Below are the most recent 19 friends' journal entries.

Thursday, December 24th, 2009
kes_zone	9:04a	Thankful for.... Plumbing! Yes, I know it doesn't sound very exciting but I love a really hot shower. Nothing like it! Stepping out, red as a lobster, clean and warm and relaxed. For more relaxation, a lovely hot bath is the best too. We like to roll the TV into the bathroom and watch movies together in the tub. I think there will be a bit of that happening this Christmas! Of course running water in general and modern sanitation is also a huge plus. Watching documentaries on early city life, makes me realise it must have been pretty awful living with the stench of waste in the streets. Yes, plumbing is a pretty nifty thing. I love being able to immerse myself in hot hater on a whim. In this climate it makes all the difference in the world! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
kes_zone	3:15p	Winding down... I have only one more meeting to do tonight and then I am off until the 28th! I am also currently caught up on paid orders. The last three went in the mail today! All in all, I think this will be a very restful Christmas for me. No traveling. No house guests. I am looking forward to working out, sleeping in, snuggling with My Sweetie, visiting with friends and general slothful indulgence. I think we might even take in a few movies. It has been a while! Yesterday I received the last four windows I need to start on Strappy's house. That should be fun. Depending on how much I get done today, I might go out tomorrow and buy the wood so I can get started during my time off. One of the windows I got in yesterday has a little fleur de lis stained glass panel in it. So cute! That is one spoiled little bunny! For those of you who are off visiting this holiday...happy trails to all of you! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
kes_zone	8:41a	Thankful I am deeply, utterly thankful for being able to park in the garage this winter. My Sweetie spent a great deal of time over the course of the summer, clearing, sorting and purging stuff from the garage so I could park in there. What a difference it has made already! The car is not as bone chillingly cold as it used to be when I got into it, and I don't have to scrape before heading out for a meeting. Today I peeked out the window and it is snowing again, but I am not that concerned. I will have to shovel at some point today, but that's OK. My car is warm and snug in the garage for now and the driveway can wait until I get today's orders packed up and ready to ship. I guess this is also a "I am thankful for My Sweetie being such a sweet and thoughtful man" post, but then I am grateful for that every day. Clearing the garage was one of the nicest things he has ever done for me, in part, because it took a lot of time over several months, but mostly, because I never asked him to do it. He just knew it would make me happy, and it does. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
kes_zone	10:29a	Feeling good I just weighed in for the week and I am delighted to be down another pound, despite three parties this last weekend! This means I have now lost a total of 4.5 pounds in the month of December. A Christmas miracle! "December Pounds", like dog years, are counted differently. I tell my members that any weight they loose in December is worth three times more than a March or November pound! I guess it is not really a miracle....I have been working hard at it. A number of members and friends have been asking me what I am doing differently. If you don't care, just skip the rest... or click here if you are curious.( Read more... ) Current Mood: cheerful (2 Comments |Comment on this)
kes_zone	9:27a	Thankful Today I am thankful for my computer and the internet in general. It allows me to run my business and reach customers all over the world. I can book holidays, look up movies times and research all sorts of things from exotic destinations to vitamin interactions. My computer is my address book, TV guide, yellow pages, dictionary and photo album. It also helps me keep in touch with my friends, despite a busy schedule. I am very thankful for all of you who post pictures, stories and little glimpses into how you live your life. It helps me know you better and gives me a broader understanding on how others view their world. I am certainly not a technology person in general, but I do love my computer! (Comment on this)
Monday, December 21st, 2009
kes_zone	10:14a	Thankful Today I am thankful for being able to sleep, and sleep well. I do occasionally suffer from insomnia as most people do, but for the most part, I am pretty good about getting my full 7 hours sleep a night. Sleep is so pleasant and renewing. I even love dreaming, which a do a fair bit. Current Mood: chipper (Comment on this)
Sunday, December 20th, 2009
kes_zone	4:24a	Rambling on..... We have booked our trip to Jamaica! At least we think we have. We booked on line and I have not yet received a confirmation E mail, so we will try calling tomorrow to make sure all is well. I would call now, but it is far too late, or early as the case may be. It is 4:00 am and I can't sleep. I think I will give up drinking. It seems to screw up my sleeping patterns. We were out at a party and I had a couple of glasses of wine and bingo...can't sleep. I fall asleep fine, then wake up a couple of hours later and can't fall back asleep. Maybe it is all that sugar. Don't know. I have a couple of parties today, but I will just take pop instead. Too tired! Pop is enough of a novelty these days. My abstaining from pop at home is really paying off. It has been a fairly painless way to ease myself off the diet coke. I am drinking water, with a little crystal lite in it, and doing just fine. I still drink pop sometimes when I am out, but amazingly I don't even miss it much. Somehow I thought this would be harder. I guess it was just time to make the change. Today we are hosting a lunch for the household. I am looking forward to seeing everyone. It is only the household members who live in town, that that is quite a few of us these days! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, December 18th, 2009
kes_zone	2:13p	Show biz! On tape and soon to be on air! We recorded the new Weight Watchers ad this morning. It was a very interesting experience. We taped the ad in a sound booth at CHUM radio in the market. Sandy (my boss) is a real pro and has a great voice for radio. It was pretty old hat for him, as he does all the ads for our franchise, but all new to me! It is amazing how long it can take to tape just a one minute ad. I am proud that I managed my part in just two takes. Both the tech and Sandy seemed surprised by how quickly I gave them what they wanted. I explained that I had a performance background and so they told me it showed. I think Sandy was afraid that he might have to hold my hand and nurse me through it! They used my own words for the text (shortened of course) so it felt pretty natural. I would have liked one more take, I think, but they were delighted with what we had and I guess we are always our own worst critics! The ads will air in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario in January and February. Current Mood: excited (2 Comments |Comment on this)
kes_zone	7:53a	Thankful 3 I am thankful today for my flexible schedule. When I was a kid in high school, I read and reread a book called "101 Alternatives to 9 to 5". Even then I knew I didn't want a basic day job. Now, although I have three jobs, each one affords me the option of being in pretty close control over my schedule. It often means I over work myself, but it is me doing it, not someone else! Makes all the difference. Current Mood: content (Comment on this)
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
kes_zone	9:55a	Thankful 2 I am thankful that I have Chequey in my life. My husband and my best friend. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
peorthmegami	3:41p	I'm still alive. Just don't post anymore. Dunno why. Yep. :P Current Music: Loreena McKennitt - The Mummers' Dance | Powered by Last.fm (2 Comments |Comment on this)
kes_zone	10:18a	Day one Today I am thankful for waking up to a quiet house and not having to spring out of bed right away. I like to lie there all snuggly and warm and think about what I need to do today. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
kes_zone	10:15a	Keeping it positive Taken from fineum and Larmer I've noticed that some folks choose to only post negative stuff on their FB or LJ updates. I know we all have crappy things that we want to share but in my mind that is also the perfect time to try and focus on the good things. I also think that if you only look for the negative that is all you'll see. With that in mind I am going to nick a friend's idea from Thanksgiving when they challenged folks to post something they are thankful for each day. I am going to try for the next month to think of one thing that I am thankful for each day and post it as my status and I’d invite others to give it a shot too. "Today I am thankful for..." The longer you do it, the harder it gets! Now if you think you can do it then repost this message as your status to invite others to take the challenge, then post what YOU are thankful for today. ---------------------- I am a firm believer in accentuating the positive, so I plan to play along! Come along a join the fun! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
kes_zone	10:05a	Winter Wonderland. Well it's snowing......again. I guess I will be earning my butterfly today by shoveling...again. My promise to myself is that I will get at least 30 mins of exercise every day in December without fail. If I do, I get a butterfly sticker on my calendar. So far I have all my butterflies! Who needs a gym membership when you live in Ottawa? Exercise just falls from the sky. Lucky, lucky me. The exercise will do me good as I have a lot of parties (and temptation) this week. I was pretty good at the potluck last night, but I did have a few drinks and one small dessert. This weekend I have three parties, one of which I am hosting. We are having the household over for a brunch on Sunday and I am trying to figure out what to serve. I am tempted to pull out my old Eggs Benedict recipe, which is really yummy, but sooooo fattening. All eggs and butter. Lots of butter. Chequey wants to get a bucket of chicken. Jews have such rich traditions at this time of year. Sometimes it is hard to be the only one in my crowd who is watching what I eat. I will stick with it, however. I am down three pounds in the last three weeks and I want to keep going. My menopausal body wants to thicken up in the middle, and I plan to fight it every inch of the way! I have grown very fond of my waist and I want to keep it around for a good long time! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
kes_zone	3:09p	Whoever said that brevity was the soul of wit was not talking about me. It is not that I can't find lots of nice things to say about what WW has done for me....quite the opposite. It isn't easy getting it down to just 20 seconds. I am not sure I am cut out writing for radio! I did mange to get something down and now it is their hands.I guess I will just have to wait and see if they like it and if they want to make any changes to it. I am OK either way and I trust their experience in these matters. I am happy as long as I don't end up sounding like a prat on the radio. Our spots get quite a lot of air time here in the city. I hope it doesn't drive me crazy to hear my voice on the radio. I don't much like the sound of my own voice. It sounds rather different inside my own head. I tend to be a little self-critical and I dislike seeing myself on film too. We didn't even buy our wedding video! All my stupid insecurities aside, I am finding all this quite a lot of fun. Apart from actually doing the voice work, (which will be cool) I am quite looking forward to a peek at the process of recording the ad. It is always exciting to try new things! Tonight is the Masonic Christmas Party, so I had best get going. Those eggs won't devil themselves! For those who were worried about my stew....he liked it. I thought it was way too salty, but that is considered a plus by Chequey! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
kes_zone	10:21a	Surprise! I just got a call from Head Office. They want to use me for a radio spot! I am excited, but nervous! Now I need to come up with something to say! I don't need to write much, just about 20 seconds, but I need to do it today. The spot will be recorded this week and the script must be finalized tomorrow. Yikes! Yay! Yikes! Current Mood: excited (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, December 14th, 2009
kes_zone	3:56p	It's great to be a woman.... Today started out like crap. Foggy and snowy outside and stupid E mails from customers inside. I did my meeting and had a tough go of it. The members were fine, but my body can be my worst enemy these days. I am suffering at the hand of early menopause. While I have not yet slipped my nubile bonds of fertility and descended into Cronehood, I am now getting all the fun that comes with "The Change". I won't go into too many gory details, folks, but it ain't fun! I felt so nauseous during my meeting I was fearful of projectile vomiting, ganet-like, on to the conference table. After my meeting I was thankfully between waves of cramping and nausea but still fighting a pounding headache. Still, seemed like a good idea to do some quick errands at the mall on my way home. Carlingwood Mall was a zoo, but the sales were good. I picked up a couple of gifts and tried on some sale clothing for myself, while fighting dreadful crowds. In the changing room a teen was screaming at her mother that she "never buys her what she really wants". This set the infant in the next stall off trying to top the volume. Finally in line, I let a woman go ahead of me. Her stroller was filled with boxes and bags to the point you could barely see the (thankfully) sleeping child in it. She had another on her hip and one by the hand. All looked under 5. She thanked me with a smile, but her eyes looked haunted and exhausted. After finally ducking out of Sears, I made my escape to my car outside. As I sat alone for a moment enjoying the silence, I felt a new sensation of warmth. This one was not a hot flash. In that moment the true meaning of menopause washed over me and I smiled. I am smiling still. Current Mood: content (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
kes_zone	6:51p	It's beginning to feel a lot like---winter! I bloody hate the whole winter season. Cold and I don't get along, but days like today are not as hard to bear, truth to tell... It's kind of a Currier and Ives sort of day. Soft falling snow, carols on the radio and hot chocolate in hand. If winter stayed all sparkling lights and tinsel, I think I could just manage. I guess we have to enjoy it while we can, before winter becomes all about shoveling, white-out conditions and black ice once again. I just got the last of the Christmas cards done, all addressed with a little note in each one. My Sweetie still has to sign them, but almost there. He is out shoveling, now that we have a pause in the snow. Neither of us likes the winter at all, but we do our duty! Last night we had a great time visiting with old friends. It has been too long Utsi! It is sort of sad that it takes someone visiting from out of town to get those of us who live in the same town together! I must try and remedy that more in the New Year. We spent this morning looking at sun-drenched beaches on-line. It is 31 degrees in Jamaica today. We are thinking of skipping Italy this Spring in favour of spending my birthday in a tropical setting instead. We found a really nice Tuscan-themed resort in Ochos Rios. It bills itself as having "The romance of Italy, the passion of the Caribbean" It might be the perfect compromise! http://www.sandals.com/main/dunns/dr-home.cfm Every room had a mahogany four poster bed and the sea is the temperature of bathwater. Yup, that would do nicely! (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, December 11th, 2009
kes_zone	1:11p	Martha Steward I ain't...... It is the end of the week and I am blissfully caught up on orders. I still have to hit the Post Office, but all the paid orders are packaged up and ready to go! The rest of the day I can spend focusing on all things domestic. I have to finish the Christmas cards, finish writing the Christmas letter and get those in the mail by this weekend. I am running about a week late, but I am OK with that. The month is filling up quickly with parties and outings, but tonight we can enjoy a quiet night in. My Sweetie has requested stew, so I am going to do my best to oblige. Problem is, I have never successfully made a good stew at home. Oh, I have tried on occasion, but have always been disappointed. It is not that I can't cook generally, I just seem to have some sort of "stew curse" that hangs over my head. This morning, I downloaded a recipe off the internet and I don't really trust it. I faithfully bought all the ingredients and put them, according to instructions, in the crockpot. I am still worried. There doesn't seem to be a lot of broth in it. I am hoping as it cooks the juices from the veggies and meat will do the trick, but it looks kind of dry to me. This is why I hate working with new recipes. I never really trust that it will turn out properly. The recipe called for a lot of condensed beef broth and now it smells "strong" rather than "good". I lack food faith. Maybe I can distract the angel of food failure from my stew by attempting to make biscuits to go with it. Maybe all the failure will settle in my pathetic little biscuits and leave my stew alone. Maybe if the biscuits are bad enough, the stew will seem better. Maybe if they are both bad, I will distract My Sweetie by serving the whole mess in a French Maid outfit. Well, even if it is a complete flop, stew is cheap to make. Not being a real stew fan myself, I guess I won't be able to tell if it worked until I get my Sweetie to taste test it tonight. Here's hoping stew night doesn't end up as pizza night! Current Mood: cynical (11 Comments |Comment on this)