well. I guess Drs now a days use different offices in different cities.

I went to my Grandson's, fiances baby shower this afternoon. She is due in a couple of weeks. I then visited a friend, Patty in the neighboring town. She had hip replacement surgery and was in a rehab place. She is an amazing lady. I never hear her complain. She always sees the best in people. She may be wheel chair bound, but it doesn't keep her down. She is in a couple of local choirs and gets around with her
handicap adopted van.I remember when she was a teenager and dating Jim's friend. She was fine until a tragic car accident. (Drunk driver). When ever I think I have it bad, I think of Patty and instantly scold myself!

Just_Lin said...

It's a melancholy day, today. How's everyone doing? It's cool and dreary here. I just had a cup of coffee to try to perk myself up as I have been lacking energy all day. I don't think it's working. LOL

Mary You make me tired just reading all the running around you do. You are such a good friend.

How's Jim doing? I hope the surgery was a great success.

Dianne said...

50!!!!

Hi all....how's the weekend? JL, hope you perked up as the moved on. It's hard when it's gloomy outside. I took a friend to lunch for her birthday, took a nap, went to dinner with my cousin. I don't like going to two meals in a day.

This week I have to get hair, nails and pedicure done before dental day on Thursday. Who knows when I feel and look okay to go out again....you guys know me....half empty cup. I'm very nervous about the day finally approaching. Actually more like scared shitless!! (To put it mildly)

Mary, how's Jim doing? Louis had to go back to get a laser zap as his lens tried to grow over eye or something. He gets the other eye done tomorrow. Hope jims doing well. How was your drive there? I know you weren't looking forward to it.

Barb, I wish we all lived closer too. I think about that often. I'll probably never get to see you all again unless I can talk you into a Denver visit. I think I need to eat some of JL brownies too. My big loss this week was .2 ....can't tell that kind of loss much.

JL, you sure sure are doing good on WW. You must be really following the points. Amazing how that works!! Are you tracking? I just can't get myself to get into doing it. I used to a few years ago and it worked for me.

Update on Jake-ass. He had court last Monday for not reporting to probation officer since May. My daughter and Andy went to court. Kayla showed up against the restraining order rules. Jake went to the bathroom and wasn't there when name called. They waited again and called his name and he had left the building. Just left.....he was afraid he was going to get arrested for the restraining order. After calling his name three times and the D A saying he couldn't find him they postponed his hearing until Oct 7. No bench warrant...nothing!! We can't believe you can just run away and it's ok. He gets off every time. He's not being charged with anything on the robbery from Tammys house,even with the video. The other guy is the only one being charged. The system is very disappointing and soi S his probation officer. Policeman talked again to Kayla about what bad news this guy is but she's not listening. So, that's the latest.

sacBarb said...

Dianne, How disappointing it is when the law isn't even behind the victim. How could they only charge one guy when they were all there and the video proves it? Does Tammy have a lawyer? I fear that something more serious will happen if they don't hold him responsible! And he probably gives Kayla a song and dance that makes her feel sorry for him. Such a sad situation!

sacBarb said...

J/L, I have been in a funk all day. So many memories of what was going on 15 years ago. Every American knows exactly where they were on this day. I woke up right after 6am and turned on the TV to see the first tower engulfed in smoke. All my kids called me to ask me if I heard about it and wondered if we had any relatives that worked in the towers or anywhere near them. I was a sad day!

sacBarb said...

Oops - IT was a sad day!

sacBarb said...

Mary, I hope Jim's eye is healing. You are such a busy little bee. I wish I had your energy!

Just_Lin said...

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