Hey, Hip_chickie! First, I didn't know you could take the damn cage off! Wow. Cleaning would have been so much easier! Ok, this is what I remember.......it may or may not work for you. Do you see any type of switch or button that the safety cage trips when it's completely turned around so the mixer turns on? If so, you can duct tape it so that it is permanently tripped. Even worse, does the safety cage have something that sticks up to trip something that is somewhat "embedded" toward the back of the mixer? You'll have to find a way to stick something like a broken of skewer in there to trip the switch, then tape it in. I don't know what model you have. I went to the Thunderbird website and I found some phone numbers.......Texas Office: 1-866-7-MIXERS or 1-866-875-6868 or 1-866-451-1668. There's also some phone numbers for the Blaine, WA office too. Hope I've helped you somewhat! There MUST be some way to put the cage back on! I mean you got it off, so it must go back! Keep messing with it.....damn things anyway! Keep me posted.....I'd like to hear your outcome! Annie

Thanks for your prayers Alicia! Mom is doing slightly worse, but it's all under control. My brother is helping me out more, and I get a break every third week by having a professional caregiving company come in and take care of her. So......it's all good.

Thanks Alicia! Wow, when I did that in 2009 (seems like forever ago), I was under so much stress in my personal life, that I think it reflected on my performance.....not to mention the fact that I hadn't decorated in a long time previous to that. To say I was nervous was an understatement! In fact, that was the last cake I've decorated since then. Taking care of my Mom has taken all my time. Thanks for friending me on FB too! And regarding Kerry Vincent's hair accessory.....my god, it's stupid. :) Oh yeah, and I guess they've replaced Food Network Challenge with a show called Sugar Dome.....a harder and more ridiculous cake show. I really can't believe anyone would agree to do it. Ugh!

Aliens taking over D.C. may be a good thing actually. Sex scandals? They're so common it's becoming a major yawn-fest. Of course, if *I* were involved in a sex-scandal, you KNOW I'd post about it right away. :/ Sorry to disappoint, but I had to get this off my chest......oh.......wait.

Thanks for your kind words! I did make an appt for counseling and have been seeing a counselor for about a month now. We both agree that assisted living is probably best for mom right now. It's just getting her there that's the problem! She is just so adamant about staying in her house. It's going to be a tough battle.

Our Flair is the Custom Imperial RCIB-645-2. I do believe it's a 1962 model. I can't believe how long it's lasted, and for me, it's definitely worth holding on to.....it's my little workhorse, and an oven that was definitely way ahead of it's time!

Hey thanks for commenting! I appreciate your advice and I will take it to heart. I've been getting advice all over the place actually, and it's hard to know who has the right answer, you know? I do take what my trainer says with a grain of salt, but his advice had been working for me so far, so I'll stick with it (but I will have a hard boiled egg if I want it). He doesn't realize that as a pastry chef, I do have a certain knowledge about food that perhaps he doesn't. I do do some weight lifting at the gym with my trainer.....he makes sure strength training is part of my routine. Building more muscle is part of burning more calories, but I'm sure you know that! Thanks for all the site referrals....! I will check them out!

Thanks, Annster, your words mean a lot to me. Mom still refuses to go into assisted living, which I think is rather selfish, but I'm trying to keep her life as normal as possible for as long as possible. I think I'm sort of a martyr in a way, and nobody loves a martyr. I did go and join a gym so I would have something to do when I'm over there besides watching TV. I'm getting in shape now....9 lbs down, 50 to go........

Thanks for the kind words and motivation! In the beginning you need a lot of encouragement, it's easy to entertain the thought to just quit, especially when results aren't as "instant" as you'd like......but I will keep pressing on!