I'll see that "Awww" and raise you one "Shucks"

How in the name of Heaven do you DO all of that? Wait a minute, what about that "by-pass" thing you mentioned on Health Matters? Don't overdo, hon. We'd like to have you around a bit longer, but I surely agree with the creativity thing. I love anything truly creative.

> And the feeling is so mutual. You are
> such a blessing on these boards, I am so
> glad you started posting, Linda. And you
> know what is so nice? Since we really do
> know each other, I can picture you every
> time I read your posts, so it's almost like
> seeing you face to face, and it's just extra
> special when you can put a face to the
> posts.

> I haven't had time lately to write anything.
> I get started and my time is up so I end up
> just getting rid of what I wrote and not
> posting. I don't know what is happening with
> my time - it's just gone!

> I have been working a lot - I put in a good
> (8+ hrs) day at work, then I come home to a
> house full of teenagers and young adults and
> Grandma, 4 cats and 3 dogs. Every day there
> are at least 4 young people at my home,
> sometimes 7, and sometimes 8 with 3 or 4
> grandchildren. So my day is nonstop from
> 6:30 until midnight usually. I have to fight
> my way to the computer, but if my grandsons
> are here, forget it, I don't even try. They
> are 3 and 5, and they live and breath
> "Mario."

> Apart from that, my daughter Crista and I
> have been painting murals on the wall of the
> nursery at church. So some nights, after she
> puts the boys to bed at 8, we go over there
> and paint until about 1am. Oh my gosh! You
> should see what happened last night. The
> room is kind of small and crowded. She was
> painting leaves on a tree, got off the
> ladder and landed full weight on a milk jug
> of brown paint. The top flew off and brown
> paint went all over the walls we had painted
> (and of course, on the carpet). It looked
> like someone took a bucket of paint and
> threw it at the wall. So we lost a lot of
> time trying to rectify the mess - it cleaned
> up pretty well, thank God. My other daughter
> Candle came to help us last night and that
> was a blessing. We had such a good time.
> There is something very therapeutic about
> creating art, I think.

> On Friday, I am going to take the first
> vacation I have EVER had - 11 days. I may go
> stay with my son for a couple days, he lives
> close but too far too drive regularly. And I
> want to paint a couple bedrooms and do room
> changes. My goals. So we'll see what
> happens. Or maybe you shouldn't have goals
> on vacation, ha!

> Anyhow, I wanted to say that I really
> enjoyed your pics of Vienna (on Jane's
> board). They are gorgeous, makes me a little
> homesick for Europe.