Freaky Friday Rants and Raves 1-13
 

Rave: Temps 20 degrees above normal for the past three weeks.

Rant: The highs are around 32 which makes for lots of bad driving conditions and ice everywhere.

Rave: TV shows Wife Swap and Changing Spouses. These shows say so much about people they could be called documentaries. Amazing how different families are from each other. Its like a class in sociology...which I took in college but the TV shows are better!

Rant or Rave? The Chinesse will be putting a 4 door car on the American market for under $10,000. If this thing is successful we can kiss much of our auto industry goodbye but get cheaper cars.

Rave: Ditto on the rare warm spell here in Minnesota!! It is a treat to go out without mittens.
Rant: Our skating pond is closed due to the warm spell and my nieces and nephew are coming for the weekend. My daughters usually like to take them skating. It is very "romantic" in our town; a neat old chalet and a bonfire right on the pond ice.
Rant: My boss asked me to speak to a group of convicted felons tomorrow morning! Hmmm...is she out to get me?? Ha.
Rave: My college aged daughter returned safely from a dogsledding and snowshoeing trip with some college friends.
Rant: I used to be the one having these adventures!

AuntAnnie, My town is also having a problem with the ice rinks. Its too warm to make good ice. Its just too weird!

Rave: had a wonderful Christmas and New Year'sa eve with all my family here. Now they've all left. Both are raves... 16 people are a lot to entertain even though they all stayed in hotels, and Hawaii at Christmas offers a lot of simple things to keep guests busy--the beach, for one! Best was having time with my niece and her baby...My first great niece!

Rant: Both daughters are back to college, and both had to leave early. One is at rowing camp in Florida with her team, the other had to go to her regular college in Oregon to pick up her winter clothes, then had to be in NYC today for new student orientation. I feel like I didn't get enough time with them over Christmas.

Rant: College athletic coaches who keep changing the students schedules. I had to change her air tickets twice already (for the rowing camp), and now she needs to stay "a few extra days" after the end of school for another race. This is not a race that they qualified for at the last minute, or anything. Luckily, after the first date change, I ended up getting a 60,000 mile FF ticket that can be changed with no penalty and pretty much is good on any UAL flight.
Do these coaches think we have unlimited funds, or are they just too lazy to look ahead and give us a fixed scheduled in the fall?

Rave: All the help I'm getting for our trip from Fodor's. I've gotten so much great information from the Europe board. And the two threads this week on this board about fear of flying and travel anxiety have been quite helpful too.

Rave: It's been wonderful having our daughter home these past four weeks.

Rant: She goes back Sunday. I know it's time. She's getting bored. And I need to get back into my routine. But I sure am going to miss her!

Rave: I know the time until her next visit will pass quickly. Besides all the usual stuff, I'll be busy planning the trip. Oh, how wonderful to have a trip to plan during the winter doldrums (although that phrase certainly doesn't describe the unbelievably nice day we had today). It's been three years since I've been able to do some serious trip planning this time of year.

Rant: That I'm still up at this time on a school night. I'm having a tough time getting back into the daily grind. Tired all day and then can't seem to settle down when it's time to sleep.

Good Friday everyone!

Rave:
It is not snowing and it is not brutally cold.
Rant:
It has rained for 24 days and more is expected.
Rave:
The worst thing to rant about is the weather :D

Rave: Dad's been visitng for a week

Rant: Dad's leaving tomorrow. Something doesn't feel quite right when he goes:( I'm holding back the tears:((

Rave: going to a movie this weekend probably Syriana

Rave: watching the slasher movie "Wolf Creek" with pops the other day

Rave: Having time to catch up on all the goings on in Fodors land \:D/

Right there with you, Scarlett! This rain is just bizarre to me! Of course, everybody is saying" Wow! It hasn't done this in (blah blah) years...!" well, it's my 1st Winter here and what a welcome!

No other rants!

Rave: Proud Mommy moment!One of the only things that ever scared me about the thought of parenthood! Daughter is "officially potty trained" and daycare goes down a whole $6 a week! It's not the money, it's the excitement of knowing that we managed to get to this major milestone before her 3rd birthday. Now, of course,to her,the panties are just as important as the rest of her outfit every day!

Rave: Leaving for Thailand/Cambodia in a couple of hours.

Not really a rant, but had to put 14 work hrs in today and now I have to get a few minutes sleep in before we go. Had to check my travel boards first though and unwind. Kind of addictive, ain't y'all? Heading for bed now though.

Clifton, if you have one last addictive moment before departutrre and see this--Bon Voyage!!
AuntAnnie, you've given us another Jeff Foxworthy moment, as he jokes about building bonfires on ICE. You have to admit, that sounds pretty shakey!!
Rave: The stories above of great family moments and children's successes, from college athletes to potty-trained toddlers!
NO rants this week because... BIG RAVE...my brain MRI results were great: no edema, no visible leftover little monster fibers; results confirmed by both neurosurgeon and radiatiologist!!! (Sorry Faina--if you see this, it's about the fourth time you've read it.) So, am breathing a huge sigh of relief 'til next MRI in 3 months.
As Scarlett said, it's a rave when your biggest rant is the weather..or in my case, not having a joking excuse for a "swollen head."

CaliNurse--that's great news!

Rave: It's going to be almost 50 degrees here today. Woo Hoo!!
Rave: Finally seem to be getting settled in our new house and getting back to the daily grind.

Rave: LOST 2.5 LBS. this week!! Don't know how I did it since I wasn't very good. It's those damn work parties! How's everyone else doing on the "weight loss bandwagon"?

Rant/Rave: Going wedding dress shopping tomorrow with my Maid of Honor but the weather is supposed to be a mix of rain and snow and I hate driving in that weather. We may just have to postpone.

Great news, CaliNurse!

Rave: Had a great mother/son day yesterday with the youngest before he heads back to school on Sunday! We went shopping and had lunch. ((l)) He's a very funny guy. :D I will miss him, but it's time for him to go back (I need my sleep and apparently he dosen't need his, lol).

Rave: It was a beautiful spring-like day yesterday. 8-)

Rant: Eating large quantities of raw baby carrots can make a person feel very ill. :&

Rant: Only lost 1/2 a pound this week. :-O))) PMS & chocolate - I have no will power. Now that the chocolate truffles are gone, things should get better. :-|

Rant: My husband is working another weekend. :(

RAVE: Calinurse!!!! That's a HUGE rave and such wonderful news!! :)

RAVE: Yippie Ethel!! Good going!!!

Rave: To all of our kids for being who they are! >:D<

jorr, der Spiegel had a recent article on the transfer of "all" VW European/Asian parts manufacturing to China: amazing economic impact(s).

CaliNurse, I missed your ordeal, but happy to see your "normal" MR.

Rave: Received the annual property tax bill on the new house yesterday: $425.US (less than 4.5 % of my last (Dec '04) bill in Dallas).

Rave/rant: The recently adopted "mop" got neutered yesterday and the Diva is really depressed waiting for his return this AM.

Rant: Chilly mornings require the gas logs for heat. LP is getting incrementally more expensive even with the "large user" discounts.

Rave: Glorious, warm days.

Rave: SO is in Dallas getting her "family" and "shopping" fixes.

Feliz fin de semana!

M

Rave: Yesterday while I was sitting on the bleachers tying shoes for students a kindergarten girl walked up, grabbed my cheeks and said, "Your hair is gorgeous!" They make my job so much fun!

Rave: Just got flights to take my 16 yr old to Manhattan Beach in Feb.

Rant: People who blame the bad things that happen to people on their religious beliefs or lack thereof. Are you kidding me?!?

amwosu...ditto that last rant. I think he's lost it...or maybe he did a long time ago!

Rave: gorgeous gorgeous weather in this part of TX. Warm and sunny day after day. WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE SEND US JUST ONE DAY O9F RAIN??? ;)

Rave: The weather! We slept with every window open in the house last night. After an unseasonably cold December, this is welcome!

Rant: Health problems of loved ones.

Rave: Our dear friend came up to stay with us from Key Largo. Haven't seen him since June.

Rave: That candy doesn't tempt me- I have three boxes of Fannie May Pixies, 2 boxes of Frango Mints Christmas edition, and 1 large imported container of Truffles unopened. My daughter thinks I am not genetically female at some level- wants a DNA test.
And I already gave away 2 boxes of Frangos.(All Hostess gifts from holiday parties.) I'll get rid of 3 of these, at least, at my Bears party on Sunday.

Rant: Don't know which hospital to get to first- and all are distant from each other. Nearly all my peers are getting fixed. My best friend is getting new heart valve next week- angiogram and some final tests today. My sister is starting chemotherapy- has her port.
And that's just two of them.

Rave: That we can get fixed for the most part when things wear out early.

Rave: My parents are still standing and are not sick at the same time.

Rant: Semester start is hard.

Rave: I can start making plans for Toronto and Cleveland trip in May/June.

Rave: I now have 4 weeks and 5 days of paid vacation, plus 10 holidays and also the week between Christmas and New Years. That puts me into more than 7- 40 hour work weeks of paid vacation now.
Yipee!

Rave: Weather has been terrific for commuting.

Forgot a big one-
Rave: Total surprise- I received a white gold White Sox insignia on a great chain for my birthday and won at the casino with a free crab and lobster dinner. Now that was a great birthday!

And they match my Sox earrings perfectly. That guy did good this time.

Rave--Last weekend we went to a 100th birthday party. This lady has been a friend of the family for ages and it is so nice to see someone age so gracefully!

Rave--Had a great time with my mother while she was here.

Rave--DS won the Geography Bee for the entire Middle School! He is the youngest of the 3 grades there too. Last year he won it for the elementary school. Wonder what career he can have in this? LOL!

Scarlett and Klr--I am loving this rain! Don't like the flooding though.

Klr--That is too cute:)

Calinurse--What GREAT news!!!

Ethel--Way to go!

rave: ireland is booked! just have to get the air tickets.

rave: financial situation is slowly turning around! relief!!

rave: 3 day weekend with bf! sort of...only have to work a little at second job.

rave: closest friend from freshman year of college has found me on line! (myspace....) haven't spoke to her in years, and have tried to locate her as well! so excited!!

rave/rant...it figures! the past 2 winters on long island have been full of blizzards, and i never had the right snow/outer wear. this year i prepared, and bought mittens, hat, and the matching jacket for christmas from ll bean...still...no snow or cold temps!

:-D

Rave: The weather has been great! Walking the dog with no hat and gloves in mid-Jan Chicago, can't beat it!
Rave: Finally entered the 21st century with high speed internet at home-my husband is apparently missing the "must have the best technology" gene that most men have!
Rant/Rave:2 weeks until my due date-Yikes! Baby had hiccups last night though and that was a trip!

JJ, Happy birthday.
KLR, Congrats to you on your little girl-my niece is starting to learn and my poor brother/sis-in-law are constantly running to the bathroom with her!
Calinurse-great news!

Rave: It's gonna get close to 60 degrees today. 60 degrees!!!!! We would normally call it the January thaw, but there's nothing to thaw. We haven't had winter. And believe me, I'm not complaining.

Rave: My son and I are going to our first mother/son social Saturday night. (It's really a dinner dance, but no 14 yr. old boy wants to say he's going to a dance with his mother, so the school calls it a "social.")
:-)

Rant or Rave? I'll call it a rave, cuz I don't feel like ranting today.

I turned down a chance to see Cirque de sole (I know I butchered that). They're gonna be at the HSBE Arena in Buffalo. I told my friends that the $120 I would spend on a ticket could be used toward an airline ticket to somewhere. So I'm gonna put that aside and hopefully my hubby and I can get away for a few days in the spring for our anniversary.

I chose a vacation over a show - that a rave, right?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Rave: Warm weather here in the Boston area. Feels like spring.

Rave: Renovation plans still moving forward. DH is making some great suggestions on changes to the existing plans. How does a dining room with a window seat and built in china cabinets sound?

Rave: Friends are all healing their broken bones and their broken hearts.

Rave: Dancing with the Stars - such a guilty pleasure.

Rave: The New England Patriots!

Rant: Ted Kennedy - while I recognize that he has contributed much to our country, sometimes he just is a big pain in the neck.

RAVE: CaliNurse's wonderful news! So happy for you, lady!!! :-)

RAVE: JJ5's terrific birthday! ((g)) Have many more happy & healthy, JJ5!

RAVE: I dropped one lb. last week, and have done major exercise every day this week (two water aerobics, one weight & biking session, one long walk ...) Feels good to be getting in the rhythm again! To all of you wonderful "losers" ... if the scale doesn't go UP, that's a victory of sorts. If it goes down ANY at all, that's a HUGE victory! ;;) Keep up the good work, ethel & STW!

RANT: Warm weather in Central N. C. I want WINTER! :-(

RAVE: Our Carolina Hurricanes beat Detroit Red Wings this week!!! Also ... Tar Heels & Wolf Pack won their games this week, and the Panthers are going to get the Bears on Sunday! :-d

RANT: No one has beaten Duke in basketball yet this year!!! >:O

Jorr, I'm not sure about the Chinese car either ... :-S

Fellow Fodorites, have a wonderful weekend! :-)

Hoping for you to hit Jan. 28, swalter!

One big negative is that many MI ski resorts have been closed a week already-no snow. And they all had had a great December. Does anyone know how the WI ones are doing? You can't go by online information- I don't know where they measure those bases.

I forgot something...

Rant: I had a blow out with a brand new snow tire this week!

Rave: I didn't have an accident.

Even bigger Rave: We purchased the tires using our AMEX card. Typically AMEX and the "Buyer's Protection" program dosen't cover flat tires, but since we're such good customers, they are reimbursing us for a new tire. In the scheme of things, it's very little money, but a great customer service move on their part. :D

JJ5, LOL on the DNA test :) Happy Birthday to you.

Raves - going to a 50th birthday luncheonfor a lady I worked with today.
Calinurse- great news!!!

Great friends who listen and love you unconditionally.
Watching all my furry little friends this morning trying to eat out of each others' bowls and the fur is flying!!! 1 dog and 2 cats!!

Rants- Taxes, getting license tags for the car, doing the laundry, ...

Rave - People have reported a total of 4 lbs. lost this past week.

Rant - I found a couple of them.

Rave - I registered myself to post from work.

Rant - It took me 3 tries - Good Lord! I can be dense at times.

Rave - The good health reports from folks here. Congrats.

Rave - The good weather everywhere (or is this just evidence of global warming?)

Rave - Kids taking their quarterly exam for another subject gives me more prep time to finish up some correcting!! (and check Fodors)

Rave:
Molly, the pathetic looking skinny cat we adopted from the shelter a couple of months ago is now up to seven pounds and has blossomed. We found a winner.

rant:
I could but I won't.

Greetings all FFR&R'ers, Happy Friday the 13th ~

Rave ~ The Chronicles of Narnia, it was better than I had hoped for, the casting for these kids was superb and the cinematography beautiful. Nothing like a book you've loved for years done well in movie form!

Rant ~ A Million Little Pieces. I read this amazing book when it was still relatively unknown. I found it like no other I have ever read, and bought the first edition signed copy as I do with my favorite books. With the news this week, I have to admit I feel a titch disappointed. When are people going to learn that lying is lying, either you are honest or you're not, you can't have it both ways. And the things he lied about, what he embellished was so not what the book was about, the police reports, who cares, he didn't need to do that. The friend dying age and name changes I don't care that he changed that (although the publisher should have put a disclaimer in the beginning that some things have be changed to protect identities, etc) but why did he lie that he went to pick her up and felt responsible. The loss of a friend for a teenager is enough, I know from experience, he could have just said how bad he felt after her death instead of making it seem like it was his fault.
I just feel disappointed. Disappointed by him and certainly disappointed by the publisher. His style of writing and his comeback story from addiction would have been enough for me, I didn’t need the embellishments. Anyone that beats an addiction, fights back all the way is impressive in my book. No pun intended.

Rave ~ The little girl that waved to me from her Mom's back seat as they drove past me the other day. She waved and waved. Waved until I couldn't see her anymore, it was precious. I waved back the entire time and felt 5, it was great.

Clifton ~ Happy journey, I am quite certain by now your adventure has begun, best wishes.

JJ5 ~ ((^)) Happy Birthday!

STW ~ Sorry about your tire blow out, so happy you are safe!

12 days until my DH and I leave for Florence & Venice, Yeah!

Happy weekend all!

Happy Birthday JJ5!
Congrats on the great outcome, Cali Nurse.
Rave:
Lunch in N.J. last weekend with an old friend I'd not seen in 10 years. Now she's back East, hopefully we can visit more often.

The new children's book "A Life in the Day of a Senator" narraterd by Splash, Ted Kennedy's Portugese Water Dog. Looks just like our "Shanty".

Walking the 2 miles every day is working- lost 2 lbs!! Only 13 more to go.

rant:no wine except for special occasions- to help lose those extra 13!

Rant-I would rather have cold temps and sunny skies than above normal temps with cloudy skies.

Rave-Girl Scout Cookies!

Rant-Ski areas hurting. :-(

Rave-FIL is doing better after heart attack.

Rant-Designer dogs and people paying big bucks for them. You can get the same thing in your local shelter.


Happy Birthday JJ5! ((G))

I watched CNN the other morning and Teddy looked like he had been in Au Bar the night before....((D))

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thanks Tiff :)

OKAY, that's <font color="red">6</font> pounds so far! :D

Anyone else?

New Rave: DH got a very overdue and much deserved promotion. I, upon hearing the news, promptly embarked on spending his raise by booking a night for the family at the Wentworth by the Sea - our favorite getaway.

SeeTheWorld- All those carrots can turn your skin a strange orange color too if you aren't careful. Moderation or people will stare at you dear.

Half a pound is a good thing! Congrats.

I forgot a Rant: The cat my son swears climbed into his car all on his own (and no one else would take) has GONE INTO HEAT!

I took her to the vet a few weeks ago for shots and he couldn't decide if she had been fixed or not but told us we'd know soon if she isn't. And now we know.

She isn't going to be fixed until a week from now. Is she going to continue the horny cat routine that whole time?

Way to go, all you losers (of weight):-)

Rave: Down six pounds this week!!! Doing the happy dance--15 more to go. I love Weight Watchers--I track my points, etc. online and don't do the meetings since they have the online message board support (and of course, Fodorite support!). Lots of exercise--ugh--lots of water, and lots of fruits and veggies. Last night was Taco Bell, though--totally allowed, even.

Rave: We actually had some snow this week--first snow since before Thanksgiving. We need the moisture desperately (sorry Scarlett and group--imagine you're laughing at that thought) so any and all is welcome.

Bennnie--congrats to your hubby!

Klr6773: ((Y)) on the proud mommy moment! That is a big step in your child's life, &amp; many more proud moments to come!! I'm going to a co-worker's baby shower tonight...sweet moments!

Clifton: Happy trails!

CaliNurse: ((Y))

Ethel and capecodshanty: Keep up the good work! I haven't done as well as you, but am still in the club, as I've lost 2#!

JJ5: I'm sending up prayers for your friends in the hospital.
Happy BD! Glad you had a good one!((g))

Tiff: Best wishes for a wonderful adventure!

Rant: Stepdad's progressive decline...Mom now says he can no longer transfer himself from chair to bed independently.

Rave: The caretaker who takes such wonderful care of my parents...allowing them to stay home! They love him like the son they never had!

Rant: Predicting tornadoe weather again here, making me hesitate to go shopping for necessary baby shower stuff needed tonight!

Rave: A good week at work...more fully staffed at the moment, and such good people to work with! A particularly good set of patients this week as well...I love their optimism, eagerness!

Rave: a wonderful DH....just becuz!

Rave: Sis invite me to accompany her &amp; BIL to Paris &amp; London.

Rant: Can't afford to go right now :(....Got to get son graduated in May!

Belle

LOL amwosu -- I thought I was starting to look a little strange :-[

Congrats to you husband Bennie! Mine got a promotion too, and I see less of him now than I did before (and that wasn't much to begin with, lol). WARNING on the Wentworth... Be sure NOT to book a suite beneath any &quot;Admiral Suite&quot; -- I have to finish my trip report (RANT). You will not get a good nights rest if you have noisy neighbors.

<font color="red"> 12 pounds and counting...</font>

I haven't been on the scale in a couple of weeks but running every day and eating as healthy as possible and counting calories.

Weight is slowly coming off.