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7/1/12 7:05 A

Please go to the July Chat.

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6/30/12 10:33 A

I have not.
We went to APT last night and saw Twelfth Night. It was very good, but long. Got to bed at 12:45, up at 5;15 to go to work for just an hour and a half. Then to the farmers market. This could definitely be a nap day!

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6/30/12 4:00 A

We sold one of Vic's two motorcycles yesterday about 30 minutes after posting on craigslist. The guy called not ten minutes after posting and came right down. We need to take the ad off; we're getting emails and calls right and left.

Did anyone here ever post on craig's list?

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6/29/12 10:15 A

It's not too bad out there right now. I too hope for rain!

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6/29/12 10:00 A

Hope you are all staying cool. There seem to be possible thunderstorms today. We sure can use them.

G.

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6/27/12 4:57 A

I've been packing up stuff and making trips to Savers and Hospice whenever I can leave Vic with someone. it seems my car is always full of donations.

Vic finally agreed to sell two motorcycles and the sporty Nissan. All three have been garaged for a few years at least, since he got sick. If you know of anyone in the market, please let me know.

The Hospice CNA is now coming 3 times a week. Vic gets a sponge bath, shave and the dry skin on his legs is treated. This helps me a lot. We have a volunteer coming twice a week to stay with him while I run errands, but I'm always rushing so that they are going to try to find someone so that I can have some time for me.

Stay safe and cool.

Gail

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6/25/12 7:44 A

Katie

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6/24/12 8:31 A

Welcome Katie!

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6/23/12 9:55 P

Hi Everyone, I'm new to Spark People (it will be one 1 week tomorrow). So glad I found this website and really excited there is a Madison team. Hope to get to know you all better. Have a terrific weekend. Katie

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6/23/12 2:30 P

I hope they catch her too, Gail!
We are in home improvement and preservation mode today. We are getting the wood floors on our ground floor refinished Monday, so we have to move the furniture, along with way too many books and cds out of the living room. And then of course since it's June, we went and picked cherries this morning, froze a bunch of them, and I've made cherry peach and cherry rhubarb jam. On the plus side, i don't have time to snack!

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6/23/12 8:30 A

Good Morning:

On Thursday, after we discovered my wallet was stolen, my daughter called Target and asked if they could pull the tapes on the woman who made the purchases with the stolen card. The store did this and further said they would check the tapes of other store cameras to see if a better picture appeared. Since that step was already taken, I got moved up the list and the police stopped by to get the story and assign me a case number. Boy, I hope they catch that *(&*(&*(& woman.

I'm doing all right. Today I get rid of the last large batch (I hope) of magazines. Got to do more with the garage, so I'll focus on that after I catch my breath.

Hope you are all doing well,

G.

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6/22/12 8:06 A

Ah Gail, I'm really sorry to hear this. You definitely don't need the stress.

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6/22/12 6:37 A

Good Morning:

I didn't sleep well last night. Yesterday I had my wallet stolen at Panera's on Mineral Pt. Rd. In addition to my insurance, credit and debit, and road service cards, I had a few hundred in cash, my driver's license and my library card. Like everyone else there was a lot of other stuff, but I've been drawing a blank as to what they were. I never used to have more than $20 for emergencies and just enough cash if I planned to shop at Aldi's. However, for the past few months I've carried lots of cash. I've had to have someone...usually a hospice volunteer... stay with Vic when I run errands. Because they are with him for a specific time I run like a mad woman from one place to another to get back before the clock runs out. It's very easy to get stuck on long lines at the supermarkets, post office, bank, etc. To save time at the supermarket I've been using the self-checkout which only take cash. I will have to think of something else in the future since carrying so much cash is not a good idea.

Today I need to contact all the important institutions to get new cards and alert them to the theft. UGH. I needed this like a hole in the head.

Gail

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6/21/12 12:47 P

I am very glad the weather cooled down!
Our team seems to be in a lull, doesn't it?

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6/21/12 9:32 A

Good morning:

It's a bit cooler today. The hospice volunteer is coming to stay with Vic for a few hours so that I can run errands. If there's time I'll meet a friend for coffee.

BTW, though I've been going to Woodman's for years and was aware of their in-store flyer, I never bothered with it till the other day. They have coupons in it for $1 if you spend $4 in certain departments: produce, meat, dairy etc. I saved $3 this week in addition to the sale price on many items.

I've noticed nobody has posted in several days. Is this thread dead?

Gail

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6/15/12 10:15 A

Good Morning:

Things are back to "normal" here. Got rid of close to 600 DVDs and VCR tapes yesterday. I'm getting my teeth cleaned this noon, but will be continuing my sorting to get rid of lots of stuff. I'm going to work on the garage and the utility room closet next. The garage is really important so I can get my car in there. I need to do as much as possible so I can have Vic identify anything that might be valuable. It will probably take years to go through things. I'm angry because for years I've begged him to do this.

Started a new book yesterday by Anne Perry. It's in her inspector Monk series. Has anyone read her books?

G.

Laurie: So very sorry you are struggling. I know first hand what that's all about. My thoughts are with you.

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6/15/12 5:27 A

Hi everyone,
I am trying to get here more. My husband and went hiking at Parfrey's Glen and Devil's Lake yesterday. We went 6 miles and I am SO sore today. Got some great photos so it was well worth it :)

Reading the notes below, so dissapointed Walker won again too. My DH is unemployed again and since I lost income last year it has been tough. I have been a cook at Mendota for the last 2 years. We go to the River food pantry Fridays just so we have enough to eat. I guess state workers are the scum of the earth with this gov. We are praying for everyone struggling out there.

Laurie

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6/14/12 4:59 P

It's always nice to hear from you Janey!
Gail, I hope everything is ok.

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6/14/12 1:40 P

Hi! Miss you ladies....it seems that my days keep getting busier and busier and I am not able to drop in as often as I like.

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6/14/12 5:43 A

About 4am I had to call hospice and the nurse is here now with Vic. His catheter wasn't working right and that's not good. I'm wide awake and am taking this in stride.

G.

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6/12/12 10:42 A

Maybe it depends on the agency. The agencies we worked in (DH and I) the only appointees were the secretary and deputy secretary, and they were appointed by a board which was elected. I am not saying it's a perfect system, but it's pretty equal opportunity at the entry level.

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6/12/12 10:34 A

Jet: So sorry to say that there are civil service jobs where who you know is important. Division administrators and up are appointed by the governor. Also, I know that several CS jobs where there was competition were given to people who gave handsomely or worked tirelessly on political campaigns.

G.

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6/12/12 8:45 A

Very well said Gail. I would only add that public service is one of the fairest employers. You don't get a job because you are somebody's cousin, neighbor, or any other inside aid. You are hired based on your ability (I have helped with interviews, so i"m not just talking off the top of my head). So anyone has a chance to be hired.
What a gorgeous morning! Gotta go hang out my wash.

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6/12/12 4:50 A

Here's the thing: People want services but they don't want to pay for them. Also, folks don't like the idea of paying for something that they don't directly benefit from, i.e. taxes that go to schools, Medicaid, etc. I believe I should vote for things that will better my society, including the most vulnerable whether or not I draw direct benefits. I don't have school age children, but if I don't support education who will by my attorney, physician, accountant, auto maker, etc? Someone who is poorly educated? No thanks. I don't derive benefits from Medicaid, but if I don't support it, how will those with major disabilities carry on? We need to take care of ourselves, but who and what are we if we ignore everyone around us? OK, now I'll get off my soapbox.

G

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6/11/12 6:59 A

I'm not sure how I lost this thread. I was disheartened by the election outcome too. I think there are a lot of folks who disagree with a recall just on principle, and who have not been affected by anything that has happened in the past year and a half. There are also a lot of people who just like to hate public employees. They think we are over paid and don't really work. Like you Khatlady, we saw ourselves consistently falling behind in the past 5-6 years financially. Everyone in the agency I work for works hard. My neighbor took a $7 an hour cut in pay when she went from a private sector job to a state job (she was laid off). Oh well.
Guess I won't be riding my bike to work today. We are getting some much needed rain.

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6/9/12 12:21 A

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6/6/12 8:50 A

Well, I just need someone to explain it to me then. I work at the university. My salary has been cut by $327 a month last year. Then this year our insurance went up with co-pays and not covered. So why do I have to lose my home?

The math is like this. With all of the cuts, after I pay my mortgage I have $200 a month left. Our of that $200, $177 is condo fees. That leaves me $23 a month to buy food, electric, phone, cat food. How does losing my home help anyone?

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6/6/12 8:32 A

I'm really bummed out over the recall. I'm thick; I just don't understand it. So few stand to gain, and those who do don't need to gain any more; they've got everything already.

G.

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6/5/12 1:45 P

So nice of you Khat.

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6/5/12 12:09 P

Will be doing that right after work. I also pick up some people, drive them to the polls and then take them out to dinner.

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6/5/12 11:40 A

BTW, has everyone gotten out to vote? We voted with absentee ballots.

G.

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6/5/12 10:25 A

Never a dull moment.

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6/5/12 9:54 A

Election day, Wedding Anniversary, Mom's Birthday, Husband's Grandparents Wedding Anniversary.

All is good

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6/5/12 8:38 A

Good Morning:

A wonderful hospice volunteer stayed with Vic yesterday for a few hours. I went to lunch with a friend and then to the supermarket. It was so good. What made it better was that I didn' t need to rush.

Yesterday I started the latest of the Bubbles series by Sarah Strohmeyer, Bubbles All The Way.
What are you all reading now?

G.

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6/4/12 12:00 P

As hard as it is, the blessing is that he is not in physical pain. You are not alone, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

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6/4/12 11:49 A

Good Morning:

Vic was very weak yesterday and was really down in the dumps. Today the hospice nurse came to draw blood and she weighed him. He's down to 120 lbs. Need I say more? So disheartening. Thank God he's not in physical pain.

G.

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6/3/12 4:21 P

Ditto. I spent a couple of hours reading on my back porch. So nice.


g.

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6/3/12 1:29 P

Days like yesterday and today are sheer heaven. My kind of temperature and weather.

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6/3/12 1:07 P

I spent Friday and Saturday night at Festa Italia. But am relaxing today...It's been so gorgeous out!

You?

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6/2/12 7:34 A

Happy June. Enjoy the weekend. Anyone have plans?

G.

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5/31/12 2:34 P

Waay to fast.

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5/31/12 1:35 P

June already?!?!?

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