text:
Having decided to live in Bedford, against London, St Albans or Harpenden, I would just like to share the good things that this town has going for it. I am doing this because I really think that Bedford is somewhat of a secret at the moment and one that deserves to be shared and enjoyed by others.
The Telegraph recently declared Bedford a property hotspot for 2012, and, beyond the improved rail links that have just been announced, it is not difficult to get a sense of why when you know the finer details of this town.
It has many beautiful parks, a picturesque embankment along the River Ouse, it has good state and private education facilities, it is home to the Philarmonia Orchestra, who regularly host classical concerts, it is a market town with an excellent weekly market of good and fine food stuffs, it has an annual regatta, one of the biggest in the UK, it is seeped in history, it has an abundance of character houses, including many elegant Victorian terraces, and actually, in my experience, the people are very friendly and community minded. It is only thirty five minutes or so on the fast train into London. Just the other day, it only took me one hour and ten minutes to get from outside my door to Highbury tube station. The only down side is the town centre shopping area which really could be updated and replenished with new shops, which apparently is a priority of the Council and this is something that will only happen the more people move to the area and invest in it.
There are many nice areas to chose from (and, like anywhere else, some not so desirable). Perhaps the nicest area is Castle Road Area. This runs parallel to the embankment and Russell Park. All the houses are stunning, Victorian houses, (think Crouch End but without the prices) and there are many interesting local facilities, including a great tapas bar, a deli with fine wines and cheeses, etc, an Italian supermarket, an organic fruit and veg store, lovely coffee shops, a cupcake shop, a Waitrose that has opened five minutes away, and lovely salvage shops, great for finding interesting bits and bobs for the house. Another area that is full of character is Prime Ministers, it is next to the stunning Bedford Park, and is close to the train station, and has a couple of coffee shops, including a wonderful Italian delicatessen that makes the best Italian cakes ever!
Please visit for yourself and see. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Bedford is a much underrated town! At it's heart lays the beautiful Victorian embankment, adjacent to which lies Russell Park. Further down the river, you'll find the stunning Priory Country Park, acres and acres of meadows, lakes and woodland, just a mile and a half from the town center and fully open to the public free of charge, year round. There are many good pubs in Bedford if you avoid the high street- The Kings Arms, The Wellington, and The Devonshire Arms to name a few. In addition to this, resturants like 4, Eat Fish and Indiya offer sophisticated cuisine at reasonable prices. Despite difficulties in the last few years, the shopping aspect of Bedford is improving, with many independent shops, such as Charisma and Bamboo recently opening. There is a notorious night scene in Bedford with music on offer to suit most peoples tastes- rock, dance, indie, R'n'B etc, and being out and about in Bedford at night is far safer now than it once was. Bedford also offers several other parks, many cafes, several gyms and swimming pools, and athletics stadium, a fast train to London (40 mins), and ethnically is one of the most diverse towns in the country. The town also boasts a bi-annual river festival- one of the largest outdoor festivals in Europe.
I live in Bedford and have done my whole life apart from a few years in Birmingham when my parents divorced and my mum moved away.
I was born here and am a Bedfordian.
Bedford is approximately 50 miles north of London which is one of the things I do really like about the town, you can hop on a fast train and be there in 45 minutes.
Close city's are Milton Keynes and Cambridge.
According to the 2001 census Bedford population was 147,925.
The town has some nice areas of beauty, it has a large park with a pond it it and lots of space to relax, play games and also tennis courts and 2 playgrounds in it.
The river is lovely, its well kept and a great place to spend a summer day, its the best thing about the town.
The shops in Bedford are not very good and its not a fashion hot spot, it has the basic fashion retailers and Debenhams is the biggest department store in the town but it has a lot of cheap shops, more pubs on the high street than shops (or so it seems anyway) and it has no music shops in the town, yes none, if you want CD's or DVDS you have to go and get ripped off at W H Smiths or get it second hand at CEX.
If your young and like to go pubbing and clubbing there are a lot to choose from but if your more into theatres and concerts you will find a lack of good performances, it has the corn exchange where old artists, tribute acts and comedians play but no upcoming or famous artists.
There is one cinema but its very grubby inside, doesn't always show the latest films and is not easy to get too unless you drive.
Areas to avoid in the town are Queens Park and Midland Road, they are renowned for violence and drugs, Bedford does have a murder every few months or so and it always seems to happen in these areas.
Nicer areas to live are Putnoe, Brickhill and near the river and park.
Bedford is an ok town, I don't hate it but I don't love it and I would not recommend it to anyone who doesn't live here.
So.. Bedford. It is located near to Luton and Milton Keynes, around a 25 minute drive to each which is handy. The trains are also good connections with trains to London leaving every 15 minuted.
Shopping wise, Bedford is terrible perhaps the worst place to even attempt to shop! Even if we do have one or two decent shops, the chances of you finding anything in them that you want is impossible because they are all so small! The 'big' shops ( as in big names, not size) Bedford has is:
River Island, Next, Accesorize, Debenhams, M & S, BHS, Boots, Argos, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, New Look, Primark, several phone shops, TKMaxx, ELC, Wilkinsons. This is basically it. And once again the shops are mostly tiny!
There is quite good history behind the town of Bedford though and there is quite a lot to do with that. There is a place called the 'castle mound' which you can walk up and there is a free museum at the top of it. There is also a small art gallery.
The tourist info is quite handy, so if you are visiting pop in there and they will tell you what's going on.
This weekend we just had the River Festival which is HUGE in Bedford, it's over 2 days and there is a parade and several stages with lots of different things going on. There is also a fairground and a massive firework display and boat races, it's great fun!
Also, if you have kids, check out Bedford Butterfly Park and whipsinade zoo or Woburn Safari Park, I still have good memories from all those places!
A mad tour...... The Old Chapel on Mill Street, to become a restaurant/bar downstairs & a club upstairs. Lurke Street car park where two Bosnians decided to steal a fast car and drove it through the barriers and over the edge of the fifth floor to their death - it was an automatic... The Oasis beach pool - a chuffing big pyramid out of context with the other scenery ! Demolish It Now Building THE BUS STATION !! IT IS DISGUSTING AND DANGEROUS. Most of the town centre. Don't forget the car parks. Oasis, it's got terminal concrete cancer, sick building syndrome and bad feng shui. County Hall - it suits the councils mundane attitude & dead ideas. They just like spending our taxes on £150 a bottle Champagne dinners for themselves. what lovely people. Plaza Hmm - the County Council Offices near Kingsway because it is seriously fucked up in many many ways. Also the Plaza - for obvious reasons - not least the fact it is a seedy, nasty little dive that smelt like a kennel on the one occasion I dared to go there! County hall - what a testemony to tasteless concrete architecture The police station It's very grey and has lots of policement inside If you need to go there it takes ages to get served I don't think it's nice to stay there either The tower block at DeMontfort Uni Polhill. It's dated and too tall for the area, and also badly decorated inside. The Plaza, for reasons stated above. My house. Bedford College - bomb it! Burn it! Bury it! The Best Things The river's quite pretty with Swans, and the villages round and about are pleasant. Trains to London go very regularly so it's very easy to get out of Bedford, which is a good job as it's one of the dullest places I've ever had the misfortune to live in. Lidl - what a great supermarket. The Limehouse - what IS that all about? Also Bedford's's only 8 miles from Car
lton, where The Fox pub runs its legendary pub quiz every Thursday night. The music & the bars. It has potential to become quite a club & pub central town. But the council dont like it (even though it does attract people from MK & other areas) The people are great, and so is the atmosphere, just start talking to someonw and you'll make friends no probs! The diversity and lack of snobs - of course EVERYONE ignores all the little public school boys and girls who concentrate on nothing more than sipping Pimms down the Executive Club (sad place) while still unwrapping the car Daddy has just bought them for their 12th birthday ! Other than that though people in Bedford are great - we've got our psychos, weirdos, crackpots and mad people but everyone else seems to be geniune and nice - therefore avoid all places other than Esquires and the Hobgoblin. Maulden Wood where the bluebells in springtime do bloom the heart with gladness... Excellent music provision at all levels, good medical provision, easy to get to London, Oxford, and Cambridge. The Worst Things I've been told of so many "dodgy" areas in Bedford I don't know where to start. I've been approached by countless mobs of arseholes looking to cause trouble. The bus services are crap. The one way system is off another planet. And while there are a lot of very nice people in Bedford who are friendly, outgoing and only too pleased to help, I think they're in the minority. The centre of town seems permanently overrun with school kids in Kappa gear skiving off school to have a fag and piss about or look after their kids. The nightlife is limited, it's far too expensive for what it offers. All the shops are being shut down so it's not even like you can shop properly anymore and it's always messy. The attitude. It's not what you know or how hard you are, it's who you know in this town. Everyone is always trying t
o be better than everyone else. If you move here from other places it is a hard place to make friends because of loads of attitude which can make it really unfriendly. Don't look at people and don't smile at strangers on the street because they'll think you're being a bit funny with them. Trying to look different by the way you dress really stigmatises you here. Getting beaten shitless on a Saturday night, smell of rotting cabbages from September to November, losing your heart to 16 year old art students. Too many people trying to fill the baggy jeans with attitude.
Right from the outset of this opinion I'll state that I'm probably slightly biased. I was born and bred in Yorkshire and moved here, to Bedford, when I was 9 – 13yrs ago. Although many people boast about how great Bedford is I'm afraid it really doesn't impress me. For those of you who don't know Bedford is roughly 1hr north of London and sits at the end of the Bedford-Brighton railway line. It's a relatively old market town (although the Market is now almost no existent) and is probably best know as the town where John Bunyan was born, imprisoned and preached. It's know as 'Little Italy' because of the large numbers of Italians that live in the town (hence the abundance of Italian Restaurants and Pizza Places). They arrived here after the end of the Second World War to work in the London Brick Works, which is actually in Stewartby - just a few miles from Bedford. If you're looking for attractions that celebrate Bedfords interesting past you'll find they're sadly lacking. Firstly there's the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery which has a museum attached to it. This is located close to the center of town where the castle used to be. Unfortunately all that's left of the castle is the mound. The museum itself does have some interesting displays showing some of the local history; you only need to leave yourself half a day though as its not very big. Another museum to visit is the Moot Hall, this is a VERY small museum located next to Elstow Abbey (the church where John Bunyan preached) - there's nothing much left of the original abbey but the church and the Moot Hall are both well worth visiting. However, the bus service to Elstow is not very frequent so it's either a long walk or taxi. Sadly, these are really the only cultural places to visit in a town which has so much history. However, if you're into more 'Green' places to visit you'll fi
nd the Bedford Butterfly Park just a few miles north of Bedford. They house a reasonably large collection of Tropical Butterflies, have a Nature Reserve with a walk, and a very nice coffee shop. Again, the public transport to this attraction is extremely limited. Also along similar lines is the Priory Marina Nature Reserve. This a large reserve consisting mainly of lakes. These lakes were man made but offer a large variety of wildfowl and other interesting wildlife. There are several paths around the main lake and 'finger lakes' which are well worth exploring. This Park is situated to the East of the town center and has a Beefeater Restaurant which serves some very delectable food. Sadly, limited public transport is available although it is a very pleasant walk along the River Embankment to reach this Park. This really sums up the bulk of the main tourist attractions in Bedford. Once you've spent 2 days looking, and travelling, to these places you'll probably be a little peckish. Well, don't get too excited as Bedford doesn't offer many unusual or quaint places to eat. There's plenty of Pizza Places, Indian Takeaways, Chinese Takeaways, the usual MacDonalds, Burger King and Pizza Hut but sadly lacking in much else. If you're wanting a really nice meal out somewhere I would suggest the Barns Hotel and Restaurant, they quite pricey but really do provide some excellent cuisine. Accommodation in Bedford is also sadly lacking, there's the Swan Hotel, and the Moat Hotel both with pretty high star ratings, but then it's basically down to the small hotels and B and B's. The two hotels I mentioned are both located in the town center and lay on opposite sides of the river. Nightlife and entertainment are in a slightly better state than the hotels. There's Chicago's, The Plaza and Esquires all in the town center then Enigma situated slightly out of town at the Aspects Leisure Complex. Don
39;t get too excited about this complex there's Bowling, Cinema, Laser Quest, Enigma, a few restaurants and of course MacDonalds. There are however, plenty of good pubs around, there's loads scattered down the High Street just to start you off. On the whole safety wise it's not too bad although there are some areas which aren't very safe at night. My main advice would be to stick to the busy areas and stay in a group. Public Transport in Bedford is quite a joke at times. Although there is a good train service from London to Bedford the buses are a different story. At the present moment Bedford Bus station looks like something from a third world country - smelly, dirty, very few seats, and the toilets........don't even go there. The other major laughable element in Bedford is the shopping. Apart from the usual Boots, WH Smiths, Woolworth, Marks and Spencer etc, there really isn't much else. If you're staying in Bedford and want to go shopping I advise a 30min drive down the road to Milton Keynes, there you'll be able to spend a whole day shopping. I think if you tried to spend a whole day shopping in Bedford you'd go round all the shops at least 3 times. On whole though I suppose that Bedford isn't really too bad a place to visit although I really don't think its much of a 'tourist' town. Sure there are a few decent places to visit, but I think just a few days would be enough to cover the whole town - that it unless you want to check out ALL the pubs.
Bedford will now be bestowed with eternal infamy because of those lovely pictures on the front of the 'The Mirror'. We are not here to talk about this though, so let us get on with weighing up what Bedford has to offer for anyone looking to visit somewhere, or I though that I may help people via my opinion if they are deciding whether Bedford is a great place to live. I will start with the touristy bits, and I am going to try something new in this opinion, (run for cover) in that I am going to try little sub sections, something that I don't usually go in for. Let's see what damage it will cause then! History: Bedford is a historic market town. I always scoff when I read the signs that say this, but in this case it is actually true. Firstly there is a market, but more on that later! Secondly, Bedford is historic in the fact that we have a Duke of Bedford residing in Woburn Abbey, not so far away from Bedford, say around fifteen miles. This is a trip in itself as the safari park and the great house in all it's splendour are open for the public most of the year round. Woburn Abbey is a great stately home to visit for any tourists interested in that kind of thing as there is art, and other fine items to see in the house. You will probably have found Bedford or definitely some of the surrounding villages in the Doomsday Book so it is a historic town without a doubt. Believe it or not, there used to be a castle in Bedford almost slap-bang in the town centre. However, you cannot see this anymore as all that is left is the mound that it sat on, which the county have tried to make nice with a lot of different flowers, but it still doesn't look that great as it seems to be a haunt for the other side of society if you know what I mean. One other thing that will crop up in this opinion is the fact that the author of Pilgrims Progress, John Bunyan used to live in Bedford and there are a few places that may have had an influence on the book. Museums: As a historical town, Bedford has a fair few museums to commemorate different occasions. The Cecil Higgins museum is one that most people might like to visit, as it has a lot of art in it that is worth quite a lot of money. Owned by the Cecil Higgins trust, I am fairly sure that it is open all year round and you can enter for a princely sum. John Bunyan also has a museum in recognition of his life near the town centre. In case you don't know the story John Bunyan was not a religious conformist around the 1700's, and was put in jail in Bedford because of it. He wrote the epic book Pilgrims Progress whilst in Bedford jail. The museum chronicles this struggle through life that he had. Shopping: I will say it straight away. Shopping is not Bedford's strong point. There are a fair amount of shops around the Town centre in the indoor Harper Centre and also along Silver Street. You will find all the usual high street outlets like Marks and Spencers, (which pales in comparison with the one in Milton Keynes, an eighteen mile drive) Dixons, Boots etc. If you live in the Bedford area, you can definitely get by on the shopping facilities that Bedford has to offer, but the problem is that you often cannot find what you want. It is a normal town centre. It is not really a brilliant place to visit for it's shopping, and as I have said, Milton Keynes is not far away at all and offers infinitely better shopping potential. Nightlife: To be fair to Bedford, it does have quite a lot of Nightlife. It has three nightclubs for a start. These are 'The Plaza', which is rumoured, (I am seventeen remember) to be not one of the better nightclubs around. You do have 'Enigma' though, which is one of the best nightclubs in East Anglia apparently. I have been to an under-eighteen's night to 'Enigma' and it is certainly very nice in there, with a massive sound system, three different bars, seating areas and a
massive dancefloor. My brother, (who is alexsread on Dooyoo) tells me that it is not overly cheap to drink in there, although they apparently have a variety of drinks including spirits and cocktails. There is also a music club called 'Esquires' that I regularly visit which has live bands on that play punk and metal mainly. This club deals with the alternative scene as the dress code equals anything goes. Some really good bands have played there as well like Oasis a few years ago. There are also a plethora of pubs, as the high street is jam-packed with them. You could probably go in ten pubs on a pub crawl down the high street, and theme bars like 'Pitchers sports bar' and 'Yates' have nightclub style music and dancing, or for the conservative sports fan, a widescreen T.V complete with Sky. You cannot fail to have a decent time out on the town. Eateries: There are a lot of restaurants in Bedford as well that varies in food styles. You can obviously find a Macdonald's, Burger King and various chip shops that are open late if you what a nice bag of chips after a night out. There are some nicer restaurants though. 'The Barnes hotel' on the way out of town towards Sandy has a good Sunday roast deal, and going up to Goldington, you can find a Brewers Fayre eatery which serves good food. There are also various Italian restaurants, and even a restaurant that serves Mongolian foodstuffs, having a massive open cooker that the chefs use to cook your choice of food in front of your eyes! This is called the 'Sizzling wok', on 'Broadway', (not quite New York, but still) at the top of the High Street. This part of Bedford is excellent, as you can always find somewhere that suits your tastes. Hotels: There are quite a few hotels in Bedford that are of high quality. 'The Swan Hotel' is probably the pick of the bunch with three stars and two crowns from the tourist board. I am fairly sure it ha
s a resteraunt as well. 'The moat house' has the pick of location sat at the bottom of the River Bridge; (picturesque in itself) sat on the Embankment, (more in a minute). I think this hotel has three stars as well. Just don't expect anything like The Ritz! Other attractions: There are plenty of other attractions. The Embankment offers a lovely riverside walk, an area that looks great in the summer. There is also the Aspects complex that has a cinema; with multiple screens showing the latest films. It also holds the 'Enigma' nightclub, and also the ten pin bowling attraction called 'Megabowl' If you enjoy swimming you will be more than pleased as Robinson Pool offers a normal swimming pool complete with diving boards, and 'The Oasis' offers the attractions of a fun pool complete with slides and a rapids section. It also has a restaurant that serves a variety of snacks, and also the most outlandish design for a swimming pool, housed inside a massive corrugated metal pyramid that you cannot fail to miss. It certainly gives the skyline a bit of character! You will find golf courses just outside of the town, ranging in difficulty, so it is impossible not to find something to do if you are visiting. The thing about Bedford is that it is not exactly glamorous. It has its good points, but it also has its downers. The town for example is not exactly clean with graffiti all over the place and also and amazing litter problem. More to follow. What there is if you want to live in Bedford: There is plenty of housing to be had without a doubt. There are many projects around that are building more and more houses so you probably won't find it too difficult to find somewhere to live. However, with all town centres, prices of housing are high, especially as the price of a house has been booming of late. There are a number of out of town settlements popping up, which will probably offer cheaper housing though. If you have children, you will be more than interested in the state of the education system. Well the problem is that if you look at league tables, the schools don't appear to be doing too well. However, there are some public schools like Bedford Modern and Dame Alice, (a girl's school) which are exceptional educational facilities. There is also three De Monfort College campuses' around the town so the education service in Bedford certainly offers choice as to where you want your children to study. Transport links are excellent in Bedford. There is a competent bus service that runs all around the county at regular times during the day. You will also find that the rail links are very good as well, as Bedford is a main station on route to London and onto Brighton, so for commuters, this is a massive plus point, baring in mind that Bedford is only fifty miles away from the capital. Road links are also excellent with the M1 easily in reach so getting to places like Milton Keynes and Birmingham is not a round about trip. With its location, i.e. quite close to Birmingham, and very near to London, you probably won't find it much of a problem to get to your chosen destination. Do bear in mind though that the train station and especially the Bus station are horrible places that are dirty, and you do often get some rather bizarre people hanging around them. I will finish with healthcare. I am not entering this debate, so I will stop at saying that there is a hospital and numerous doctors' surgeries around. So as it is, you can see that Bedford has a lot of facilities and attractions to offer a person who wants to visit or live in Bedford. However, on too many occasions you have to question the quality of these attractions. Add to the fact that although the authorities have tried to clean the place up, you still get a lot of litter making the place look dirty, and to be honest the town does have some area's that y
ou are not advised to visit at night. This is the truth about the town and having lived three miles from the town for all my life, you have to trust what I tell you. This is an insider's view as it were. I thank you for reading my opinion, and I hope it was of some help to people looking for somewhere to visit. I welcome comments on the opinion as per usual.
Bedford hit the National headlines recently, with that horrific photograph of the bodies in the Hospital Chapel. The story ran all week and the Spotlight was most definitely turned on the historic County Town – for all the wrong reasons. But Bedford isn't all bad – honest! It has become and extremely cosmopolitan town with a large Italian community as well as areas like Queens Park, where Asian and West Indian ethnicities dominate. Add to this a Polish and Slav 'enclave' and a number of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, you can see that modern day Bedford definitely has an international flavour to it. This is reflected – as you might expect – in the Restaurants in the town. Whatever happened to the good old English Restaurant? Ah you say, did we have any? Well Bedford's culinary delights include a host of excellent Italian eateries, Greek Tavernas, plus a cornucopiea of Indian, Chinese and ethic establishments Without doubt, Bedford's most famous son is 17th Century Puritan preacher and author of 'Pilgrims Progess', John Bunyan. Born just outside the town boundary in the parish of Elstow, Bunyan served 12 years in Bedford Prison for his religious beliefs and teachings, during the reign of Charles II. The legacy of his work lives on throughout the world and in the Town today his name adorns the 'Bunyan Museum', 'Bunyan Meeting' church rooms and even the'Bunyan Sports Centre' bears his name. And with that seemless link, I give you – Bedford's Sporting heroes. The Sydney Olympics saw two of Bedford's finest come to the fore. Who can forget that fantastic rowing Gold medal won by our 'oarsome foursome' led by Super Sir Steve Redgrave? But wait, Bedford's own Tim Foster was a key member of the crew. A long time member of the Town's 'Star Club', Foster was in his second
Olympics, but this achievement eclipses any other in his career. And he's a nice, modest guy too. Athlete Paula Radcliffe just missed out on a 10000 metres medal – coming 4th in the final after leading most of the way. Paula – a member of Bedford & County Athletics Club and a former pupil at Sharnbrook Upper, north of the town – is established as Britain's top female distance runner. She recently signed up with Nike to the tune of a reputed £600,000 sponsorship package! Money has definitely dogged the town's Rugby club in recent seasons. Bedford RFC – the Blues - were one of the sport's 'juggernauts' during the 1970s, Their finest hour coming in 1975 when they lifted the Rugby Knock Out Cup (now the Tetley Bitter Cup), beating Rosslyn Park at Twickenham 28-12. With the advent of professional rugby, the club has been 'on the brink' since a disasterous takeover by Boxing promoter Frank Warren, followed by an even worse tenure in the hands of a Sports Management company almost saw the club out of business. Now in Division 2 and able to keep their heads above water, the 'Blues' are still in the top 15 or so top clubs in England. Giant killing was the name of the game for another of Bedford's sports club. The 'Eagles' - Bedford Town FC - made a habit of upsetting the odds during the 1950s and 60s. Defeating Norwich City, Watford, Brighton amongst others in the FA Cup, but they made the headlines when in 1955/6 they held the mighty Arsenal to a 2-2 draw and just went down 2-1 in the replay. The club folded in 1982 as their ground, The Eyrie' was sold. But a new club has risen from the ashes and continues to rise through the footballing 'pyramid'. Currently in Division One of the Ryman League and looking good bets for promotion, the new 'Eagles' could yet fly to heights not reached by their predecessors The town also b
oasts three highly regarded Public Schools in Bedford School itself, Dame Alice Harpur (for girls) and Bedford Modern. All of these schools produce top level academic results, plus a host of talented sports players. Both of the Boys public schools compete against the very best at Cricket and regularly provide players who go on to play senior Minor Counties level with Beds or progress to the First class game at neighbours Northanmptonshire. Add to this Bedford College and the de Montfort University campus (one of the top centres for P.E studies in this country), you can see this is also a place that the learned can thrive. The Town centre is attractive with the Great River Ouse running though it. Tree lined, the banks of the river can make an excellent summer's stroll or you could use your time in meandering through the town's many parks, enjoying the floral displays. If Shopping is your 'bag', then in Bedford it is plentiful. Maybe not quite as exciting as in the large mega Shopping Centres that abound in or outside the big cities. The Harpur Centre and surrounding areas, house the usual High Street names, Littlewoods, Woolworths, Marks & Spencers, Next etc, with the added attraction of a Market on both Wednesday and Saturdays. Specialist electrical, craft, photographic shops and boutiques can be found as you wander around the largely pedestrianised precinct. Plenty of watering holes too in the town centre area with the 'trendy' club bars like Yates', a huge Wetherspoons' aptly named the 'Pilgrims Progress', coffee bars and bistros just by the main shopping areas. Bedford is as thriving a town as there is in the area, housing around 150,000 people and a centre of industry and commerce for nearby Bucks, Cambs, Herts and Northants. As a centre to discover the area, Bedford would be an excellent choice. Cheaper to stay in that the likes of Cambridge, but just a
30 miles journey away from that legendary seat of learning. Plus the beautiful tranquil Bedfordshire countryside to discover. Loads of picture postcard villages and established tourist attractions like Woburn Abbey, Althrop House (Princess Diana's family home)and Luton Hoo all within easy reach. So like I said, Bedford is not all bad – far from it. Take a look.
I live in the county of Bedfordshire & although not in the county town of Bedford itself I occasionally visit. My main gripe with Bedford is that it needs to clean up its act. As it is the county town I think it has somewhat of a reputation to uphold and quite frankly, it is not doing that. There are nice parts to visit in the town, but there are too many parts that need cleaning up. Considering that it was being considered as a tourist town, the planners should be looking at what they can do to improve Bedford's image. At the moment, the main attractions such as the riverside etc., are being overshadowed by the dingier parts of the town that no-one likes to walk through after dark. Of course many, many towns and cities have this problem I realise, but if Bedford wants to be thought of as somewhere overseas visitors would like to put at the top of their list for visiting then it needs to get it's act together!


text:
Can a monk have money in a bank account as long they don't handle the money for the duration of ordination?
In the US, we have a retirement savings program called a 401(k) where you get to put tax free money into an investment account... the catch is that if you take the money out before retirement age you are penalized. So, if one were to have a 401(k) and decide to ordain, would you have to cash out the 401(k) and donate the money somewhere (taking the penalty), or can you leave the money alone and not handle it for the duration of ordination (this option leaves the money intact in case ordination does not pan out).

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I figure it would be cool to see what everyone says the best of would be. I'll add up all the entries next week and post the results.
Best Stable Driver:
Best Overstable Driver:
Best Stable Midrange:
Best Putt & Approach:
Best First Disc:
Best Beginner Driver:
Best Plastic:
Best Long Distance driver:


text:
BECOME A PREFERRED SUBSCRIBER+ Get 15% off Your Next Order
The BEST deals come to your inbox. Sign up for GEMPLER'S emails to get exclusive offers and first dibs on hot new products!
Time-tested salve is loaded with lanolin for fast-acting, soothing relief
Nothing keeps hands and feet soft and crack free better than Bag Balm®
For over 100 years Bag Balm® has helped to sooth cuts, scratches and rashes for a variety of animals ranging from cows and horses to sled dogs used in Admiral Byrds 1937 North Pole expedition. Although the label says its for animal use only, many farmers tell us nothing keeps their hands and feet soft and crack free better than Bag Balm®. This formula is loaded with lanolin and stays where its applied for fast-acting, soothing relief. Dont be fooled by other imitation brands. 10-oz. tin. USA made.


text:
NEWPORT BEACH – After being diagnosed with a tumor on her foot, Milagros Santiago could no longer work. As a single mother with three boys to feed, she knew that she was going to need help putting food on the table.
Swallowing her pride, Milagros turned to Share Our Selves, a Costa Mesa nonprofit that, among other services such as medical and dental care, provides a food bank for those in need. The organization relies on donations and volunteers to keep its shelves stocked.
And for food banks like Share Our Selves, food drives like Saturday's Stamp Out Hunger event help to keep those shelves stocked. Approximately 175,000 letter carriers nationwide collected food donations, left next to mailboxes by generous people who wanted to help keep people from going hungry. In Orange County, Second Harvest Food Bank receives the food from the letter carriers and distributes it to places like Share Our Selves.
In the wake of the nation's economic crisis, people are taking notice of the countless families suffering financial hardship, even those who had never struggled before. Case workers at Share Our Selves have even noticed a changing demographic needing help, from bankers to real estate agents. And for those like Santiago, just a little help goes a long way.
"It doesn't solve my problem," Santiago said. "But it definitely relieves it. I'm very grateful."
As Newport Beach letter carrier Eligah Allen picked up bags of food during the drive Saturday, he couldn't help but think about some of the people it would benefit. Allen, who has been with the postal service for 29 years, also works as the coordinator of the food drive out of the Newport Beach Post Office. Saturday's drive was the 21st of Allen's career.
"I really like knowing that all of this food is getting to people who need it," he said. "And this issue of people needing help has no face. Everyone needs help sometimes."
The annual drive is also a source of pride for carriers in branch 1100 of the National Association of Letter Carriers. As the second largest branch in the United States, with carriers from all of Orange County and parts of Riverside and Los Angeles Counties, Allen said that each year is friendly competition to bring in more food than the New York branch, which is the largest. Branch 1100 won last year, according to Allen, with 1,900 pounds of food having been collected in Newport Beach alone. But he also said that the real motivation is about more than bragging rights; it's about helping people like Santiago provide for their families.
Other letter carriers who work with Allen are also enthusiastic about the drive. Some, like Aliso Viejo resident Scott Gabel, go above and beyond during the one-day event, helping out in any way he can, Allen said.
"This is my favorite day of the year to come to work," Gabel said.
Gabel was out delivering mail as usual Saturday in the Corona del Mar area, but he was also hard at work picking up the blue bags of food next to the mailboxes, some of which can get fairly heavy with canned goods. But Gabel said that he doesn't mind the extra work, particularly when he gets to see residents like Dianne Manning go out of their way to donate food. Manning left a full bag of food in front of her Corona del Mar home Saturday for Gabel to pick up along his route.
"I'm glad to be able to do this," she said. "It's a really good cause."
As Saturday's mail delivery came to a close, the Newport Beach post office was humming with activity. Mail trucks, some filled to the brim with bags of donated food, pulled alongside dozens of volunteers and other letter carriers waiting with bins to bring the donations up to the loading dock, where it was loaded onto a semi-trailer from Second Harvest. Allen said he was impressed by the large turnout of volunteers this year, some of whom were students from Orange Coast College.
"It could be anyone who ends up needing help," said Elizabeth Evans, Share Our Selves Director of Marketing. "And without a safety net for those in need, we would have a less-healthy community."
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact the writer: Twitter: @earleyOC


text:
Pisces is one of the twelve astrological signs in the western zodiac.[1] Every year, the sun is in this sign from 19 February to 20 March, and those born during this period are considered Pisces (also called Pisceans).[1] They are generally characterised as being sensitive, kind, romantic, and imaginative, but also naively idealistic, secretive, and weak-willed.[2]
The Daily Prophet ran a horoscope for Pisces and the other signs of the zodiac in the horoscope section featured on its back page by 1995.[3]
Known Pisces
Individuals known to have been born under this sign include:
- 1 March — Ron Weasley[4]
- 9 March — Sybill Trelawney[5]
- 10 March — Remus Lupin[6]
- unknown date — Mafalda Hopkirk[7]
- unknown date — Eduardo Lima Filho[8]
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (mentioned in newspaper)
- The Making of Harry Potter (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Astrological sign on Wikipedia
- ↑ "Pisces" on Astrology-Online.com
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (see this image)
- ↑ 2001 Red Nose Day chat with J. K. Rowling
- ↑ Pottermore Official Twitter
- ↑ J. K. Rowling's Official Site - Birthday Calendar
- ↑ Harry Potter Film Wizardry (see this image)
- ↑ See this image.


text:
FELTON -- A young Felton woman paralyzed in a car accident on Mount Hermon Road more than three years ago died Saturday, creating a groundswell of sadness among her family and friends.
Alexandria "Allie" Ann Pomianowski, 23, died surrounded by family and friends, spending her last moments comforting loved ones, family members said. A celebration of her life is set for 4 p.m. Friday at the Portuguese Hall in Santa Cruz.
Pomianowski graduated from San Lorenzo Valley High School, where she excelled in soccer and track, and worked at a Scotts Valley preschool prior to the accident.
Pomianowski was paralyzed from the neck down on April 7, 2009. She had been driving a Mustang up Mount Hermon Road not far from Graham Hill Road when she lost control and struck a county-owned pickup heading in the opposite direction.
She was ejected from the car, suffering a severed artery in her neck and three broken vertebrae in her spine.
Pomianowski was attending Cabrillo College and working as a teacher's aide at Circle of Friends Preschool at the time of the accident. Many in the community rallied around her. More than 800 people attended one fundraiser at Scotts Valley Sports Center.
Stacey Botkin, owner of Circle of Friends Preschool where Pomianowski worked, organized one of the fundraisers. Botkin said Tuesday that several of Pomianowski's friends began working at the school after she started there.
She said the school will be closed Friday so they can attend the service.
"Allie was such an energetic, fun girl who was very well-loved by the children and the parents," Botkin said. "She was a sweetheart for sure. And she stayed part of our staff; she came to visit the kids and joined us for our Christmas party."
More than 60 people posted comments on a Facebook page with news of Pomianowski's death.
One woman wrote that Pomianowski's strength and love have been an inspiration to many in the valley.
"She was always such a bright-spirited little girl and became a bright, strong and self-confident young woman," one woman wrote. "Whether it was academics, sports, family or friends, Allie seemed to always give 100 percent."
Another friend said she will remember "that amazing, fun-loving girl I spent many years with from middle to high school, playing soccer and growing up. One of the sweetest girls I've ever known. She will be missed, but I know God is taking care of her."
Early posts on a blog by her mother, Deborah Herting, show the challenges the family faced the past few years.
"Allie's tie to life is about as fragile as it can be. In spite of that, she is meant to be here," Herting wrote in a 2009 post. "Yesterday, she practiced driving her wheelchair with the sip and puff. She did her best to have a positive attitude and smile and say thank you. Today she swallowed a tiny bit of yogurt; she got up in her chair twice for the first time; she smiled."
Herting was not available to comment Tuesday, but in another 2009 message, she said her daughter's loss and grief is so deep that there are times she feared she would start crying and never stop. She wrote that she worried that this pain would never go away, that her daughter wakes every morning to a body that will not move no matter how hard she tries, and that Allie cries.
Herting's last post was on May 10, 2012. She said Allie was doing well and that she was thankful for her daughter's health, while noting that she remained vulnerable.
In an update last January, Herting said Allie was spending her days playing Scrabble, using her laptop and enjoying visits from friends. She said Allie always appreciated a chance to go out or have friends over, and that it was great when she had something to look forward to.
On the downside, she wrote, it was impossible for her to avoid comparisons and not be saddened by things she misses due to "inaccessibility, time restrictions, special medical needs and people's fears."
Herting said Allie had weaned herself from nerve pain medication, but was still haunted by frequent nerve pain.
She spoke of "occasional scares," such as ventilator malfunctions and stubborn secretions that don't allow Allie to get a breath. Blood pressure drops that are accompanied by the all-too-familiar statements "Mom I can't see, I can't hear, I'm gonna pass out."
Her mother said she wouldn't say Allie was happy or content, but would say that she was adjusting. She said they were blessed with an amazing group of family and friends and that the challenges were too much to go through alone.
She concluded by asking people to remember Allie in their prayers and saying they would never give up believing Allie would again take her own breaths, feel the ground beneath her feet and be able to hug those she loves.
One woman addressed her Facebook post to Pomianowski, stating she had known her since she was a child.
"I hope now you're running free," she wrote.
Follow Sentinel reporter Cathy Kelly on Twitter at Twitter.com/cathykelly9
Alexandria 'Allie' Ann Pomianowksi
BORN: Dec. 21, 1989
DIED: Jan. 19, 2013
SURVIVORS: Parents Ron Pomianowski and Deborah Herting; sister Anjel Stevens; brothers Adam Pomianowski and Alonzo Stevens
EDUCATION: Graduate, San Lorenzo Valley High School, 2007; attended Sonoma State University, Cabrillo College
CAREER: Aide, Circle of Friends Preschool
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Played soccer for years and ran track in high school.
SERVICES: 4 p.m. Friday at Santa Cruz Portuguese Hall, 216 Evergreen St., Santa Cruz
CONTRIBUTIONS: Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, at www.christopherreeve.org, or by mail to 636 Morris Turnpike, Suite 3A, Short Hills, NJ 07078


text:
True. But let's suppose that he says something thoughtful? Since our expectations are so low, we might not remember to pay attention to him or what he has to say. Unnecessary flaming begets unnecessary trolling?
'); var yuipath = 'clientscript/yui'; var yuicombopath = ''; var remoteyui = false; } else // Load Rest of YUI remotely (where possible) { var yuipath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/2.9.0/build'; var yuicombopath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/combo'; var remoteyui = true; if (!yuicombopath) { document.write('
True. But let's suppose that he says something thoughtful? Since our expectations are so low, we might not remember to pay attention to him or what he has to say. Unnecessary flaming begets unnecessary trolling?
Why do the things that we treasure most, slip away in time
Till to the music we grow deaf, to God's beauty blind
Why do the things that connect us slowly pull us apart?
Till we fall away in our own darkness, a stranger to our own hearts
And life itself, rushing over me
Life itself, the wind in black elms,
Life itself in your heart and in your eyes, I can't make it without you
More just Hutch's ridiculous premise
Not really any "news" here, but it kind of reinforces what many of us already thought.AM ET
Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana is 3-13 during Kevin Wilson's tenure as head coach of the football program. Wilson, as a result, may have been considered on the hot seat. But, Wilson received a vote of confidence from Indiana's athletic director Fred Glass.
"We absolutely have the right guy and absolutely have the right staff," Glass told Terry Hutchens of the Indianapolis Star. "I gave him a seven-year contract and we're going to stick with him. For a variety of reasons, both voluntarily and involuntarily, we haven?t stuck with a football coach since Bill Mallory.
"Our goal was to find the right guy, give him the resources to be successful and then stick with him so we get the benefit of building something. And I absolutely believe we have the right guy in Kevin Wilson."
Glass' comments not only provide security for Wilson for the rest of this season; it also appears Wilson may be safe for upcoming seasons as well.
Indiana has Michigan State and Ohio State in consecutive weeks. Glass' vote of confidence coming before these two contests were surely intended to ward off the conversation before Indiana suffers two more losses in the heart of its Big Ten season.
Looks like IU and UK are looking at strong recruiting classes. I'll take a UK Championships on even years with IU taking the odd years.
Last edited by Darren35; 10-05-2012 at 06:44 PM.
Someone may have spiked my coffee this morning, but I really think IU is going to hang with Michigan State today and maybe even pull off the upset.
Can't start any better than that.
The thing that is baffling about IU is that we have had competent offenses for what over a decade now? And we've only been able to put a competent D on the field once out of those 10 years.
Not sure what that was about except for wasting a timeout
What is happening right now?
So Tre better start thinking about his ability to play WR
17 - 0 Hoosiers after one quarter. Think I'll have some more coffee.
Different quarter, different game.
IU offense suddenly springs back to life (just as I started drinking that 2nd cup of coffee - coincidence?)
One area where Coach Wilson is not lacking is guts. Nice onside kickoff.
I love the stones Wilson is showing. This is just fun to watch.
If we win today i will take back most of what i have said about wilson. Still contend we need to focus more on D
I think part of the problems with our defense is the lack of talent. We are picking it up there--I think Antonio Allen will be a huge boon to our secondary when he arrives on campus.
Even though we are up, I really don't think Coffman should be the QB starting. Would like to see Sudfeld in at QB after these last two drives went nowhere. We need to build on this cushion. And give our D a chance to rest.
A better drive, but Coffman went and made a bad decision/bad throw
Last edited by Mad-Mad-Mario; 10-06-2012 at 02:26 PM.
i don't know what is going on- am i really seeing some defensive pressure by the Hoosiers?
If we do lose this game Sudfeld better be the starter
Coffman has not been the problem. This is a very, very good defense he shredded in the first half. You can't honestly have expected they would let us continue to walk all over them. Your lack of patience with this team is alarming.


text:
So here we are, August. It's hot. Super hot. Record hot. My race schedule in July was almost exclusively criteriums – and I raced a bunch of them including an awesomely awesome bunch of fun in Chicago for Superweek and had a total blast with a really great bunch of people and made loads of new friends. Bike racing is great for that. Total strangers offering you a place to sleep. So fun. But, as I mentioned in a previous post, my last remaining goal of the season is Masters Road Nations. Time to adjust.
With that last, end of season road race looming large and my entry fee paid I've got to switch gears and after a month of short, fast and flat, I suddenly find myself faced with the need to be able to race longer distances and uphill.
Up to now, I've been working on accelerations, sprints, ability to go hard and fast quickly. Lots of sprint workouts. Now it's all hills, all the time. Eeek! The course in Bend is not super steep but it's a course that is going to require power to the pedals the whole time while going uphill and downhill. This is a wholly different skill set from crit racing. My short two hour weekend rides on non-racing days have crept back up to 3 and 4 hours. My weekday workouts have changed too. This week: one day of repeated long climbs in the saddle at a low cadence to build up climbing leg strength; the next day – short hard efforts 60 seconds seated, 30 seconds standing and accelerating to build some explosiveness on the hills (or in my case, hopefully improve my ability to to go with attacks when they come); then another day of long climbs above threshold with a higher cadence just to improve my overall climbing. Did I mention lots of climbing?
A funny aside: I've been riding with my friend Tracy Tolson (she of multiple national championship titles) we cheer ourselves up the hills on those bazillion degree, low cadence, leg strengthening days by telling ourselves that it's making us stronger as we've sweltered uphill. Tracy said, "it's so you can drop the hammer when you need to…" I said, "I don't think I have a hammer, it's more like a carpet mallet…" So watch out, I'm gonna drop the mallet on you one of these days….
My eating has changed too. All summer long I've been content to roll with 2-3 extra pounds because, in all honestly, at my ability level it's not going to make as much as a difference to my racing as smart training. And a cold beer on a hot day is awesome! But now I want to tighten things up just a little – if for no other reason than in my head I will climb better! I've added more protein to my diet – those longer, strengthening days tear down the muscles more and I need to rebuild. TVP is great source of non-meaty goodness for that and Bob's Red Mill TVP burgers are great and tasty especially in the heat when heavy foods really are not so fun. I've upped the fresh fruit and vegetable content even more and well, those delicious oatmeal cookies I love so much will have to wait until September. With the longer rides back on the schedule I am eating more but I want to make sure it's all quality, nutrient rich calories that make me feel fit and speedy not heavy and needing a nap. My friends gardens are bursting and I am the lucky beneficiary – fresh squashes, tomatoes, peppers especially – and I've been making some awesome whole wheat pastas with sauteed fresh vegetables too. I love this time of year!
Onward and upward (and upward and downward and upward…..)


text:
This game is so epic it needs its own thread so we don't keep clogging up the what game have you recently played thread.
If you have spoilers or possibly directions please be kind and use the "spoil" tag from the top.
Also please post cool story's and any glitches you might find.


text:
Re: Time for my experience and help
Thanks Julia.
cholangiocarcinoma.org :: Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Discussion Board
a resource for patients, friends, caregivers and loved ones.
You are not logged in. Please login or register.
|La fundación de colangiocarcinoma (CCF) ahora ofrece servicios de traducción en Español.
Por favor publique sus preguntas en Español y un intérprete le va responder.
Join our new Mentoring Program
A new discussion board experience is coming this September!
After 10 years, we're upgrading our discussion board to a new modern system. The new forum will be easier to use, mobile-friendly and loaded with new features! We'll be taking all of the existing posts and users over to the new board, you won't have to do anything. If you have any questions, we've started a thread here to discuss.
Thanks Julia.
Hi everybody;
Today the third round of quimiotherapy has been delayed until new appointment with the oncologist in 2 week due to they has checked something in the blood test. My mum doesn´t know explain me what nurse told her for the reason for the delay...any clue?
I´m a litle bit worry for this.
Sorry, Carlos, I cannot help with this but would suggest your call her Doctor. Can your Mom tell the Doctor to talk to you? Just a guess but perhaps her platelets were low. Someone in the family should really be assigned to get the same news that Mom gets. Best of luck on this.
Carlos.......delay of treatments occurs often for various reasons; at this point I would not worry too much. Breaks from Chemotherapy are somewhat the norm. Others may chime in and help ease your worries.
Hello everyone, sorry for not updating but so far no news.
As you know last summer(2012) my mother (78) knew that tumor was reproduced for the first time after surgery(30x30mm).Quickly taking Gemzar but earlier this year treatment stopped because the dodydefenses down .So, all this year is not taking any treatment. In recent CAT tumor is in the same size.The new scanner is scheduled for September.
So far my mother has a completely normal life after nearly four years of resection.
The issue is that for two weeks from now has begun to notice something swollen belly with some discomfort and a little more tired .This morning we went to GP doctor(about 1 hour) and he has been touching stomach, ankles and legs and asking different questions.. and finally told us don´t worry that they are stomach gases. I have to say tha this GP Doctor has all info from my mom Hospital history for the last 4 years.
For this forum I had thought it might be ascites, can we be unconcerned with this answer? Any advice?
Tahnks for your support;
Carlos....it is wonderful to hear from you. I would make an appointment with the oncologist as soon as possible in order to rule out ascities. You might also want to have your Mom take enzymes prior to her meals, but please ask physician first. Either way, I would not accept the answer from the GP without further investigating. Are you Mom's ankles swollen also?
Please keep us posted.
Hello Carlos! It is so awesome to see you again and I am so happy that your Mother has done so well up to this point. No questions about what you posted but I do not agree with the GP as he is not an Oncologist. I would also call the ONC immediately and tell him what is going on. I believe that once anyone has any kind of Cancer but especially CC they should not take anything for granted. Please call him and please let us know what happens. But it is also good to see you here.
Marions, Lainy, ankles and legs are OK, just stomach a litle bit with some disconfort. Regarding my mom, she is better this week than last week.
We have appointment with ONC on september 6th for a new CAT revision.
We are in public/state healthcare which there are a lot of people waiting for ONC appointment...
And tomorrow my parents will travel in a romantic trip for 3 weeks and they trust in GP.
I just had a discussion with my father about this issue and said to have been comfortable with GP checks and explanations and they want to make the trip.
I´m in a mess...
Oh, Carlos. One of the hardest things to do is to tell parents what they should be doing. Perhaps they don't want you to know how scared they really are and have decided to do this trip as something for your Dad to always remember. Not sure I am happy with this doctor but your parents are not going to change their minds. I do have one suggestion. I don't know where they are going but could your Dad at least take the name and number of a Doctor where they will be, just in case? I hope they have a wonderful time and you might as well try to relax about it as there is nothing you an do. I am sorry about this and I hope everything stays all right until they return!
Hi every one;
After a difficult summer and after a CAT scan where tumor was a little bit bigger, oncologist prescribed him xeloda pills.(2 cycles until now)
At this moment she is better, she sleeps and eats almost normal.
But the problem in the last weeks is that her ankles and legs are very swollen and hard.
Oncologist prescribed different pills but it didn´t work. When she is lying down she has their feet and legs elevated but without success too.
She has a new oncologist appointment for next wendnesday...what else can she do to avoid swollen?
Tanks in advance a regards;
The link below May help swollen legs and ankles.
http://www.cancer.net/all-about-cancer/ … -treatment
God bless.
Thanks PCL1029.
It is a little bit strange.
Swoollen issue began in the middle of August after a long trip.
At that time my mother had to have fatigue and ate not very much.
But the swelling increased or decreased depending on the day...
After September CAT scan and xeloda pills all change for the better except swelling that I think it is worse every week.
Any clue?
Carlos....medications can reduce the fluid build-up, as can a reduced sodium intake. It is of most importance that you speak with your Mom's physician. You would want to know the cause for her fluid build-up, whether Xeloda should be continued, and what your Mom's blood tests reveal.
Please keep us posted.
Hi Carlos! All I can say is certain prescriptions can make ankles swell. Sure hope you find an answer.
Carlos - I am with everyone else and be sure to talk to the doctor. There are lost of reasons for swelling like that. The number one thing you can do is to limit her salt intake....try not to cook with salt and don't salt the food after it is cooked. Also it helps to watch her weight very closely so you can tell the doctor exactly how much weight she had gained. I suggest a weight every morning and keeping a written record of it to show the doctor. There are medications that they can give to help with the water.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Thanks to all of you!!
As i said above, we have oncologist appointment next wednesday to check blood tests.I guess she will continue with xeloda.
Oncologist prescibed her some diuretic medication without succes in the last meeting was 3 weeks ago.
And I take into account salt issue, although I guess my mother will be difficult to convince.
Is your mother on furosemide or Aldactone?
Any other medications?
Since your mom has lymph nodes mets, it is common that swelling of the lower parts of the body and ascites to occur . Xeloda generally will not cause swelling
God bless.,
Dear Carlos, one of the hardest things in life is when children have to do a role reversal with parents. Sometimes you have to give a little tough love until they realize you have their best interests at heart. I know I have been there with a stubborn Mom and Dad. They actually listened to me after awhile and everything became so much easier. I can't take the credit for their longevity but they did make it to 93 and 94! Honestly I am not much better! I am 73 and my daughter is 51 and (shhhhh) I just agree with her then do what I want! I think it becomes kind of a game. Best of luck.
PCL1029, yes , at this moment Aldactone, one pill per day from one month ago more or less.
I´m not sure forusemida.
Oncologist prescribed her another diauretic in the last appointment 15 days ago(I guess forusemida) but just for 5 days consecutive and stop.
What is your opinion?
If it is required, the doctor can up the dose from 100mg to higher dosage.
She/he can also add a second diuretics such as furosemide 40 mg and can adjust the dose as well. Take them in the morning to avoid going to bathroom at night, if it is order twice daily, take the first one at 8-9am and the last dose around 5 pm.
you can also help by making her to put up her legs over a pillow or two when she is lying down to reduce the pressure to the legs. You may ask the doctor to see whether to wear compressive stocking may help or not. Ask the physical therapist to show your mom how to reduce pressure to the low extremities through physical therapy exercise.
Salt intake need to be under control too.and keep body hydrated as well. If your mom have other health problem such as cardiac illness, then the edema may not be solely caused by the cancer and additional medical specialties should be consult as well.
Sometimes edema can come and go or stay depending on conditions presented at that point in time.
God bless.
Thanks a lot PCL1029.
Hi everybody;
Today oncologist appointment.
Blood test are Ok. Then tomorrow she will begin the fourth cycle of xeloda during 15 days(6 pills per day) before a new CAT scan.
Regarding swelling of the lower parts of the body Oncologist prescibed now Aldactone 100 mg/per day and furosemide 20 mg/per day.
Regarding wear compressive stocking oncologist said that the swelling is too strong to wear it.
On the other hand tonigth for the first time my mother has complained of heartburn.
Thanks for the support;
Hi Carlos, perhaps one of the new Meds is upsetting her stomach but I would absolutely let her ONC know, he should aware of anything new! Good news on her LABs.
Carlos...probiotic and Creon ( pancrelipase) might help reduce your Mom's heartburn. Please discuss with physician. Congratulations on the good blood test results.
Hi everybody;
Nothing changes after 4 days with aldactone 100 mg and furosemide 20 mg regarding swelling.
it takes more time to see the effects?
The information expressed is not medical advice. The discussion boards are not intended to replace the services of a trained health professional or to be a substitute for the medical advice of physicians or other healthcare providers. Read the full disclaimer.


text:
Create your first Word 2013 document
Watch these videos to learn how to use Word 2013. Get started with the new version to see how to do everyday tasks.
Custom margins in Word 2013
Watch these tutorial videos to learn how to set a custom margin, and a default margin in Word 2013. Plus, learn how to change the margins of your headers and footers.
Introduction to Tables of Contents (TOCs)
You create a table of contents (TOC) by applying heading styles — for example, Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 — to the text that you want to include in the table of contents. Word 2013 searches for those headings and then inserts the table of contents into your document. Then you can automatically update your TOC if you make changes in your document.
Line spacing
Adjust the line spacing between text or paragraphs In Word 2013. Take this quick course to learn more, and then try it yourself.
Spell-check basics
All Office programs can check the spelling and grammar of your files. In Word 2013, click Review > Spelling & Grammar to get started.
Top tips for working in Word Online
Here are the top tips to help you get the most out of Word Online. Learn how to get started, save your work to OneDrive, add and review comments, edit, and print.
Track changes
Track changes records every edit without making anything permanent. You can move, copy, delete and insert text, change formatting, even change pictures and insert objects. And the person who sent you the document can see the changes you made and decide whether to accept or reject them. Or you can do the same when others make changes to your document.
Webinar: 5 things to raise your game to a college level
In college, there's a pervasive message that "you're not in high school anymore, so you better up your game." So we'll show you about sharing docs without thumb drives, how to avoid doing a bibliography by hand, and using free tools in Office Online.
Work with word counts in your document
Watch this video to learn how to track the word count in your document as you work. And if you need to print your document, learn how to insert and update the word count in to the body of your document.
Create labels
Take this course to learn how to print full pages of labels or a single label, and to use mail merge to create a sheet of address labels from your mailing list for mass mailings.
Creating an MLA paper with citations and a bibliography
Outline, MLA, format, citation, bibliography—there's a lot to know when you write a research paper. Watch these videos to get tips and templates to organize and format papers fast.
Footnotes in Word 2013
Insert footnotes on one page, change footnote location, convert footnotes to endnotes, change footnote number, and footnote formatting.
Make the switch to Word 2013
Watch these videos to make the switch to Word 2013. Get started with the new version to see how to do everyday tasks.
Mirror margins in Word 2013
Watch these tutorial videos to learn how to set mirror margins in Word 2013. Plus, learn how to customize page numbers and cover pages for your mirrored margins.
Resumes in Word
These videos show you how to create a smart looking resume with or without a template. We'll show how to quickly add your text to a template and a trick to save lots of time for those who don't want to use a template. Also, a bit about using words in your resume to get it discovered online.
Take tables of contents (TOCs) to the next level
In this course we'll go to the next level and create a custom automatic table of contents, and then add our own formatting.
Use landscape and portrait orientation
Change the orientation of your entire Word 2013 document or see how to use both portrait and landscape orientation in the same document.
Using Styles in Word
Watch these tutorial videos to learn how format your document using Quick Styles in Word 2013. We will also show you the benefits for using Quick Styles, like organizing a large document fast.
Webinar: Creating Forms in Word
Need a form fast? We'll show you how to grab a professional made template in Word, personalize it, even lock it down so folks can't monkey with the various fields.
Webinar: Tips for college papers
An outline, MLA, format, citation, bibliography—there's a lot to know when you write a research paper. We give college students tips and templates to organize and format fast in this webinar.
Working with watermarks
Watermarks are text or pictures that appear on the background of a document, typically on every page. You can use watermarks for a number of things, such as identification or branding (like a company logo), or simply as a design or decorative element.
Advanced mail merge
If you need to use mail merge a lot in your business, then this course is for you. Learn how to add formulas and conditional statements, and target recipients with field code.
Advanced tables of contents
In this course, we'll use some advanced techniques to create a custom TOC, in which you have complete control over the contents.
Collapsible headings
Collapsible headings can make it easier to read and quickly organize a document. When readers open the document, they can use the collapsed headings like a table of contents - choose the section they want to read and click the triangle next to it to expand it.
Mail merge
Use mail merge to create mass mailings that you individualize for each recipient. You can add individual elements to any part of a label, letter, envelope, or email, from the greeting to the entire document, even images. Word automatically fills in the fields with recipient information and generates all the individual documents. In this course we'll start with email, then move on to letters and envelopes.
Take mail merge to the next level
There's a lot more you can do with mail merge. You can import lists from other sources, like Microsoft Excel files, and take advantage of Excel's many tools for working with data and numbers. And customize your message to make it more personal to each recipient, or go all the way with personalization and insert text directly in each e-mail. Take this short course to learn more.
Check out training courses for the rest of the Office 2013 programs.


text:
Filgrastim (Neupogen®, G-CSF)
Pronounced: fil-GRA-stim
Classification: Colony Stimulating Factor
About Filgrastim (Neupogen®, G-CSF)
Filgrastim is a type of colony stimulating factor, which is a group of medications that stimulate the production and function of blood cells. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a protein naturally produced by the body to increase production of white blood cells. Filgrastim is a man-made version of G-CSF that stimulates white blood cell production, and in particular, neutrophil production. A neutrophil is a type of white blood cell that is responsible for fighting infection and is often decreased during cancer therapy. When the number of these cells drops below 1000/mm3, it is called neutropenia, which puts the patient at significant risk of infection. Filgrastim is used to prevent neutropenia related to cancer therapy. It may also be used to increase the number white blood cells prior to a stem cell collection for transplant.
How to Take Filgrastim
Filgrastim is most often given as a subcutaneous injection (SQ, given under the skin), but it can be given directly into a vein (intravenous, IV). It is given once a day, preferably at the same time of day, until the neutrophil count returns to normal. The actual dose is based on your body size and what you are taking it for and will be determined by your healthcare provider.
Storage and Handling
Filgrastim should be stored in the refrigerator and in the original carton to protect it from light. To lessen the sting of the injection, it should be taken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes ahead of time. Filgrastim should be started no sooner than 24 hours after completion of the chemotherapy dose.
Do not reuse single dose vials, syringes or needles. Do not throw the vials, syringes, or needles in the household trash. Dispose of all used needles and syringes in a puncture-proof disposable container with a lid. The FDA provides further information about the disposal of vials, syringes and needles.
Where do I get this medication?
Depending on your insurance coverage, filgrastim is available through specialty, retail, or mail order pharmacies. Your oncology team will work with your prescription drug plan to identify an in-network pharmacy for medication distribution.
Alternatively, this medication may be given in the doctor's office, clinic, or infusion suite. Where you receive it is often dependent on your insurance coverage.
Insurance Information
This medication may be covered under your prescription drug plan or your major medical insurance coverage. Patient assistance may be available to qualifying individuals without prescription drug coverage. Co-pay cards, which reduce the patient co-pay responsibility for eligible commercially (non-government sponsored) insured patients, are also available. Your care team can help you find these resources, if they are available.
Possible Side Effects of Filgrastim
There are a number of things you can do to manage the side effects of Filgrastim. Talk to your doctor or nurse about these recommendations. They can help you decide what will work best for you. These are some of the most common side effects:
Bone Pain
Filgrastim stimulates the bone marrow to produce many white blood cells, which can lead to pain in the bones. This pain is often felt in the bones of the thighs, hips, and upper arms. Your healthcare team may not want you to take acetaminophen (Tylenol™) because it can "mask" a fever, so talk to them about which pain relievers you can safely take.
Irritation or Burning at the Injection Site
Some people experience redness, swelling, or itching at the site of injection. This is usually temporary. The injection is known to sting or burn if given when it is cold. Take the medication out of the refrigerator 30 minutes ahead of time to allow it to come up to room temperature before administration. Rotate the sites that the injection is given, inject slowly, and/or numb the area with ice prior to giving the injection.
Allergic Reactions
In some cases, patients can have an allergic reaction to this medication. Signs of a reaction can include: shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, rash, flushing, swelling around the mouth or eyes, fast pulse, or sweating. If you notice any changes in how you feel after the injection, let your nurse know immediately.
Spleen Rupture
Filgrastim can cause your spleen to become enlarged and rupture. If you experience pain in the left upper stomach / abdominal area or left shoulder, contact your healthcare team or go to the emergency room immediately.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
This medication can cause a series lung program called acute respiratory distress syndrome. If you experience shortness of breath, fever, breathing trouble or a fast rate of breathing, contact your healthcare team or go to the emergency room.
Decreased Platelet Count (Thrombocytopenia)
Platelets help your blood clot, so when the count is low you are at a higher risk of bleeding. Let your doctor or nurse know if you have any excess bruising or bleeding, including nose bleeds, bleeding gums or blood in your urine or stool. Your care team will monitor your platelet count.
Sickle Cell Crisis
In patients with sickle cell anemia, filgrastim can cause a sickle cell crisis. Contact your healthcare team immediately if you have symptoms of a sickle cell crisis including pain and trouble breathing.
Capillary Leak Syndrome
Capillary leak syndrome is a potentially serious complication in which fluids from the veins and capillaries leak into the tissue outside the bloodstream. This results in low blood pressure and poor blood flow to the internal organs and can be life-threatening. You should get medical attention right away if you develop overall swelling/puffiness, swelling of the abdomen, decreased urination, trouble breathing, dizziness or feeling faint.
Other Side Effects
Let your care team know if you develop purple spots or redness on your skin as this can be a sign of an inflammation of your blood vessels (cutaneous vasculitis).
Some patients developed kidney problems on this medication, Let your care team know if you develop swelling in your face or ankles, blood in your urine, brown colored urine or a decrease in the amount of urine.


text:
The New Yankees have had discussions with the agent for free-agent catcher Russell Martin about his returning to the Bronx, the New York Daily News reported.
"We've had some initial conversations and they've expressed interest in bringing him back, but nothing substantial to date other than that," said Martin's agent, Matt Colleran, said, according to the newspaper. "The organization, he loves it, working with the staff, manager, coaches and players. It was all very positive. We'll see what happens as we move along here."
Martin, who will be 30 in February, and the Yankees reportedly were close to a multi-year contract extension before spring training 2012, but talks fell apart and he played out the final year of his contract for $7.5 million.
Martin's two seasons with the Yankees have been marked by high home-run output, but low batting averages. He had a career-best 21 homers in 2012, but batted only .211 with a .311 on-base percentage. In 2011, he had 18 homers while batting .237.
Martin, like most of the Yankees, struggled in this postseason, batting .161.
Colleran told the Daily News that other teams have expressed interest in Martin in a free-agent market that also includes catchers Mike Napoli and A.J. Pierzynski.
Not surprising, according to the Daily News, Martin is interested in staying with the Yankees, though the team still must re-sign closer Mariano Rivera at a hefty price and has a stated goal of saving on MLB's luxury tax penalties by getting their payroll below $189 million before 2014.
Colleran said Martin "is the kind of guy and player who embraces all the things New York has to offer and the rivalries, too. He's the type of guy who feeds off that, and that's good, especially for a catcher, a guy viewed as a leader. He doesn't really shy away from anything."


text:
Fatal Crash in McLean Area
Fairfax County Police Department
Public Information Office
4100 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, Va. 22030
703-246-2253. TTY 703-204-2264. Fax 703-246-4253
News Release: 2012-2620117/BW/(3)
September 18, 2012
Fatal Crash in McLean Area
McLean Police District – On Tuesday, September 18, around 12:18 p.m., police responded to a crash on Lewinsville Road.
Witnesses observed a 2011 Toyota Sienna heading eastbound on Lewinsville Road when the driver apparently lost control just prior to Swinks Mill Road. The Toyota struck a tree and rolled back onto the roadway, where it caught fire. An adult female was found deceased inside the charred vehicle.
Identification of the deceased will await the medical examiner's report. It is unknown if speed, alcohol or a medical condition were factors in the crash. Investigation continues.


text:
Welcome to Ray Skillman Auto Mall's website! We are a proud new Kia dealer, located near Carmel, Indiana. We service Carmel, Indiana for all individuals looking to buy or service a new Kia.
Ray Skillman Auto Mall carries a wide selection of new and used Kias near Carmel, Indiana. Using our website you can view our new Kia cars or used Kia cars.
Ray Skillman Auto Mall is proud to have an abundance of new and used Kias near Carmel. Our sales team is in a combined effort to make sure each and every one of our customers receives the customer service that they each deserve. When you walk in our used dealership near Carmel, you'll see the difference for yourself. We know you'll find the perfect used Kia or other brands in Carmel. So remember, when you are looking for a new or used Kia, Ray Skillman Auto Mall near Carmel, IN is the dealership for you! We look forward to seeing you here!
Ray Skillman Auto Mall is your premier choice to service your new Kia if you live near Carmel, IN. We have years of experience in servicing new Kias. Our expertise is one of the reasons our customers always come back for their Kia repair. Carmel has a large amount of options for you when it comes to Kia service near Carmel IN, but no one will give you the professional treatment and friendly atmosphere like we do at Ray Skillman Auto Mall.
When the time does come for you to order Kia parts, our used dealership in Carmel has the Kia parts for you! One of the most important aspects of a customer servicing dealership is making sure that you get what you want and what you need! Our parts department takes pride in knowing we carry a large amount of Kia parts at our used dealership near Carmel.
Ray Skillman Auto Mall is your top choice for a used dealer and is located in Indianapolis, IN and is just a short drive from Carmel, IN.
We want to wish a special thank you to some of our recent
customers in
Ray Skillman Westside Mitsubuishi Fast & Friendly Financing Specializing in customers with bankruptcies, repos, foreclosures, slow pays and bad credit. © Copyright 2015 Ray Skillman Westside Mitsubishi, All Rights Reserved.


text:
Opposites 22Logic puzzles require you to think. You will have to be logical in your reasoning.
In the following code, each symbol stands for one of five letters.
! stands for T, E, O, Z, or Y
? stands for F, G, A, Q, or I
# stands for N, I, W, A, or U
$ stands for T, E, N, I, or H
< stands for R, C, A, S, or B
* stands for I, D, E, U, or S
& stands for J, I, E, P, or K
^ stands for O, L, G, I, or H
> stands for L, S, N, C, or E
The nine letter code word, <$^&?*!#>, can be translated into two English words that are opposites. What are the two words?
AnswerReligious and Atheistic.
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
Or, just get a random brain teaser
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
Back to Top


text:
To provide the best EZlocal experience, find your hometown! EZlocal's city home pages contain local businesses, news, jobs and more. Start now by selecting your city or enter your zip code below.
Mount Pleasant IA, 52641
Wayland IA, 52654
Mt Pleasant IA, 52641
Are You a Small Business? Submit a Free Business Listing
Let's be Friends!


text:
A YOUNGSTER has raised more than £1,000 for the new children's hospice in Radcliffe by making and selling bracelets in school with the help of her friends.
Isobelle Skillin, aged 10, decided to raise money for Grace's Place after hearing about the charity, and because her own family have been touched by cancer.
She has created more than 500 of the colourful bracelets, and has sold them at school with the help of classmates, as well as through social media.
Interest in her project has grown and Isobelle, who is in Year Five at Bury Grammar, has seen her fundraising total rise.
Her mum Kelly, of Kingsbury Close, Brandlesholme, is also taking part in a Tough Mudder event in August in a team of five family members to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
When Isobelle found out she was too young to take part, she decided she wanted to fundraise in her own way.
Kelly said: "I am so proud that she has raised so much money, for such a good cause.
"Cancer has massively affected our family. I lost my dad to cancer and two of my friends were recently diagnosed with aggressive cancers.
"She wanted to raise some money as well, and she thought it would be good to help people her own age with serious illnesses."
Grace's Place, which will provide palliative and endof- life care for children living in Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton at the site of the former Bury Hospice in Dumers Lane, is set to open in the autumn.


text:
Come up here in February and play in the snow...I once had a round where we started with about 2" of snow on the ground 8 holes in we were up to 10" by the time we finished the 24 holes we had 14" of snow on the ground.
Frostbite and keeping your feet dry become your biggest concerns. But man is it a blast.


text:
Get an overview of this hotelSeattle-area hotel with free 24-hour airport shuttle
Popular property highlights
By Southcenter mall
This conveniently located hotel is 0.5 mile from SouthCenter Mall; 4 miles from Sea-Tac Airport; and within 15 miles of downtown Seattle, Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, and the Space Needle.
Airport transport
Ramada Tukwila Southcenter Hotel has a seasonal outdoor pool, hot tub, childrens pool, 24-hour business center, fitness room with sauna, complimentary train station pick up, and complimentary shuttle service to the airport, Southcenter Mall, and Tukwila Station.
Contemporary comfort
The 146 climate-controlled guestrooms at Ramada Tukwila Southcenter Hotel feature dark-wood furnishings with brass accents. Movie channels, weekday newspaper delivery, high-speed wired and wireless Internet access, and local phone calls are complimentary.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Ramada Tukwila Southcenter
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Located within 15 miles of downtown Seattle, Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and Seattle Center, the smoke-free Ramada Tukwila Southcenter Hotel overlooks the Green River, which winds through the suburbs south of Seattle. A seasonal outdoor pool, children's pool, and hot tub are bordered by a large sundeck with chairs. Adjacent to the pool, a fitness center offers cardiovascular equipment and universal weight machines and sauna.
There is a 24-hour business center and a lobby kiosk offers high-speed Internet access. Complimentary breakfast is served daily. The hotel provides complimentary airport transportation on request (available 24 hours a day).
- Children's pool
- Sauna
- Free airport transportation
- Concierge services
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Conference space
- Meeting rooms 3
- Multilingual staff
- 24-hour front desk
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Laundry facilities
- Elevator/lift
- Total number of rooms - 146
- Bar/lounge
- Free WiFi
- Number of floors - 3
- Restaurant
- Free self parking
- Long-term parking (surcharge)
- Conference space size (meters) - 287
- Free train station pickup
- 24-hour business center
- Smoke-free property
- Outdoor pool
- Outdoor seasonal pool
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Free breakfast
- Express check-out
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free area shuttle
- Number of meeting rooms - 4
- Conference space size (feet) - 3089
- RV, bus, truck parking
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Spa tub
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Children's pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Area shuttle (complimentary)
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Long-term parking (surcharge), Free self parking, RV, bus, truck parking
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Pay movies
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Free weekday newspaper
- Free local calls
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Premium bedding
- Phone
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Cribs/infant beds (surcharge)
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Digital TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- Pillowtop mattress
Where to Eat
A complimentary breakfast is served daily.
O'Beer Pub - This American sports bar is open daily from 4-10 PM.
Nearby Things to Do
- Golfing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails on site
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at 3 AM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! Children 18 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 10.00 per night.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available for USD 10.00 per night.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
- Deposit: USD 100.00 per stay
Optional extras
- Crib (infant bed) fee: USD 10.00 per night
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 10.00 per night
Hotel Name
- Ramada SeaTac Hotel
- Ramada SeaTac Hotel Tukwila Airport
- Ramada Tukwila SeaTac Airport
- Ramada Tukwila Southcenter Hotel
- Ramada Southcenter Hotel
- Ramada Tukwila Southcenter
- Ramada Southcenter
We should mention
The seasonal pool will be open from May to September. Children 18 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.


text:
'Nonetheless, the Sabres tied their New Balances tight and broke into a sprint at the sound of the starter's gun Friday night. They seemed intent on creating enough decent chances to puncture Ottawa's greatest potential weakness, rookie goaltender Ray Emery. They appeared undeterred by the pressure their approach would thrust upon their own rookie netminder, Ryan Miller.'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / Suddenly, speed demons are exorcised


text:
Coach Kelly Confident Bayhawks Have the Talent & Experience to Spring Upsets
ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Chesapeake Bayhawks find themselves in familiar territory heading into the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Sports Authority Championship Weekend presented by Warrior. Last season, Chesapeake entered the semifinals as the fourth seed with a 6-6 record and was the underdog against top-seeded Boston.
As former New York Yankees Hall of Fame baseball player Yogi Berra once famously stated: It's déjà vu all over again!
This season, Chesapeake is once again the fourth seed with a 6-6 record and matched up against top-seeded Boston, which captured its second straight regular season crown with a 9-3 mark. Head coach
Brendan Kelly senses a repeat of what happened in last year's semifinals when the Bayhawks stunned the Cannons, 13-9, at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
"We've been here before, and we know what it takes to get it done. The core group of players who led us to the championship last season are still our team leaders," Kelly said. "We have the talent, we have the experience, and we have the motivation. We have 20 who are excited to make another run at a title."
Chesapeake endured another up and down season – starting off hot, going through a tough stretch midway through the season, then winning the games it needed to in order to secure a playoff berth. Kelly believes the regular season becomes meaningless on Saturday in Annapolis.
"Being 6-6 or 9-3 doesn't mean a hill of beans at this point, as we saw last season," he said. "We've been building toward this all season. We have been evaluating our personnel and figuring out which combinations work best. We know the team we want to put out there on Saturday, we have the matchups we want, and we're ready to show again that we're the team to beat."
Boston swept Chesapeake during the regular season, winning 17-13 in Beantown and 17-10 in Naptown. The Cannons boast an explosive offense led by midfielder
Paul Rabil and attackman
Matt Poskay. Rabil, who was named MLL Most Valuable Player for the second time in three seasons, ranks second in the league with 49 points on 28 goals and 17 assists. Poskay, the 2010 Offensive Player of the Year, is tied for first in goals scored with 30.
Boston, which is averaging 15 goals per game, has plenty of additional firepower as four other players have totaled between 26 points or more. They are attackmen
Matt Quinzani (22, 10) and
Ryan Boyle (10, 19) along with midfielders
Brad Ross (19, 6) and
Kevin Buchanan (20, 5).
"We're doing a great job of sharing the ball and getting multiple guys involved with the offense," said Boston head coach
Bill Daye, whose squad is riding a three-game winning streak. "When we have seven or eight different scorers in a game, we are tough to stop."
Jordan Burke anchors a defense that has been equally strong, limiting three opponents to single-digit goals this season. Burke ranks first in the MLL with a .615 save percentage and second with 166 saves. In the last meeting between the teams, Boston hurt Chesapeake with its long stick midfield unit as
Brian Farrell,
P.T. Ricci and
Kyle Sweeney combined to produce seven points.
"Boston is a very talented team that beat up on us twice," Kelly conceded. "They are a strong transition team, and that is one thing we need to stop this weekend. Their long poles are very involved with the offense so we need to really focus on running from offense to defense and getting back in the hole. We need to play Bayhawks' tempo and not Cannons' tempo. That will be the difference in the game."
Offensively, Chesapeake has been led all season by the attack combination of
Danny Glading and
Ben Rubeor. The former University of Virginia teammates have shown great chemistry together with Glading ranking among the league leaders in scoring with 38 points on 23 goals and 15 assists and Rubeor also posting superb numbers with 17 goals and 10 assists.
Dan Hardyjoined the starting attack for the first time in the regular season finale against Denver and contributed two assists. Kelly and assistant coach
Dave Cottle liked what they saw and said Hardy will likely start on attack again on Saturday.
In order to spring the upset, Chesapeake must get more production out of a midfield unit that has not shot the ball well all season. Kelly is looking for veterans such as
Kyle Dixon and
Steven Brooks to step up and put away some perimeter shots to loosen up the defense.
Kelly would not publicly name his starting goalie as veteran
Chris Garrity and rookie
Brian Phipps have both played well at times this season. It would not be a surprise if the coaching staff went with Garrity, who missed much of this season with an injury but returned in time to make 14 saves in a crucial victory over Rochester that clinched a playoff berth for Chesapeake.
Garrity was a big reason why the Bayhawks captured the MLL championship last season, making 28 saves in the two playoff games against Boston and the Long Island Lizards. "Garrity is a championship goalie who has always performed well under pressure," Kelly said.
Kelly was encouraged by the way his young defense performed in the second half of the regular season finale against Denver.
Dan Hostetler held
Billy Bitter scoreless while
Bray Malphrus shut out
Drew Westervelt as the Bayhawks outscored the Outlaws 8-3 after intermission.
A key matchup will come at the faceoff spot where Chesapeake's
Alex Smith and Boston's
Chris Eck are two of the league's best. Smith once again led the MLL with 177 faceoff wins while Eck captured almost 60 percent (156-262) of his draws.
"Chesapeake is a well-coached team that has some great players on the roster," Daye said. "They are the defending champs so we certainly can't look past them. We have to look back on those two games during the regular season and emulate what we did in terms of game-planning and execution."
Chesapeake is a founding member of Major League Lacrosse and has captured three championships since 2001. Boston is the only original franchise still active that has not won an MLL title.
Bayhawks' 2012 season tickets can be purchased online at
www.thebayhawks.comor over the phone by calling the box office 866-99-HAWKS (42957). Reserve your seat today and see the Bayhawks battle at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium this summer.


text:
Maybe at Green Bay, it's in the water.
Running back Eddie Lacy was not practicing on Wednesday due to a "minor and precautionary situation."
Coach Mike McCarthy afterward said that Lacy has a hamstring issue, but that it does not appear that it will be a problem that lingers.
That Lacy isn't dealing with a major injury is a welcome relief for the Packers, who have been hit by injuries this offseason. Left tackle Bryan Bulaga has a torn ACL and league sources told ProFootballTalk.com that Dr. James Andrews has recommended surgery for Bulaga once the swelling in his knee subsides.
MORE: Training camp injuries piling up | Photos: NFL cheerleader gallery
Receiver Jordy Nelson will sit out the remainder of the preseason while he nurses an unspecified knee injury.
"Our hope is for Jordy to be ready for the season opener at San Francisco," McCarthy said.
As for Lacy, the Packers have hopes that he could emerge as the starting running back as soon as the season-opener. However, the rookie out of Alabama has also dealt with a toe injury. However, all indications are that when he has been on the field, he has looked good.
McCarthy earlier shot down suggestions that Lacy was overweight and out of shape.


text:
Hillary Scott Shares Adorable Photo of Her 'Girls'
Hillary Scott is a "new" mom in the sense that she gave birth to her first human child, daughter Eisele Kaye, in the summer. However, the Lady Antebellum singer has been a loud and proud dog mom for a while and she loves her fur babies Hobbs and Baker, who are male and female golden doodles. She shared an adorable photo of her girls Eisele and Baker bonding.


text:
I'm looking at playoff matchups. The Colts will get the winner of the 3-6 game while NE gets the winner of the 4-5 game.
Right now SD is the 3 seed and gets that if they win Sunday. They'd play either Tenn or Cleveland.
Pittsburgh is the 4 seed and would get Jacksonville.
I think SD takes this matchup while the other I'd call a toss. In either case, if I'm a Colts fan I'd MUCH rather face SD/Tenn/Cleveland than Pittsburgh/Jacksonville. Despite the Chargers late run I'm not real high on Rivers coming through when they need it and Tennessee & Cleveland both have big holes.
Pitt & Jacksonville are another story. I'd still favor the Colts, just like I would NE against either team but it's no walkover and it'll be a tough, physical game.