Common Ground Coffee House #116

[Melanie]

Well, here I am in the antipodes.....at the bottom or top of the world depending on perspective, but hey NZ is exciting in the geological sense....no earthquakes of note this week, just Tongario eupting.

Who ever thought life is boring in rural NZ. No ash on Wanganui!!!

http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8512554/more-contact-needed-after-eruption-locals

Anyone watching the Mars thing? I am.....it is fanastic.

 

[Jim1999]

I think everyone has been ruptured!!!!!!!! lol

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Gina B]

I think everyone has been ruptured!!!!!!!! lol

Cheers,

Jim

I hope not, as that sounds rather painful!

Our weather has cooled down to the nineties, with nights getting nice and cool. Well, nice and cool in comparison to the past month! It's refreshing to wake up to a cool morning, hear the birds singing again, and see my flowers open wide and beautiful instead of shriveling and hiding from the scorching heat.

Yesterday was "that" time of year...first day back in the classroom! It's nice to be back to work, though every muscle in my body is screaming at me. My mind is happy, but my body is protesting. I'm determined to win this battle of mind over matter, though I've managed to lose more than my fair share of times in the past. Ah well. That's life.

We managed to make a trip to the zoo the other day and seeing the animals again really made me smile. The meerkats are just so outrageously adorable!

 

[Melanie]

Lovely azure blue sky with flocks of cloudy sheep romping across in my line of sight. The plum trees has it's beautiful shawl of white blossom, the tulips and daffys are looking great, and my newly aquired magnolia sapling is coming on nicely. Oh there is a lunatic tabby miss pouncing on air I think and whizzing about as only kittykats know.

Concerntrating madly on beautiful things as my jolly writing hand the left is pulsating with exquisitite bursts of pain from my apparently crumbling spine. Happy,happy, joy,joy!!!

My dear mate Jane is off to Palmerston North (about 60 mins away) next week to start chemo and I shall be going with her because that is what mates do.

Hope everyone has had a pleasant week weather wise!!!

I went with the J1 class (1st year at school {5-6 yrs}) to the local museum where they dressed up and went back in time to 1902 in the classroom of the time. I loved it, the kiddies did as well. The teacher was in Edwardian style clobber, King Edward was in his position at the blackboard looking over his empire children, the kiddies sang God save the King and did a little oath thing which I remember from my school days!!!

:thumbs:

 

[Gina B]

How sweet for you to be there for your friend! Yep, that's what mates do. :flower:

I love the image of "cloudy sheep romping across my line of sight." What great imagery you come up with in these posts. :thumbs:

Your remembrances from the early days of school reminded me of one of mine, which I thought was forgotten! The story was "Three Billy Goats Gruff" and when the teachers asked if I would like to be one of the goats, I didn't want to sound rude, but I REALLY wanted to be the troll under the bridge because the fake bricks to make the bridge looked so very real in my young mind and I wanted to get to sit under that bridge and look at the artwork used. LOL She heard my mouth say yes but my face say no and was attentive enough to realize I was sad and asked me why, then allowed me to get under that bridge and it was so fun! She was such a great teacher and if I remember right, allowed me to draw a flower going out from between two of the bricks.

Well, time to do...not much just yet! The school year only started for me on Monday, but it feels like forever since I got to sleep in. Today I'll pre-make dinners for the week, as I quickly learned it's too tough to do it after work. I forgot to bring home the book I wanted to make lesson plans out of for the week, but I have ideas in my head and realized that this group needs a much deeper review of past materials than what we did and the quote "you have look at where you've been if you want to see where you're going" seems to ring true not just in the concept of our Christian lives (I believe the quote was written concerning the church) but it goes for education in this case!

I hope everyone is enjoying a beautiful weekend.

Please do think of our dear brother Barnabas as he continues to recover from having some work done on his eyes, which of course means some time for his vision to recover. I am refraining from writing to him personally to ask about progress as I don't wish for him to feel obligated to respond while reading is still tough, so let's just pray for him to have a great recovery and I'm sure he'll come back on here when it is convenient for him and when he is healed enough to see properly! raying:

 

[Melanie]

Thank you Gina about the reminder of Barnabas's eye surgery....he and his loved ones have had a pretty rotten year....one thing after another.raying:

 

[Melanie]

What a cold day we had today. Dear old windy Wellington (the capital) had gusts of over 100 km/hr.....glad I was not there.

I have bought a television after not having one for 4 years....my dear cat miss Daisy adores it......swatting a killer paw at the sports section on the news....I think sport is one of the most boring things to watch, but I adore watching her watching the footy.

Went to a knees-up for my friend who has begun chemo for ca of the breast, and was the centre attraction for having her head shaved. She thought the idea of hair falling out in bits too grim and to lighten up the whole horrible thing was to invite friends and family to discover she was not a natural brunette but a mature grey. It was great fun seeing the different scarves and her wig. She is one brave soul who is very dear to me. I think if it had been me I probably would not done it the way she chose. But then I am a big chicken.

I hope everyone one is happy,healthy and busy with your lives.

Cheers

 

[annsni]

We started school last week (homeschooling) and because of different church things (work, staff day, funeral), today will be our first full day at home to get the kids educated! I'm looking forward to that!

All is good here. The nights are getting cooler and we even had some cool days which felt great!! I love the fall although these fall allergies get to me. I woke up with a headache but I think it's from being so stuffed up.

 

[Gina B]

I've always said I'd shave my head and get a tattoo on it! There are many pretty scarves and such and they're so popular now that many folks don't realize if a woman's head is shaved or not when she wears them!

It's definitely September, which seems to always be the month when life goes nuts and bad things strike hard, one after the other. This year is no different, but now that I'm expecting it, that makes it easier. Plus there's that song "Sometimes He calms the storm...sometimes He calms me" and that's always a wonderful and sweet reminder.

There ARE good things happening, they're just a little tougher to rejoice in at the moment, but they're here. :godisgood:

 

[Melanie]

Well, lucky,lucky us here in Wanganui....we now have a professed witch/ medical doctor at our hospital. Dear God in heaven, what next.

Have a great witch free day!

 

[Gina B]

Well, lucky,lucky us here in Wanganui....we now have a professed witch/ medical doctor at our hospital. Dear God in heaven, what next.

Have a great witch free day!

Wow. Do patients get a choice over which doctor treats them?

Let me just start getting this out of my system NOW because they'll be coming to mind all day..

Now the nurses won't know if their patients are still under anesthesia or if they're bewitched!

Will they play "Witchy Woman" on the radio?

Is there a storm of controversy brewing?

Sounds like she's trying to stir the pot...

What's for lunch there? Sandwiches?

Which witch is the wicked witch?

Maybe you could switch him/her for a regular doctor.

Glad you don't think there's broom for tolerance on this matter!

 

[Melanie]

Thank you Gina, I needed a giggle. He is a him, apparently men can be witches. He has started his coven, called by the more politically correct term "School".

I would not have him touch me even with a broom, being an RCC I am draped about with catholic things like a crucifix and a rosary anyway.

We have also been dumped with a nearly released pedophile who has never admitted to his criminal behaviour.....certain pot stirrers have been making him into a monster, which of course he is, but I would hate to see him lynched....although released he has loads of restrictions on him.

It is enough to send you off to church to pray for our poor town.

 

[following-Him]

Goodness, it is so quiet in here.

It is an anxious time for us at the moment. Our little dog Leo is in the animal hospital and will be in at least overnight

 

[annsni]

Oh no! I'm hoping that everything will turn out with little Leo! It's amazing how much a part of the family these little creatures become!!

I'm laying low right now waiting to have a broken wisdom tooth pulled. I had to wait for the referral but it turns out the dentist didn't file for one - and I've been waiting through excrutiating pain for it! But now it's all set and I have an appointment for Thursday morning. I'm going to call back this afternoon and see if they have any cancellations if I can take it so I can get in sooner. I actually took Vicodin the other day because it hurt so badly!

 

[following-Him]

Oh annsni, how I feel for you. I do hope you get an appointment soon. Rob had to have 3 teeth extracted on the paralysed side last week and he is settling down well now.

Leo is a tiny little toy poodle and the vet does't know if he has a bug or an obstruction but he can't keep any food down. He has had x ray and scans and they will probably be repeated tomorrow. The house just isn't the same without him.

 

[annsni]

Oh annsni, how I feel for you. I do hope you get an appointment soon. Rob had to have 3 teeth extracted on the paralysed side last week and he is settling down well now.

I have an appointment for Thursday morning. It can't come soon enough!!

Leo is a tiny little toy poodle and the vet does't know if he has a bug or an obstruction but he can't keep any food down. He has had x ray and scans and they will probably be repeated tomorrow. The house just isn't the same without him.

Awww. It took me YEARS to get used to my dog not being around. I always sensed her being right there - but she wasn't. I had her so long, though, so it was as if she were a part of the family forever!

 

[Melanie]

Oh dear, I hope the tooth is GONE.

Leo is home and well again I hope.....it is awful to have a much loved pet ill or worse. My little girl is on guard duty whilst I type. She is on the cushion behind the computer which has a fine lookout over the backyard.

I was horrified when a friend said it was nice that I had nothing to moan about....a sore shoulder. I HATE people who go on and on about their aches and pains.....I MUST remember that in future.:type:

 

[annsni]

The tooth is still here but fortunately, the pain is minimal but I'm afraid to eat most anything because that is what caused the serious pain on Sunday night!

Today should be a quiet day of homeschooling and household chores before we have ballet and church later. It's raining - again. Bleck!!

 

[following-Him]

Annsni, how are you feeling today. I have been praying for you.

Leo is home for the moment. The scans show there is no sign of his stomach contracting as it should. We have to hope that he goes into poo mode before he goes back to the hospital on Friday. If thati doesn't happen then he will have to have an endoscopy snf possibly surgery and in a little dog weighing 3.6 kg and nearly 15 years old, that isn't too good

 

[annsni]

Annsni, how are you feeling today. I have been praying for you.

I'm feeling fine. I'm still super careful with what I eat because it was just a small bowl of sour cream and onion potato chips that set the pain level so high. So I'm eating blander, softer stuff for now. But the pain level is about a 1 - just enough that it aches every once-in-a-while. Less than 24 hours now until that tooth is GONE.

I hope that Leo gets his tummy a-moving!! May you find a "prize" soon. ((HUGS))