Pot Bellied Stove / Water Cooler

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  • arobed53
    arobed53 Posts: 2,004 Member
    Good morning. Week is speeding by. Enjoyed my day at home on Saturday. List doesn't get much shorter but it isn't gaining too much either. Went to a Senior Play, "Our Town" in the evening. Not a big crowd but the kids did a good job.

    Sunday was a full day and lots of fun. Sunday School went good. All the kids were there. Our family had fun eating pizza, celebrating 2 birthdays and then we packed 87 shoeboxes. Kids did a good job of fitting things in. And again, we learned some things for next year. We've never packed in the same place twice so that doesn't help the process either. We got done around 3 so had a little time at home before church in the evening. Heard from some missionaries working in Japan.

    Monday was 4-H Day. I did the calendar. Got all the "gift" sacks in a container. Gathered everything together that I needed and then did a few other things as I could. We got to the church (where we meet now), and I set up all the stuff to hand out. When Lori got there, we put the tablecloths on the tables, added the decorations and set up for the pizza. We had another new family visit who didn't understand so had eaten before but 37 ate. Had leftover pizza we sent home with people (but if a few more had come, we would have needed it). I brought the drinks home and we'll use them at 4-H next month. They'll get carried down to my basement today.

    Tuesday and Wednesday were the usual days. Good News Club on Tuesday. It was also Ralph's birthday so we went to McDonalds so he could have his McRib (and me too). Matthew and Julie met us there. We had a good time visiting and Julie showed Ralph how he could text on his phone. He sent me two texts - very sweet. I don't imagine he'll do it much but he knows he can. He's okay with people sending him texts though. We got the plastic shoeboxes they had and headed home. Wednesday I worked on the Echoes, dropped some things like blankets and eggs off to a friend, did a few things at home and then we went to church in the evening. I'll be staying in the kindergarten class. I mentioned maybe having something else to do and she said she would go with me. It's okay - she is enjoying it. Am home now. We'll see if I get done what I want. Last night we took 10 more shoeboxes we had packed with stuff from Lori back to here and got stuff to do 8 more. She said she's about done now. Paige was able to pack her box with almost all purple things which was fun for her.

    Supposed to have a record high today but the way it is blowing, I don't see it happening. Supposed to finally turn cold after that. Soybean harvest is done so Ralph was taking in the last load today. He didn't find much of a line either since so many are done so will be back by dinner.

    Isabella, so glad the damage to the car wasn't any worse and it didn't take long to fix. Sorry the taco shop wasn't so good after a nice concert. Oh my, don't think I'll start eating clams any time soon now. :) Do you get the Friday after Thanksgiving off?
    Yes, we do sell our eggs. Our local vet (wife I walk with) sells theirs and let me take mine. They make a little bit for doing it but I don't have to try and meet up with people then. And since I walk 3 days a week, there are easy times for me to take them there. Ralph is using the money for the books he buys to send overseas.
    Sure glad you mentioned Anew. Our posts were about the same time and I had missed hers that way.

    Anew, I hope you are feeling better. Having trouble breathing is not good and you had a lot to do while you were that way.

    Sheryl, glad to hear it was John's early rising that kept you from us. We get spoiled by you quickly. The plant sounds beautiful. Nice that you didn't have to replace all the doors. Glad Jack is okay but so sorry to hear about Gayle. The good thing is now they can get help for her hopefully. Wow, glad she was able to get in so quickly. Let us know what she learns when you hear please.

    Guess I'll start loading up the recycling so I can head in shortly after 10. The cardboard part especially fills up quickly.
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Good Morning. Huge dilemma with Mom, Norma is so concerned that she wants a second opinion and wants Mom to come up here with me for a month or more so I can evaluate her state of mind. At first, I was all for it, to completely back up Norma's position, but after a couple emails from friends of Mom's, they say we can not change Mom. If she is content just sitting in her apartment and not participating in any activities, we should let her. How can we change her at this point anyway? I'm still all for presenting this option to Mom, but not forcing her to come here. But, at the same time, this is taking a huge toll on Norma. I'm trying to figure out a way for me to go down there for a little while to help out, but I don't know what to do with John. I also know, from experience with John's Mom, that moving an older person with ailments only deteriorates the situation. Mom may never recover from being forced to move against her will. Please pray that we come up with a solution to make everyone happy. And, especially pray that Norma can remain sane, Mom really knows how to push her buttons.

    On a lighter note, the llamas are so cute in the mornings, they do their best to lay on dryer ground. Just about the only option is the walkway from the house to the barn. So, they line up and lay down...

    y3i7z3kh740v.jpg

    I'll head out and give them some hay.
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    edited November 2016
    Hi everyone.

    On Veteran's Day Dad wanted to go to Sizzler (free meal for Vets), so I took him out for lunch there. They gave him a signed "Thank You For Your Service" card during the meal. Didn't do much else that day. Just puttered around the house.

    Other than grocery shopping, I pretty much just stayed home all weekend. Got some light house cleaning done, laundry, weekly cooking, watched a couple movies that I've had saved on the DVR forever, etc. I also gave my cat Simon a really good brushing. I neglected that for too long, because I wound up brushing out enough hair to make another cat!

    Saturday evening when I was closing windows in the house when night fell, I tripped over the leg of Dad's chair in his office and took a fall (what's new with me?!) This time I hit my head on the side of the computer table and have a bruise on my temple now. I also have some bruising on neck and on my right shoulder. Still living up to my clumsy reputation. Luckily I was alone in the house when this happened (Dad was out walking Cisco) and the only witness to my indignity was the cat!

    Work continues to be really busy. Getting a lot done though. Yesterday I had to move to another work area because this morning they started the final phase of the electrical upgrades. I should be able to return to my desk next Wednesday. The temporary desk I'm now in is actually my old desk, where I worked for about 10 years. It kind of feels like I'm home again! I miss this location. It's quieter here (no staff on phones anywhere near this location).

    On the way home from work yesterday I stopped at Chick-Fil-A and got Dad and I their chicken deluxe sandwich and a side salad. We've both been wanting to try them. He really liked the sandwich. For me it was just meh. After checking out the nutritional information online (after we already ate!), we both decided it was no where near worth that amount of sodium for one sandwich. The service there is great though. They really make the effort to welcome their customers.
    xu999m63rjlp.jpg

    On the flip side of good service, on Monday I stopped at Subway on the way home from work (I had a two-for-one coupon about to expire) and the young lady manning the counter there was just awful. She was one of those speed-talkers and it was almost impossible to understand her, she didn't know what I was talking about when I asked for the sandwich they've been advertising and that was pictured on their window outside, and the whole time I was there she kept looking over me at the outside, and then when a car pulled up she just left me hanging and walked out to that car (sauntered back in a few minutes later). Ugh.

    And...a couple of us here at work decided to step away from the office and go to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch (obviously I've been going out for meals too much lately!). This was my first time at a Cheesecake Factory (I didn't even know we had one around here, and expected them to be dressed like Penny from the Big Bang Theory...which they weren't of course). Really nicely decorated restaurant. My meal was good, and even better, reasonably priced. I ordered (off their lower calorie menu) the Asian chicken lettuce tacos (butter lettuce instead of tortillas). Kind of messy, but really tasty. We also ordered one piece of their chocolate hazelnut nutella crunch cheesecake and split it between us. Really decadent and yummy. If I had eaten a whole piece of that cheesecake, they would have had to roll me back to the office!

    Earlier this morning Dad was to take Cisco to the vet for his bi-monthly anal gland expressing and toenail clipping. I'm sure Cisco was jumping for joy getting to go somewhere in the car, but was bummed when they walked into the vets office.

    Dad is trying a new dog bowl out on Cisco now...in our ongoing efforts to get that dog to eat his dog food happily! The bowl sits on a little stand that is level with the dog, and has four separate compartments in it. Apparently that is supposed to give the dog a choice and make it a bit more interesting. So far, so good. Cisco works on one compartment at a time. He might just like it because its something new, but time will tell.

    This morning my Ipod Shuffle died. I've had that thing for so many years now. It's a very small and light little device that holds a ton of music. Dad and I are going to look around the house this weekend to see if we can find Mom's Shuffle. If I can't find it, I'll probably go ahead and buy myself a new one. I use it a lot at work.

    Debora, that so nice of you all helping out your friend's daughter-in-law, but then again, when aren't you nice?! I hope she gets some relief. Did you like Panera's chili? I tried it once and found it too salty for my taste.

    Sheryl, that's too funny about John's popsicle collection! I hope the weather clears soon for you so your handyman can reschedule. Since the last significant rain a few weeks ok, we haven't had much of anything, but they say we are supposed to get rain tomorrow (probably when I'm out and about running my weekend errands). Your garage doors looks great! It sounds like Jack and Gayla have been through the ringer, but great that they've received diagnoses.

    Isabella, $1360 is pretty cha-ching. Sorry you guys have to deal with that. I'm with you on the clam excrement. Plant eaters or not, I'm just saying no to excrement! I just can't do clam, even the excrement-free kind. The taste of anything that lived in a shell has just never sat well with me. Your casserole that has lentils and beans and veggies sounds intriguing. How was it? Do you want to share the recipe?

    Well, I guess I'd better close and get back to work. I have a feeling the commute home will be bad. Lots of people will probably be on the road leaving town for the upcoming holiday. That's usually the way it is around here on the Friday afternoon before the week of Thanksgiving. Have a nice weekend everyone.
  • anewstart22
    anewstart22 Posts: 885 Member
    Good early am everyone. I can't sleep again, I try though. I am breathing better now and still have some more healing to do. I do get winded easily when I have to walk from my truck to inside the store and such, but it is much better than it was before.

    My recheck at the Dr. office wasn't so good. I had offered up the blood work she wanted done when I went to see her to be a complete testing, because I was fasting. I am back to not eating again and I have gained so much weight now, aye aye aye. Anyway, my complete blood work came back with my blood sugars fine, and my cholesterol is fine. My Vitamin D is very low again and she put me on 50,000 units once per week for three months. That won't do anything for me, I have all my life been low on Vitamin D and Iron. She told me to keep taking the diuretic as well.

    She also told me that I have an overactive thyroid (which I have never had a problem with before) and I am going for a sonogram on that next week. My blood pressure is back up again, although it had been back down to 120/98 in August. It is now about 139/88 (taken last appt and this one), so she gave me lisinopril once per day. She also told me that I have possible congestive heart failure, she did an EKG in the office. I don't know the results of that yet and I will have to see a cardiologist. I don't think there was anything to worry about or she wouldn't have let me leave there. I will also be referred to an Endocrinologist.

    Fun times over here, I am hoping that things work out well and that these are just abnormalities in my blood that were not expected.

    I've been reading but not joining. Sorry, I just have too much on my mind right now. Have a great day everyone. :smile:
  • isyvanek
    isyvanek Posts: 1,039 Member
    edited November 2016
    Hi everyone, it has been a very mellow enjoyable day. We lounged a bit longer in bed, lazed around a bit more at the computer, had a leisurely breakfast, then went to Trader Joe's so we won't have to go tomorrow. Dan doesn't want to go to Thanksgiving with the couple that invited us so I bought the stuff for us today. I don't feel like cooking a turkey so I ended up buying an already cooked turkey breast with gravy at Trader Joe's. It wasn't cheap but you always pay for convenience. I hope it is good. I also plan to make mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. I may make some stuffing at a later date. I also bought a package of pesto Genovese chicken for tonight. I plan to serve it over spaghetti. I'll let you know how it is. The cooler weather is finally here so we switched to our winter blanket on the bed. I did manage to get a couple of loads of laundry done since I wanted to wash the summer blanket before I put it away.

    Most of you probably aren't aware that one of the many propositions that got passed here in California is a ban on plastic grocery bags. Shoppers will now be charged 10 cents per bag if they do not bring their own. I find it very interesting (and a tad crazy) that out of the many propositions that passed, not to mention the insane election, that the people at work and on our neighborhood site all want to discuss and complain about this new bag charge!

    Sheryl, very nice that the big drive thru doors did not need to be replaced and that the minor adjustments has them running smoothly. Glad to hear that Jack's issue will probably be resolved with PT. Very sorry to hear that Gayla's back issues are serious. Hopefully they can help the pain without doing surgery. The plant that you all chipped in on sounds beautiful. Good choice. Too funny about the llamas all lining up to lay on the side walk. Whatever works, right? :) I don't blame you about not wanting to post when John is looking over your shoulder. I don't really feel comfortable when Dan (or anyone else for that matter) is looking over my shoulder while I type either. It is distracting to say the least. That is quite a dilemma about your mom. I don't think there is an easy answer. I understand that you want to support Norma but I don't know if having your mom come there would change how things go when she is home. I guess you could ask her if she wants to come stay with you for a while then take it from there?

    Debora, happy birthday to Ralph! It is great that you can sell the eggs and Ralph can use the money to buy the books he sends. A little "mad money" is always a good thing. Our company is open the day after Thanksgiving. I am taking a vacation day and taking it off anyway as are most of the people in my office. You mention packing shoeboxes. Are you packing them for Operation Christmas Child? My church does shoeboxes for them every year. It is a great cause.

    Marcie, I can't believe you fell again!!! Glad you're OK. A bruise to the temple could have been serious. Neat that your temporary desk at work is your old station so it feels like home. Enjoy it while you can. :) Dan and I treat ourselves to fast food so seldom that we haven't thought much about the sodium. I like the spicy chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A. Dan gets the regular. We only go when they send us a coupon for a free sandwich which is probably a couple of times a year. I can't believe the gal at the Subway walked away from you right in the middle of waiting on you. No work ethic!!! I've heard good things about Cheesecake Factory but we've never gone because the wait to get in is usually very long and we don't like to wait when there are so many other places to choose from. This is another restaurant where you don't want to look up the fat and sodium of most of their dishes. ;) Did you find your mom's Ipod? The lentil and bean casserole was tasty but Dan felt that it needed to set for awhile so the flavors mingle more. He also thought it "needs something" so I plan to mix in some rice and hot Italian chicken sausage when I serve it again tomorrow. I'll post the recipe in the recipe thread. Let me know if you make it.

    Anew, wow, so many issues these days. So sorry to hear it. I will keep you in my prayers. You have to try to eat. Dan tried the lisinopril when he first went on BP meds but had side effects so they put him on losartan which works much better with no side effects so if you have any issues with the lisinopril you might want to ask your doc about losartan. I will definitely be keeping you in my prayers. Please keep us posted when you can.

    Well, I'm off to go make dinner and get ready to laze around some more in front of the TV. Tough life! ;) Have a great week everyone!
  • arobed53
    arobed53 Posts: 2,004 Member
    Got the recycling in - the containers weren't very full at all which was nice. Had the rest of the day at home until Bible study which I always like. I baked bread again (3 loaves) - same recipe as last time but these turned out better. Friday Ralph and went to town after I walked and did my errands. I got most of what I needed for Thanksgiving and Sunday but will have a second chance if I go with my sister to her appointment. I finished up the last 8 shoeboxes filled up and then we went to Thomas' play - Everything I Wanted to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. They did a good job. Even with his hearing air, Ralph couldn't hear much and he didn't know what was happening so her stayed out with Maggie during the second half.

    Today I had the whole day at home except for going to a visitation of a guy from the area. I got things straightened for tomorrow, cleaned up some buildup in the front stool so it flushes better. The living room and office have gotten a better cleaning for Thanksgiving. We'll see how much more gets done. And what doesn't I'll finish up afterwards. There are still more layers but some things look better to me. I'm sure no one else will notice. Tomorrow it will just be Alan's and my sister for dinner. I was hungry for lasagna so that's what we're having. Dessert will be an Edward's Turtle Pie that a friend gave us have borrowing our coops. We finally had our first hard freeze. It was 22 when I got up this morning. Not windy like yesterday so still didn't feel bad this afternoon when it was in the 40s.

    Sheryl, what a dilemma with your mom. Does Norma have to go and check on her a lot? Would she be willing to go do things with you? Would it be a good thing for John? Is it bad to just stay in her place? Just some random thoughts. I'm sure it would be better to be more involved but... Is she eating okay. If you got away it would only be for a few days. I will pray for wisdom for you and Norma. And feel free to vent here.
    I love the picture of the llamas. So cute.

    Marcie, a weekend at home sounds nice after a busy workweek. I'm so sorry you fell again. Very thankful you were not hurt worse. Falls happen so quickly. Nice that your move was to a familiar place. Enjoy it while you are there. Chick-Fil-A is our "expensive" place to eat. We just get the regular meal but we both enjoy it and I love their waffle fries. I don't look at the sodium but figure I don't use a lot at home so.... That was rotten service at Subway. Wow. Never been to Cheesecake Factory but you made it sound good. Sharing the dessert was a good idea. Interesting on the new dog food bowl. Hope it continues to work. Sad about your Ipod Shuffle. I use an Ipod for the first time last week when we went to the Compassion Tour.

    Anew, I'm glad you are feeling better. Don't overdo so you keep healing. Yay on the good blood sugars and cholesterol. Bummer on all the other things going on. Supposedly I'm supposed to have congestive heart failure but I'm okay so far. I take lisinopril (10 mg) and it doesn't give me any problems. Please keep us posted on what you learn and try to eat.

    Isabella, sounds like you had a nice relaxing day. The cooked turkey breast sounds like a good choice. I got out hams although my nephew-in-law is smoking a turkey breast so we'll have some turkey too this year. Interesting on the plastic bag proposition. There would be much to talk about - ha. I still go ahead and use the plastic bags and send them on to the thrift store.
    Yes, the shoeboxes are for Operation Christmas Child. We all like to do them but Lori has really taken them on - works on finding deal all year round. Our church will collect them this Sunday and then the person in charge will take them in. Lori is looking forward to working in the processing center again.

    It's time to head for bed. Take care everyone.
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    Hi all.

    Didnt do much today. Got my grocery shopping done after work yesterday, so just stayed home today. Just finished the laundry, so that is out of the way now. Will get the weekly cooking done tomorrow. Thinking about making Isabella's lentil casserole. I think I have all the ingredients.

    We've had a steady light rain going all day today. They say it will be rainy until next weekend. I'm going to have a soggy, unhappy dog!

    Tonight I made Dad and I egg sandwiches for dinner with a side of sliced tomatoes and some of my homemade sprouts. Nothing fancy, but really good. Later we had some popcorn. We went months without popcorn, but are in the mood for it again

    Sheryl, I missed that picture of your llamas. They are just so pretty! Sorry about what's going on with your Mom right now. Hope all works out okay.

    Anew, I'm sorry to hear about all the health issues you are dealing with. I'm glad you popped in though to let us know how you are. Sending many healing thoughts your way.

    Isabella, the turkey breast sounds like a good plan for Thanksgiving. The ban on plastic bags has been something we up here have already dealt with. Really no biggie. Most of the stores have a thicker bio-degradable bag available now (10 cents each) for those that still want a plastic bag. I've gotton used to carrying in my cloth bags. I do have to watch them bag though. They tend to overfill them to the point where they are too heavy to carry,

    Debora, I do love those Edwards Turtle Pies! I'll bet you will have a housefull on Thanksgiving!

    Well, I think it's about time to turn in. Night everyone.





  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    Just something to smile at...

  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    edited November 2016
    Good Morning...thanks Marcie, Dear Kitten is just what I needed this morning to get me into a great mood for the rest of the day. I laughed, I chuckled, I related, there is still a smile on my face. I AM a cat person, (never owned a dog and I think they are too much work).

    Thank you all for your prayers and concerns about Mom. We are taking it slow, I think Norma just needed to vent, more like explode so that she wouldn't implode, and came up with the idea of "shipping mom off". I had told her that winter would be the worst time for Mom to be here, even if I could talk Mom into going out, it would be miserable out there. So, we thought July would be good, for her birthday, act like this is a present for her. Well, I doubt that will happen either, but I needed to give Norma a light at the end of the tunnel. I started thinking what I would need to do to my house in preparation and the bathroom would be a major makeover. Mom can't get into a bathtub, she has a walk in shower in her apartment and just getting over the small lip is a major ordeal. I can't redo the guest bathroom to accommodate all that. We've been in touch with friends of Mom, those who have known her for many years, and they each said that Mom has never been a "joiner", so if she's content with sitting in her apartment, alone, just let her be. She goes down to the dining room every day for her big noon meal and sometimes for dinner, although usually she says she is still full from lunch and skips dinner. Norma and I have to learn to just let Mom complain and not take it to heart or try to fix it. We both call her everyday and Norma goes over at least twice a week. Time will tell. Mom's favorite cousin is flying out from Texas for Thanksgiving with her daughter's family and they have decided to break up their family gathering so that Virginia and Jan, (daughter), and Jessica (grand-daughter) will go to Norma's and the men in their family will do something else together. That will be wonderful for Mom because Virginia will spend the whole time with her and visit. Mom and Virginia have been very close, like Nancy and I are, almost like sisters, much more than cousins.

    Norma is doing the Shoebox for Children too. She told me that she has them all ready to take to her church today. She is so active in her church and helping others. Her very dear and close friend has been having some physical problems and needs help getting to the bathroom. Norma is spending each night this week at her house to help out. Give her other family members who have been staying there a little time off. But, that is going to take a toll on Norma as she still has to leave by 7 am to get to work and also even leave early Thursday morning to get home and get her turkey in the oven for the family gathering. She may have taken on too much this time, but that's what she thrives on. We are definitely NOT telling Mom this because Mom is so jealous already, but Norma's friend, even though she's only a few years younger than Mom, is so much more active and vibrant and just fun to be around, not like Mom. Norma has become very close to other widows at church and most of them are much older than she is, but still very active.

    Norma works for San Bernardino County and her regular work schedule gives her every other Friday off, well, with Veterans' Day last week and day after Thanksgiving next week, and her regular alternate Fridays off, she doesn't work any Fridays for the whole month of November. Ahhhhh, government work, ha ha ha

    The city of Pasadena banned plastic bags long ago and when I would go visit, I know Mom and Dad always had cloth bags in the car. I was used to that because I always have my bags in my car too, even though we still have free bags offered here. When I need a plastic bag and don't take my own bags into the store, I still get the question, "Paper or Plastic???" But, I know the city of Portland no longer has plastic, so the time will come that we don't either.

    Marcie, so glad your fall wasn't worse, but hitting your head is quite serious. Hope you're OK.

    I've been to the Cheesecake Factory once. Many years ago when John and I were visiting Pasadena, Nancy took us to the one near her house. We went around 4 pm and ordered the "happy hour appetizers" and made a whole meal of a variety of tasty morsels. It was very good and a great price, leave it to Nancy to find all the good deals.

    I remember someone made a comment about me taking another poop test so soon. I agree, I wasn't expecting it, although it's no big deal to do it. I assume that because I have breast cancer and my Dad and Grandfather (my Mom's Dad) had colon cancer, I'm at a higher risk. After my colonoscopy, that doctor said he'd like another one in five years. I had no polyps and everything looked very good. However, our friend, the other John, had a good colonoscopy report and the following year had terrible symptoms and that next test showed severe Ulcerative Colitis. So, it can change quickly. No one knows what caused it and there is no cure, he is still dealing with getting some symptoms under control.

    I love this time of year, turkeys and rib roasts are all on sale. I have a turkey to cook now and another one in the freezer. I plan to buy prime rib for another special dinner next week. The turkey I bought for Thanksgiving has been in the refrigerator for almost a week, and I decided that I want it today. I'm pretty sure that it will be totally thawed by now. I'll leave you now and start preparing...going to splurge with the stuffing too, my favorite with gravy.
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    I've got the turkey in the oven, John is up and watching football, and I went over to YouTube and enjoyed more Dear Kitten. Hilarious, such a wise old cat.
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    OMG, I went back again and again and watched more Dear Kitten. I'm addicted.
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Good Morning.

    John's been up and back in bed again. It's going to be one of those days...rain, so he won't be outside very much and no football on tv today, he may be a handful.

    Our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday was great. I still have pots soaking in the sink, ha ha ha I never seem to get everything clean all at one time. Plenty of leftovers for another meal, probably today, plus, turkey sandwiches later in the week. I boiled the carcass and have 2 quarts of broth.

    One good thing about my turkey dinner is I don't plan any dessert, so I don't have that added temptation. Jack and Gayla are invited to friends for Thanksgiving and taking dessert...a variety of cheesecakes and of course, one traditional pumpkin pie was requested.

    Visited with Gayla and the neurosurgeon said that her spine is bad and possible surgery in her future, but the problem right now is her hip, still surgery in her future, hip replacement. She doesn't think she'd have enough time for recovery before tax season starts in January, so she's going to tough it out and have the surgery after April. She sees a hip specialist today and will ask for a cortisone shot to help with the pain.

    I hear John stirring again, so I'll close for now.
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    Happy Monday all.

    We've had drizzly/drizzly weather all weekend, with a couple fairly good showers. Cisco has lucked out though. No rain at all during his walks. I know there's a rain cloud out there with his name on it, so it's just a matter of time. Since we've been in a drought for all his life, he doesn't know how good he's had it! I keep telling, "just you wait!"

    Noticed something weird yesterday. We have some tubing that we attach to our down spouts during rainy weather to steer the draining water away from the house. Dad had some extra and had it coiled up and stores in a dog run on the other side of the house (Cisco scoffs at the dog run!). Anyway, we noticed yesterday that all that extra tubing had been dragged to the back yard and is on the lawn out there. We can't figure out who did that. Maybe the gardeners last week, but we don't know why they would do that. A mystery to solve for sure!

    Yesterday morning Dad went for breakfast at one of his favorite hole-in-the-wall places (Rosie's) and the waitress asked what his plans were for Thanksgiving. When he told her we had reservations to go to Seasons 52, she said we should go to Rosie's instead. Said they have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, and at only $9 per person (it's $30 each at Seasons 52). I agree, so I cancelled the reservation, and we'll give Rosie's a try. I suspect their food won't be anywhere near as fresh as Seasons 52, but I guess we'll see. Rosie's breakfasts are sure good. They make a fabulous omelette there. I've only been there for breakfast.

    This weekend I stayed home all weekend. Didn't step foot in the car! It was nice to just stay indoors. For the weekly cooking I boiled off the usual dozen hardboiled eggs, made a pot of lentils (just went with plain this time, will try Isabella's recipe later), roasted off some brussel sprouts and carrots to snack on, made another batch of oatmeal/banana/raisin/walnut protein bars (forgot the applesauce, but they turned out really good, maybe even better with it), and started a new batch of sprouts to sprouting (they should be done tomorrow or Wednesday morning).

    Sheryl, I don't blame you about the Dear Kitten videos. That old cat has seen it all...and I can surely relate to some of his observations! I think those videos started with one called the "Sad Cat Diary." There's also one out there called the "Sad Dog Diary"...same kind of thing.

    Sheryl, an early Thanksgiving meal sounds good too me. Enjoy those yummy leftovers. How are you doing with the egg nog this year. Have you bought yourself some yet?

    Have a nice day everyone. :)
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Good Morning. All quiet here, not raining and very cold, so I started the woodstove. Nice heat coming through the house. I'm going to bring in a bucket of John's pine cones and see how they burn. I have heard that they are good in the fireplace and put off a nice piney smell, but I've hesitated doing that because I thought the sap would cause a problem. Since we'll be replacing the woodstove in January, I don't mind trying it now. If there is a gooey mess problem, the stove guys can haul it away.

    There are things that I wish John would forget! A couple days ago, we had 2 llamas, Beauty, our oldest, and her daughter Deb, both had frothing at the mouth and appeared to have something stuck in their throat. Kept stretching their neck and swallowing funny. John was obsessed with calling the vet and I kept saying, wait, let's just keep an eye on them. At one point, I said that the vet would just say to keep an eye on them and John got very upset with me saying that I don't know more than the vet. After several hours, (very LONG hours with John) they both were fine and out in the pasture grazing with all the others. But, John is fixated on their condition and is sure they are eating something that they shouldn't. Every little move they make, he jumps to conclusions that something is wrong. He's not happy if they are moving around too much and he's not happy if they are just laying there. Yesterday morning, there was a stray dog roaming the neighbor's yard to the north, (Roger's yard is not fenced in), the llamas were all up in arms, but thank goodness, John was still in bed. I never did tell him about it. The llamas know the dogs in the yard south of us, but a new dog walking down the street, they really get antsy. All is well this morning.

    I put Dear Kitten in my favorites and that's my "go to place" now when I need a break in my frustrating day. That cat knows how to relieve my stress and make me smile.

    I need to go to Fred Meyer today and pick up a Rx. I will be out of my cancer med after tomorrow. I saw their weekly ads on-line and they have a New York roast on sale, that's as good as prime rib, and cheaper, and I'll get one for Thanksgiving. Also, asparagus on sale, but that purchase will depend on how they look, this time of year, they are usually very spindly and don't look good.

    I'll go check the woodstove and add to it, keep it going on this chilly day. The snow level has dropped, so all the skiers are so happy to have the lifts open for the holiday. It was a big topic on the news. We are at sea level, so we don't get much snow, but it sure is beautiful to view on the mountains around us.

  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Oh, I forgot to answer the egg nog question. I did buy a half gallon of Darigold Old Fashioned Egg Nog, my favorite because of all the ones I've tried through the years, this one is thick and rich and creamy. I got my fill and will not buy it again this year. It was delicious and I liked every sip, but it irritated my cough. I have given up on ice cream too, I don't know if it's the cold or the sweet or the deadly combination, but I have a terrible coughing fit after, so I've given it up. Actually, that really helps on watching the calories, so a blessing in disguise.
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    edited November 2016
    Good morning everyone.

    It's cold here too this morning Sheryl, though probably not as cold as where you are. It was in the low 40s this morning. I woke up to a very cold dog just back from his morning walk with Dad. Cisco dived under my covers and buried his cold paws under my back. Sometimes I think I'm just a big 'ol hot water bottle to that dog!

    Its a pretty sunny day here. We are supposed to be getting a little more rain over the next couple days, but nothing big.

    Sheryl, yay to hear the llamas are okay :) , and sorry that John was so anxious over the whole thing :( . I have lots of those types of videos saved in my YouTube favorites. Some place to go when I need a lift. Sorry the egg nog doesn't agree with you anymore.

    I'm cutting this one short. Have a lot of things to get done at work today. Gonna be a long day. Ugh.

    Have a great day everyone.
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    Those two together by me...right before Cisco gave Simon a big wet doggie kiss...sending the cat running from the room!

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  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    Hi everyone (quiet in here today!).

    The commute to work this morning was such a treat. Lots of people took today off and there was no stop and go traffic the whole way in. Wished we had more days like that!

    It rained a little bit last night, but that blew by quickly. It's been a pretty, cool, sunshiny day.

    Yesterday afternoon they gave me the all clear to move back to my desk. That should be the last phase of the electrical upgrades, so no more having to move. I have so much stuff I store under my desk that I had to move off the floor. Took awhile to get all that sorted again. I really need to purge when I have time. Maybe after the new year. Just 28 years worth of stuff I keep holding on to just in case.

    The other day when I went to Chick-fil-a, I bought their 2017 wall calendar and forgot all about it. I stumbled on it when I was straightening out my back seat. It's really cute (cows exercising to stay tough, so people will eat chicken). It cost $7 and comes with a card you can use once a month next year to get whatever free item they have listed for that month (sandwich, drink, mystery item, soup, etc.). Dad saw it last night and wanted one too, so on the way to work I swung by and bought him one.

    vnr34sfa2hst.jpg

    I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow. Dad and I will probably head out to the restaurant around 11ish. Not sure what we'll do after that. I may run over to Walmart later in the day and take advantage of it not being crowded. I definitely won't be going anywhere near the stores on Black Friday.
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  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    edited November 2016
    Good Afternoon, almost evening already. John was up early again and been by my side all day, (it's raining outside).

    I entertained him for about an hour with Dear Kitten. He was cracking up. This is good, I may use this many, many times this winter.

    The news showed all the snow at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, looked like a blizzard up there. They are ecstatic. New slogan, "On Black Friday, don't hit the stores, HIT the Slopes!!!" It's always a blessing to them when they get to open for Thanksgiving and not have to wait til December/January for snow.

    I thought I'd drop in tonight, I don't know what the morning may bring. If John gets up early again, I may miss wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for each of you and that I can come over here and gab and share.
  • arobed53
    arobed53 Posts: 2,004 Member
    Happy Thanksgiving Eve. I've got done what I wanted and am now waiting for a phone call from Thomas. The Youth Group had a party so when they come back to the church, I'll go get him. The week has sped by. Part of the house got a better cleaning than it usually does. Hopefully, I'll do the rooms that didn't get done by Christmas. :) I was home Monday so got a bunch of it done then. Tuesday was the 4th Tuesday and one thrift store we go to has everything half-price on the 4th Tuesday. Molly also had a short play at school (she did a great job) and we went to town after that. While at the thrift store we ran into Lori and Maggie. Maggie must have scratched her ear and got it infected so saw the doctor and got antibiotics. Lori was glad we were there cause she found a bunch of books she wants to ebay. It was more than she could carry so I helped her. We then went and had another McRib meal. We got home just in time for me to head to Good News Club.
    Today I got my baking done - 2 pumpkin and 1 cherry. Katie made a bunch of pie crusts so had a head start with that. I also made deviled eggs ftom 3 dozen eggs so should have enough. After eating I went with my sister to her diabetic appointment. She's doing well enough she doens't have to go back for 4 months. In the last 4 months she lost 8 pounds (does not need to). She said must have been cause she ate so many fresh vegetables and stayed from carbs so she didn't have to do so many shots. Then we went to Walmart for food stuffs and headed home. Her daughter and family were at her house when she got home. I finished putting tablecloths on, cut up cauliflower, green peppers and 2 pineapples. The dishes are caught up for the moment. In the morning I'll put on the hams. With no turkey, I bought gravy so will heat that up after church. We have a special Thanksgiving Day service where the congregation shares what they are thankful for or asks to have a song sung - very nice service. We'll eat about 1, hopefully finish the puzzle Ralph started (he started it only because of the tractor in the picture and it's not as easy as he thought), enjoy desserts and before most leave, pull out the leftovers for supper. So it will be a fun day.

    Marci, you fix some really good meals. Thanks for sharing Dear Kitten. Glad you got back to your usual workstation and can stay settled now. Will be interested to hear how your meal at Rosie's goes. You may have stayed home last weekend but you kept busy.

    Sheryl, sounds like you have a plan for mom. Norma is such a go-getter, she can't imagine being happy just staying in. I have tried to get my sister to do more and finally quit pushing as much. She does do things but... Your turkey smelled really good. Lots of good meals form it. Amazing to me that Gayla can plan to do her job during tax season with all the pain she's in. She must have some good painkillers. With the rain and being inside more, maybe John will quit watching the llamas. Nice that Dear Kitten is entertainment for both of you.

    We only got up to about 44 today and it's already below 30. Furnace is having to work a bit more. I told Ralph our propane tank was down to 25%. That will go faster the more the furnace runs so will probably check it again pretty soon. I wish he would go ahead and get it filled and then we might be good for the winter. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day - whatever you do.
  • isyvanek
    isyvanek Posts: 1,039 Member
    edited November 2016
    Hi all, Happy Thanksgiving!! My brain keeps telling me that I have to go and start cooking, then I remind myself that the turkey is pre-cooked and I can lounge all day and cook most things this afternoon/evening. I will probably start making the green bean casserole around 2pm though. I think I will add chicken to the leftover green bean casserole and make a meal out of that. I think it will taste really good. I also bought a sweet potato pie from Trader Joe's that has to be baked. I'm trying to decide whether to bake it before the rest of the meal or afterward. I resisted buying whip cream for the pie. We can use vanilla ice cream if the urge strikes.

    Just for clarification sake, I have used my own canvas grocery bags for 20 years or more. I keep them in my trunk so I have them no matter what. It is really no big deal. Even more reason that it is silly that everyone is making such an issue of it. I think part of the reason is that many of the stores started charging immediately after the proposition passed without any warning at all.

    I will go to Jami's house tomorrow morning so she can color my hair. I have to go past a mall to get to her house. Hope it isn't too crazy with all the black Friday shoppers out.

    Debora, Ham for Thanksgiving sounds good! I never think of that. I'll have to see if there are any on sale this weekend. 3 dozen deviled eggs sounds like a lot of work but I'm sure you are having a large group for dinner. I learned a secret from a co-worker to put some milk in with the yolks and the mayo and mustard. It makes the mixture very creamy. My deviled eggs are always in demand now. Do you put milk in yours?

    Sheryl, sounds like you and Norma have a good plan for your mom. Time will tell. I could smell your turkey from here! Sounds wonderful. I must admit I'm a tad jealous! :) Buying a roast also sounds like a good idea. I'll have to see what is at the stores this weekend. I agree that asparagus is often spindly this time of year. I don't like the real skinny stalks. I don't think they are as flavorful and can be tough. Sorry Gayla is having hip problems also. Everyone seems to have good success with hip replacements so hopefully that will go well. Great idea to try the pine cones in the stove that you are getting rid of. How did it go?

    Marcie, Thanks for sharing the Dear Kitten video. Very cute. I never think to look for others when I see something like that. It rained pretty steady here Sunday night and all thru Monday so we got a pretty good soaking. Thank God! How was your Thanksgiving dinner at Rosie's?

    Well, Dan is finally ready for breakfast (yes, it is 10:48am!!) so I guess I'll go cook. I think I'll make pancakes. We don't have those very often. I make the batter from scratch. Very easy to do and MUCH better. :) Have a wonderful day!
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Good Morning. We had a pretty good day Thanksgiving and yesterday, even though it rained steady and John had to stay in the house. Watched football on and off, but paced a lot from one window to another and moaned about the rain and pitied the critters. I doubt they care, especially the geese and ducks, they love all the ponds that they have to choose from out there.

    I made the rib roast and baked potato and asparagus for Thursday, it turned out good. The asparagus looked good in the store and tasted great. I wonder where they came from? South America?

    This may be very quick, I hear John in the bathroom already, however, he may go back to bed, we'll see...

    Yes, he came out, asked what day is it today and what are we going to do, looked through the kitchen window, it's still dark out there, so he went back to bed.

    So, I'm back. I talked to Norma yesterday morning and she said that she thought Thanksgiving went very well, but she was busy as hostess, so she didn't spend a lot of time with Mom. They had 19 total, a small group compared to our family gatherings when I was a kid, but more people than Norma had expected. Some cousins, and even Norma's boys, entertained their in-laws. (Brent and his family came over for awhile, but left early to go to Beth's family. So they got to see Jackson and Hudson). Mom's cousin from Texas was a really nice surprise for Mom. I called Mom in the afternoon and she said she was very tired and taking it easy Friday, but so glad she had gone on Thursday, she had a great time. No complaints. Yay, a victory. I called Norma back again later to let her know. Mom complimented Norma's cooking and her house. I was afraid that the new tile floor might be too slippery for Mom's walker, but Mom liked it, said her walker glided and is much better than carpet.
    Interesting, Mom mentioned several different times that Thursday was great because she got to see all three of her brothers. I believe she is really thinking of her mortality and I guess, at 94, this actually could be the last Thanksgiving they are all together. Nancy's dad, my mother's middle brother, is doing poorly with the dementia, even with all the family around him, he was confused and didn't know what all was going on. And, Mom said that her other brother, the oldest of the brothers, seemed very frail and weak and she thought he needed a walker to get around. Mom is the oldest of all of them and has already lost two sisters. The youngest brother is a lot younger than all of them, Bob is 8 years older than me and more like my brother than my Mom's. They have never been close, but I've been very close to Bob all my life.

    I am very happy that the pine cones burn clean, no gooey mess due to sap. Even though John gets sap on his hands. We'll be using them in the woodstove from now on, even in the new one. They don't smell though, I was kind of expecting a piney aroma in the house. I went to Winco the other day and they had a big display of bagged pine cones with a cinnamon aroma, Oooooo, smelled so good, I almost bought it just to have that aroma in the house. I still may get one, I'm sure they will be available til Christmas. Cinnamon is a great smell.

    I haven't talked to Gayla since she saw the hip specialist, I don't know if she got that cortisone shot and if so, if it helped. Her hip is bone on bone. She said that sitting at her desk and preparing a return won't be too hard, but it's walking that kills her. Maybe the receptionist can guide her clients back to her desk, but knowing Gayla, she will force herself to walk the clients out, that's how social and courteous she is. We'll see how it goes.

    I hear John again, so I'll close for now.


  • isyvanek
    isyvanek Posts: 1,039 Member
    edited November 2016
    Hi all, we had a really nice day on Thanksgiving just the 2 of us. The already cooked turkey breast from Trader Joe's was delicious! My only very minor complaint is that the juices from the breast only made about a cup of gravy. But everything came out wonderful and we were very content. The real surprise was the frozen sweet potato pie I bought at Trader Joe's. I baked it after dinner and it was absolutely delicious!! The crust is the best we've ever had! We'll have the rest of the turkey for dinner tonight along with some green bean casserole and mashed potatoes. I'll add chicken to the rest of the left over green bean casserole and we'll have that for dinner tomorrow.

    My friend Jami convinced me to go shopping with her at JC Penney on Friday morning. She wanted to get some things for her sons for Christmas. I needed underwear and only wear the cotton JC Penney brand called Underscore. I figured they'd be on sale so I agreed if she would drive. We went at 8:30am and it wasn't too crazy. They said a lot of people had come shopping the night before. How sad! By the time we left at 10:30am the parking lot was very busy. We went back to her house and she colored my hair. It came out nice as usual. Hubby took me to a little taco shop for dinner then we came home and watched the old movie "For Whom the Bell Tolls" with Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman. It was a tad slow in parts but was good.

    Today we went to the farmer's market so Dan could choose an essential oil he likes that we can use in the diffuser. He decided on a blend called Stress Fix. I also bought a couple for my friend Grace for Christmas. I bought her a blend called Happy that she can use as a fragrance or as a mood enhancer and also Frankincense which many consider the MVP of essential oils. The more you buy the cheaper she sells them for so we got 3 for $30. Great deal! Her website is greenbottleherbs.com/Green_Bottle_Herbs/Home.html if anyone wants to check it out. We went to Trader Joe's after that and came home. Hubby is taking a course for drivers over 55. When you complete the course and pass the test you get a certificate and they give you 10% off your car insurance. The info is very repetitive but I guess it will be worth it. You have to repeat the course every 3 years. I will take the course next.

    Sheryl, so glad your roast came out well for Thanksgiving! I'm jealous again! ;) So happy to hear that things went well at Norma's also. Wonderful that your mom complemented Norma's house and her cooking! Also good to hear that burning the pinecones was a success. Now you know. :)

    Anew, hope you are feeling better and that Thanksgiving went well for you. Praying for you.

    Have a great rest of your weekend everyone!
  • arobed53
    arobed53 Posts: 2,004 Member
    Thomas didn't get here until about 11:30 from the Youth Group party but it was fun to hear about it and then head for bed.

    Thursday was a good day. Got up and set the table interspersed with walking till Thomas got up. Our church service was at 10 and it was a good service. Much to be thankful for. Sang a number of songs that are thanksgiving related. From there, Ralph headed to big town to get Uncle Joe. The last three times he's come, he has gotten lost so this was safer. I went home and sliced the hams and put them in the roaster to keep warm, filled the relish tray. As everyone came so did the food and the table was full by the time we ate. I was stuffed when I got done eating. The kids were ready for dessert before the adults but they had to wait till we took care of the food. The cranberry salads were the one thing I wish I could have had some to keep. I got the stuffing (which Matthew's grandmother had made - he said he got the recipe so he can do it next time) and the rest of their salad since they were headed out of town on Friday. Some of us took a walk in the afternoon. The puzzle Ralph started got worked on. The kids played outside a lot and played some old video games that I pull out once a year. A few took naps and there was lots of visiting going on. About 4:30, Ralph took Uncle Joe back in and two of my sisters left. We pulled out leftovers for supper and the last ones left bout 7:30. One sister bought a pumpkin and a sweet potato pie we cut small pieces and compared them. Both were good. I did three dozen deviled eggs and they all got eaten. We went through 6 cans of black olives. After everyone left, I did my list for Friday and we headed for bed.

    Friday was at home for the day. I started straightening the house, worked on the outside of the puzzle, watched Pollyanna, cooked the two ham bones and got the meat off and a few other things. At 5 we went to a wedding - both were widowed so they used the grandsons to ring bells, the younger granddaughters to be flower girls and the children and spouses were the attendents. They had some really good music. The only flowers were as decorations and the ushers had on boutineers. The couple came in together. At the reception we sat at a table of relatives of his first wife so got to know them a bit. The meal was delicious. Beef from Hog Wild, potatoes, green beans, fruit salad, roll and brownies for dessert. We were home shortly after 7:30 so not even out late.

    Lori and family and Matthew and Julie headed for Dallas Friday morning. Some were helping in the processing center and Jim and younger kids were doing Lego land and the Aquarium. They'll head home tomorrow. Will be fun to hear about it. The funny thing is that Lori mentioned who her dad was for some reason and someone piped up and said - "The traveling professor is our dad." Never heard him called that before but is was someone from around here also down there working. Small world.

    Today I finished the house - caught up on the dishes, made brownies for tomorrow. My nephew-in-law who had brought his smokes and did two turkey breasts for Thanksgiving, offered to smoke a pork roast so we can have pulled pork tomorrow. I have pineapple left from Thursday so didn't have a lot to do today. We went to town to pick up a few things at Dollar Tree and ate at Burger King. We also went back to the hardware store for another pipe fitting so Ralph could create something to go into the cup holder that will hold the big cup he got for his birthday. Hope he works like he thinks it will.

    Along with church in the morning and evening (already scheduled), a lady from church died Thanksgiving evening and I guess cause family is here, the funeral is tomorrow afternoon. So we'll eat but not be here very long. She was a single woman and the last sibling to pass away. So the day will be full.

    Isabella, how nice that with the precooked turkey, the day could be more relaxing for you. We always do our Thanksgiving meal at noon. But your way made it nice for you. I have never used milk in the yolks. How do you gauge? Do you do milk and then mayo or the other way around. I'll try that next time. Glad your trip to JC Penney went well. I need to get ideas before I shop so hope to have that happen soon. The driving course sounds worth it to get the discount even if it's not very fun.

    Sheryl, bummer on the rain making John have to stay inside but I'm glad it was you and not me that had it so the kids could go outside. Very helpful. (although I can't complain. Derek and Lindsey had 58 at their house - just 30 here). Your Thanksgiving meal sounds delicious. So glad you mom had a good time at Norma's. No complaints is huge for her and compliments too. Norma should write that down to refer too on days that aren't so good. Cool on the pine cones. Maybe you could sprinkle a little cinnamon on yours and see if that makes a good aroma. Do the pine cones burn quickly?

    Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Good Morning, once again, John has been up and went back to bed, but I hear him in there. Mornings are so tough on him, he wakes up so confused and "lost", just doesn't know what to do.

    One thing that I remember as I read through comments, the senior driving class to get a discount on insurance, my parents did that for years through AARP. Sound like a great deal, they got a good discount. I haven't looked into it for myself and thankfully, John doesn't drive anymore even though he has a valid license til May of 2021. When he went to renew his license in 2015, Washington had just changed policy and licenses are for 6 years instead of 5.

    I got an email from Sue and she sounds great, here's an excerpt:

    My recuperation is going unbelievably, remarkably, amazingly well. My new knee is three weeks old tomorrow. I thought the last knee surgery recovery went well and this one is better, way better. I can hardly believe it. Last week, my physical therapist said, "you're just a freak." HA! The PT staff is as amazed as I am. Last night is the first night I slept through the night. I've been waking up around 3 am to take a couple ibuprofen.

    I went to Boise with Cliff last week and did some shopping while he was in meetings. This being a week and a half post surgery. Crazy, right?

    I've been contemplating why my recovery is going so well. I really hate to admit this, but a lion's share of the blame must be placed squarely on my good diet. Let me backtrack a bit.

    After the NM website closed I managed to re-gain some weight. I just could not get used to MyFitnessPal. I think if I had a smart phone I might have given it a more dedicated try. That is what I tell myself anyway.

    April to July 2015 I seriously contemplated getting my knees fixed. I came to the conclusion that if I was going to have this major surgery, I HAD TO LOSE weight. I counted the weeks until the end of the year. Realizing I only had 23 weeks, I committed to losing 25 pounds. I lost twenty pounds by November 9. I maintained that loss, through the holidays, until February 5 when I had my knee surgery.

    I committed to losing another twenty pounds by the next knee surgery. I lost ten. Better than gaining. :) Anyway, in May 2016 I started working with a functional medicine nurse practitioner to try to get my thyroid medication dialed in. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder. This past July I committed, not very willingly, to six months on a gluten, dairy and sugar free diet. I had been dabbling with gluten free for years. Dairy free has been a challenge ... I really miss cheese and ice cream. Sugar free feels almost impossible, but I do the best I can. Did you know there is sugar in tomato sauce??? Why??? Just to make people like me pull my hair out I suppose.

    Well as of this morning I am five pounds away from my lowest NM weight. I believe the diet I committed to in July has greatly reduced the inflammation in my body at the cellular level. I really hate to admit, but I think it is the reason my recovery has gone so well. I can't say I am overly excited about this realization because it means I'll have to wrap my mind around continuing this life style.


    How well I know what she means, I have already fallen back into bad habits since the 20 days of cleanse/restore. I need to remember that this is a lifestyle change not a temporary diet. I've regained 2 of the 8 pounds that I lost. Time to buckle down again.

    I also got an email from JC, here's an excerpt:

    We had Thanksgiving on Sunday with the kids downstairs. Sue took a nasty fall at the VA on Tuesday. I was off looking for a parking space & she was late so she tried to make it on her own. She has a nasty, really black bruise on her chin with a lighter one on her left cheek up to her black eye. A light triangular brush about the left breast, another on her tummy… She wanted our own Thanksgiving dinner so I went shopping Wednesday & picked up the stuff. We had a pumpkin pie from Coco’s so luckily I didn’t have to do that. All I did was roast a turkey breast & make mashed potatoes & gravy. It was my first time making Thanksgiving Dinner. I had managed to avoid it for 81 years. To my surprise everything was ready at the same time & Sue had seconds. Yea!


    Norma and I are so happy for answered prayer, Mom has been upbeat for 4 days in a row. We talk to her on the phone and she sounds great, finding the good in things instead of complaining. Norma said maybe this is the turn around she's been hoping for, sure makes it easier to be with her and do things for her without wanting to wring her neck. A VERY Happy Thanksgiving this year.

  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Good Morning, I got an email from Carol to let me know that Bible study has been changed to 1 pm. That time will work out so much better for me, I feel that I can leave home and John may be set for the day after noon, even if we have a rough morning. We'll see. Also, she invited me to a ladies' meeting the evening of December 10th. I have accepted, it will be nice to have the fellowship since I haven't made it to church in a very long time. The get-together is free, but I need to take a woman's sweatshirt to donate for the shelter. If I get out to Bible study today, I can swing by Fred Meyer and pick something up and have it on hand. Also, today is senior discount day at Freddie's, so I'll get 10% off everything I buy. Great deal.

    Talked to Mom yesterday and she was still pretty good although I let her rant about her lunch. She loves fish and their baked or fried fish used to be extremely good, her favorite lunch. Now, it's a fish that she doesn't recognize and it's rubbery. I made the mistake, well, not really a mistake, but I told her I was making fasula, an Armenian dish with pilaf and she said that she really misses that homemade food like her mother would make. Those are times that I wish I could have her here and cook for her.

    That's all my news for this morning, will check in tomorrow.
  • arobed53
    arobed53 Posts: 2,004 Member
    Well, we made it to everything on Sunday. We got some rain and it was windy and cloudy so not a very pleasant day. Monday was a pretty sunny day and got up in the 50s - supposed to be the warmest day of the week. I worked at home in the morning. In the afternoon we went to town. I wanted to take some things I needed copies of in so I could pick them up Friday. It's also the day the health department does shots so I got my Hep AB. It was expensive (to my mind) even there - $95.00. but $55.00 less that the other place I priced. We took Julie's Kerug to her and got some things at Walmart- one being a frozen pizza so guess what we had for supper. Today I was at home till Good News Club - usual group. We are doing stories on Moses now. Temp said it was 44 when I came home but it felt cold to all of us. Brrrr. We been making slow progress on the puzzle but we will get it done.

    Trying to get my job covered at Willing Workers Thursday so I can go to Taryn's concert. It's a little harder cause a local school is also having their concerts so our VP has someplace to go to. Then I am getting out of Sunday School next week so we can go to church with Matthew and Julie. She's joining the church there and because it's a Baptist church and she was just poured, she has to do it again. :) I'm making some progress on my three projects - the one report is written and after Thursday I'll have the bigger one to do for the annual meeting report so lots of little things - helps keep me out of mischief - ha. Exciting thing - I started cleaning off the sink in the utility room. The sink is not hooked up so it's a storage area. I have not been able to find my flylady duster for a long time. it is now found - at the back of the sink - I suppose from the last time I was cleaning it. Just glad to have it back.

    Sheryl, sorry mornings are so tough. Thanks for sharing the news from Sue. So great that she has found out what works for her but I don't think I could be as disciplined. So glad the second knee is going so well. And from JC - cool on the successful Thanksgiving dinner. So sorry Sue had another fall. I miss them so am thankful you do a good job of keeping up with them. Glad your mom has been more upbeat - enjoy it as long as it lasts. Afternoon Bible study will be nice for you - no rushing and you'll have more time to get John settled. Yay for you. And yay for the evening event going on the calendar. It's nice to be able to get out. I wish I could be with you and have you cook for me too. You were just sharing about what you were doing.

    About time to start supper. Still not used to this getting dark so early but it is what it is. I did remember to park in the garage tonight so won't have to worry about scraping windows in the morning.
  • sannferris
    sannferris Posts: 1,432 Member
    Good Morning. Yesterday was a good day. I went to Bible study. The new time works out better for me. Interesting that they said that they changed it so more people could come, but it was a smaller group that showed up. Carol didn't come because she had her grandkids in the afternoon. We'll see how many come next week.

    I got my shopping done and John seemed to be fine when I got home, nothing looked out of place. Naturally, he said that there were things he wanted to tell me when I got home, but forgot what they are. But, he does that all the time now, even when I'm in the other room.

    I keep getting interrupted, so I'd better post this and see if I can come back later.
  • mygnsac
    mygnsac Posts: 13,413 Member
    Hi everyone. Long time, no post. It took me awhile to catch up on all your goings-on!

    Sounds like you all had a nice Thanksgiving. Rosies was very much a bust! They do breakfast really well there, but not holiday meals. It was pretty much just chopped up dark turkey meat served over mashed potatoes and gravy with a side of canned mixed veggies, a couple tbs of canned cranberry sauce, an over-microwaved roll, and a piece of mediocre pumpkin pie (Dad finished that off for me). Lesson learned. When going out, if you want a good meal with good ingredients, you pay a bit more. Season 52 would have cost about $25 more, but I would have enjoyed it more, and I would have had left overs to take home.

    Ack...I just got called into a meeting. I try to make it back here tomorrow morning. Have nice night everyone.

  • arobed53
    arobed53 Posts: 2,004 Member
    If anyone is interested, The Great American Baking Show is on Thursday evening - new season. I'm planning to tape it since I won't be home. Wrote down all the grandkids Christmas programs. That will keep us busy.