Yardies, at home and a farrin'

[kimlbs 0]

Goodmorning all,

Just wanted to pop in and say HELLO,

Happy belated b-day Kim!!

Welcome to America Criag.

Well as for me I am getting back to the single life and I hate to admit it but I am kind of enjoying it right now...I am so glad all of your relationships are going well!!! Adrian will leave to go back to JA next month, I know he is not happy about that and this may sound rude but "life goes on" I know what ever he decides to do in his life he will succeed, I just pray that things work out for him.

Well I will check in every once in a while but for now I am going to stay away from the VJ site and move forward in my life....I love you guys!!!

Joanna

Hey Joanna-

Well......it sounds like you made the best decision for you and nobody can blame you for following your heart and doing what is best for you in the end!!!! In the end...your decision will probably be the best for Adrian too....I am sure he will move forward and his life may be benefited from this experience too. All things in life can be used as learning experiences that we all grow from!!!

Well....I think we all understand that part of your process for moving forward in your life means letting go of this "visa journey" for you....it would be hard to move forward if constantly reminded of the past with this yardies thread.....but.....check in from time to time and let us know how things are going........May all your future plans go very well for you with loads of happiness...........

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

Happy Friday, you deadbeats!! Where are you people!!!??? Ok I am gonna go hang on fertility websites until you "skettels" wake up!! Just kidding...you know I you all.

[Ms Squitto 0]

Whoa, it's completely dead in here today...wha gwaan???

I'm doing a candy buffet at my wedding next month and I was trying to figure out how to get icey mints in bulk...any ideas????

what kind? soft mints or the hard ones? what's icey?

they hard hard ones...

[Ms Squitto 0]

Squitto - what is a candy buffet? I've never heard of that

It's something similar to this...

instead of giving out candy favors, you set it out for your guest to take from the candy bar

Goodmorning all,

Just wanted to pop in and say HELLO,

Happy belated b-day Kim!!

Welcome to America Criag.

Well as for me I am getting back to the single life and I hate to admit it but I am kind of enjoying it right now...I am so glad all of your relationships are going well!!! Adrian will leave to go back to JA next month, I know he is not happy about that and this may sound rude but "life goes on" I know what ever he decides to do in his life he will succeed, I just pray that things work out for him.

Well I will check in every once in a while but for now I am going to stay away from the VJ site and move forward in my life....I love you guys!!!

Joanna

Glad you're doing well, did he have any luck getting his job back? I really hope he's able to get his job again because in JA sometimes it can be very difficult to get a decent paying one

It is really dead in here today or what.. Did everyone fly away or is on vacation??? What are u all up to?

Hey Kim ...welcome home. Email me when you get a moment.

I'm just gearin up for Craig's arrival TONIGHT !!! and his flippin flight is an hour late....argh! I can't believe he's finally going to be here !! My son is BOUNCING off the walls with excitment !!

My apartment is still a total wreck from my hot water heater exploding this past Sat am (the day we were leaving for my son's soccer tournament in Delaware), and as I was moving a bookshelf (no books in it) with my son, I threw out my back ....to the point that I fell to the floor in the most excruciating pain I've ever felt and also my neighbors pipe in her bathroom bursting (and leaked into my bedroom closet) a couple of days before that!! All of the work is STILL not finished....tomorrow they say, but stuff is EVERYwhere !!!!

Craig, welcome to MY crazy busy life !!!

Now... onto the NEXT crazy madness part of this journey !

Oh and Craig had said the day that he went to back to the Embassy....they were giving our VISA's out like candy !!! He said the place was JAMmed packed. I told him what happened to Ms Squitto-in-law.....and he was like ??? huh, what ...how could that be?? I hope the congress person really helps you with this !!!

Thanks again for the support

Welcome to the US Craig!!

[kimlbs 0]

Okay...just added my photo album to the Yahoo site.....it was time for some updated photos........hve a great Friday everyone!!!!!

Ms. Squito.......Love the candy bar idea...first time I ever heard or saw it...what a great idea!!!!!

[Jonesie 1]

Keeping Love and Money Separate

Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2006

By: Michelle Singletary

WASHINGTON -- In Act II of George Bernard Shaw's ``Man and Superman,'' the character Violet says, ``You can be as romantic as you please about love, Hector; but you mustn't be romantic about money.'' Violet was cautioning Hector to keep quiet about their secret marriage lest he be disinherited by his wealthy father, who disapproved of her because she was not of the same social status as his son. While I certainly wouldn't condone such subterfuge, Violet's advice was right on the money.

I often find that some couples go to great lengths to complicate their financial lives in the name of romance. For example, here's a question I received during an online chat recently from a San Francisco woman:

``My fiance and I will be getting married this August and we plan to each keep one account separate (depositing 10 percent of our individual earnings each month or bimonthly). I know that you advocate the total combining of incomes in a marriage, but how else can we surprise each other with the occasional gift, birthday present without the other being tipped off by the online statement? We just wanted to know what you thought.'' I get this question quite a bit.

There is no need to set up separate accounts for gifts and possibly incur another set of banking fees. Even if the accounts come with no fees, why not just agree that when a birthday, Christmas, anniversary or whatever occasion comes around, you won't peek at the credit card statement online or when the bill comes in the mail? I've been married almost 15 years and we've always managed to surprise each other with gifts even though we have joint accounts.

But let me ask a question: What if your spouse does find out what you spent on a gift? Does it make the gift any less meaningful? Do you care because you're keeping score? Sometimes these separate ``gift'' accounts can cause tension. What if you're the frugal spouse and your gift account keeps growing because you don't buy as expensive of gifts as your better half does? Would you be willing to put the surplus funds in the joint account?

In a marriage, I think each person should have an allocated amount of money he or she can spend, no questions asked. No judgment. For example, let's say your husband or wife is a golfer. That's an expensive sport. As a result, you might agree that his or her monthly allowance might be several hundred dollars a month to cover the cost of playing. However, let's say your passion is reading and for the most part you don't have to spend much because you borrow your books from the library. If you don't really need the same amount as your spouse, then it's OK if your allowance is less.

It's not true that a marriage has got to always be a 50/50 partnership. Sometimes it's 80/20 or 10/90 or 0/100. The less money one spouse spends means more money left in the family till -- and that benefits everyone. Unfortunately, in today's marriages there is a #######-for-tat style of coupling. Far too many spouses are obsessed about making sure every expense or debt is split evenly or allocated according to each person's income. Here's a typical question I often get either from a husband or wife -- although the details are different, the basic complaint is the same:

``I have always prided myself on my monetary independence,'' the reader begins. ``I make a good living and only have small monthly (paid off each month) credit debt and a mortgage. However, I recently got married. When we got married, we moved to a new city. My condo is on the market, but not sold yet. We are renting an apartment in the new city. My husband is insisting that I pay 100 percent of my mortgage, and 50 percent of the rent and utilities. He makes only slightly less than what I do. Why am I shouldering 80 percent of the living costs? He is putting his money aside into savings, stocks and money market accounts. Am I wrong to be bothered?''

I would be more than bothered. This is more like a roommate situation than one in which two people agree to be lifetime mates. When you get married, it is not about you anymore. Mine becomes ours. Thus, the wife's mortgage becomes their family obligation. It doesn't matter that the husband isn't contractually obligated to help pay for the mortgage on the condo. He's not. But he's failing to realize something my husband says to me all the time: ``One of the beautiful things about being in a marriage is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. One plus one can equal more than two.''

Think about how much more this couple could achieve if they looked at their debts, savings and income as one. You want financial peace in your house? Accept that the day you get married is the day you stop being financially independent.

Listen to Michelle Singletary discuss personal finance every Tuesday on NPR's ``Day to Day.'' To hear her reports online go to www.npr.org. Readers can write to her c/o The Washington Post, 1150 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20071. Her e-mail address is singletarym@washpost.com. Comments and questions are welcome, but due to the volume of mail, personal responses may not be possible. Please also note comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer's name, unless a specific request to do otherwise is indicated.

© 2006, Washington Post Writers Group

Edited June 23, 2006 by Jonesie

[Ms Squitto 0]

Okay...just added my photo album to the Yahoo site.....it was time for some updated photos........hve a great Friday everyone!!!!!

Ms. Squito.......Love the candy bar idea...first time I ever heard or saw it...what a great idea!!!!!

Going to look now

[Sbys 0]

Hi Everyone - Hope you all are having a good Friday.

Welcome home Craig

Good luck job hunting Ann, you want to trade?? I would be happy to retire for you and you can go to work for me You'll be just fine at your AOS interview. AOS is nothing compared to Kingston, it will be quick and painless. What do you all have together so far?

[Ms Squitto 0]

Okay...just added my photo album to the Yahoo site.....it was time for some updated photos........hve a great Friday everyone!!!!!

Ms. Squito.......Love the candy bar idea...first time I ever heard or saw it...what a great idea!!!!!

Going to look now

Jamaica is soooooooooo beautiful!! The backdrop makes me wanna go to the Caribbean right now!! Thanks for sharing

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

Okay...just added my photo album to the Yahoo site.....it was time for some updated photos........hve a great Friday everyone!!!!!

Nice pics!!!

Okay...just added my photo album to the Yahoo site.....it was time for some updated photos........hve a great Friday everyone!!!!!

Ms. Squito.......Love the candy bar idea...first time I ever heard or saw it...what a great idea!!!!!

Going to look now

Jamaica is soooooooooo beautiful!! The backdrop makes me wanna go to the Caribbean right now!! Thanks for sharing

DITTO!!!

Whoa, it's completely dead in here today...wha gwaan???

I'm doing a candy buffet at my wedding next month and I was trying to figure out how to get icey mints in bulk...any ideas????

what kind? soft mints or the hard ones? what's icey?

they hard hard ones...

Try these wholesalers:

http://www.bulkfoods.com/hard_candies.asp

http://www.candydirect.com/search.php?acti...int&page=12

[AnnTaylor 0]

Happy Friday, you deadbeats!! Where are you people!!!??? Ok I am gonna go hang on fertility websites until you "skettels" wake up!! Just kidding...you know I you all.

Hey you are moving right along!

[Minfay 0]

Hey ladies. We are back from Cali in one piece.....just trying to catch up. I took one roll of pictures....my sister took some too. I don't have digital.....I thought she did, she uses film too. My camera will be dropped off tomorrow and I will ask for a disk. She will e:mail me pictures when she gets back home....PROMISE!!

WE GOT THE GREENCARD YESTERDAY!! I can't believe we're really truly done for 2 years. What a nice feeling.

I can't believe you are done for two years too.....Congratulations!! :dance: Remember what we were doing last year at this time? Seems like forever ago....

Popcorn - Congratulations on the AOS interview.

Saundra -- Congratulations!! So, how many wives does Dice plan on having? What a question to ask someone....

Squitto -- So sorry about the visitors visa. I truly believe it's being in the right place at the right time. I hope your congressman can help.

Elizabeth -- Are you all warm & fuzzy from your touch?

Rhonda -- Two words -- Hurricane Tony :lol:

Kim -- That sounds like the best birthday ever!!

Jill -- Sorry about the trailer. We were all planning on coming for a visit in July!!

Kelly -- How is Craig adjusting? Congratulations on finally getting him here!!

Ann -- Good luck at your interview next week.

For anyone I forgot -- I am very sorry!

Where's my girl Jamie????? I miss you!!

[woogietail 0]

Squitto - what is a candy buffet? I've never heard of that

It's something similar to this...

instead of giving out candy favors, you set it out for your guest to take from the candy bar

This really looks cute. I've never heard of that before

[luvtravlin 0]

Kelly -- How is Craig adjusting? Congratulations on finally getting him here!!

Craig is doing great !!! He's still "adjusting" to our surroundings at home.....like getting used to 2 cats and one is about 30 lbs (and sleeps at the end of my bed) and the other afraid of Craig. As I type, Craig is playing with the likkle one with a cat toy.

He just told me that he wants to make dinner tonight, so we're gonna go to his 1st "big" grocery store today (cause I haven't had any time to go shopping) and my son wants to go take him to Toys R Us.

Welcome back home...I love San Diego.

I'll be checking in with eveyone in a couple days.

[Jamaica to CT 0]

Kelly-glad to hear everyone's adjusting well. I'm always curious about newcomer's reactions and misconceptions about their new surroundings. So, for Craig and Kelly and those whose SO's have never been to the US before their visa was issued; what was the biggest misconception they had about the US?

Kelly do you have a wedding date set yet? Small or large wedding? I know that you mentioned in the past that your family probably will not be receptive to Craig (interracial marriage). Do you think they'll change their minds once you get married?

For everyone else with wedding/reception/ceremony plans in the works, how's it going?

Squito? Jax? Julie?

How are the mommies-to-be doing? Also new mommies Juliana (babyjules), Georgia(popcorn)?

Mindy how did Roy like San Diego?

Best wishes to Ann and Anthony on their upcoming interview next week!!

Dru; no recent touches?

For those who have finished with their journeys for the time being, and those who started but for various reasons were not able to get off the ground or complete (like me); please keep in touch and let us know how you're doing . As for me-things are looking up; for now ...will keep you posted.

Anna, how's your weight loss going? I was doing pretty good, then the move caused all this stress and the pounds mysteriously B) piled back on It'a a never ending battle

Have a good weekend everyone!!