WOMEN ages 50+ FOR JULY 2016

pipcd34

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Annr

*long sigh* So we finally rec'd our insurance check in the mail, so I can pay pile #2 (not as important, mag renewals, paying family members back, etc), and it feels nice to have money! Crazy how fast you can blow thru money though. We have to buy 2 more phone cards, an ink cartridge (might have to sell youngest son with that one...SHEESH), mail some special cards that require more postage, new sneakers for the teenager, and go grocery shopping. Is it a talent when you can spend money but then come home with not alot to show for it? I have added up receipts because I just didn't believe that I had spent that much...

I sent a cousin from my husbands side $300 for a loan he gave us when we first moved here. He had driven the RV up, with sick husband on the couch, and then was so nice to loan us 3K to help with moving into a new apartment. So now I pay him $100 every month, and $300 every quarter. I am presently on 13 of 20 payments, so we are getting there in paying him back! That is what you do to keep the peace and it gives me a chance to write them a letter. I also sent my son $200 because he had loaned us that during the hectic hospital time. He asked how he could help, I said that money would help with gas, and for me to eat at the hospital. It's sad to resort to kids helping you with things like that, but life is like that.

My poor teenager..... He had gone to Physical Training with a lot of the other Delayed Entry Program future sailors of the area this past Friday, and when he was doing his sit-ups he got road burn on his back. That is from doing sit-ups on a gravel parking lot I think. We were doing sit-ups at the house here today, and because he is so slim, he said he has problems doing that exercise. So each sit-up he did at home on the carpet, he was slamming his back down. "Don't do that son" , I am telling him, and he said that is how he does them. No wonder he had wounds on his back, poor thing. So we are doing the crunches at night as a family, and hopefully he will strengthen his core and stomach to do the sit-ups like the Navy requires him to do.

Keep doing what you are doing, you all are MAUVALOUS in my book!
Becca
Oregon

drkatiebug

Allison, practice this: "I am so sorry. I'm sure you will figure something out. I have to work. Taking off is not an option right now."

They'll work it out. I know you love these people, but their problems don't have to be your problems. Even DFIL. He is Tom's dad. Let him do it.

fanncy0626

Allison - this is great advice!

drkatiebug wrote: »

Allison, practice this: "I am so sorry. I'm sure you will figure something out. I have to work. Taking off is not an option right now."

They'll work it out. I know you love these people, but their problems don't have to be your problems. Even DFIL. He is Tom's dad. Let him do it.

Mary from Minnesota

mikesmom1983

pipcd34 wrote: »

TODAY IS KIRBY'S BDAYYYYY!!! HAPPY BDAY TO KIRBY!!!!!! 61!!

Kirby is a year and 4 days older than me, my 60th is this coming Friday. Happy Birthday Kirby! Awesome people are born in Juky!

Chris in MA

jmkmomm

Allie I whole heartedly agree with what Mary is saying. Your own and extended family knows exactly who the yes person is. You are their go to person. Stand in front of mirror and say it. And moving your FIL. Your husband needs to step in here.

Joyce, Indiana

pipcd34

stats for the day:
ride hm 2 gym- 10.56min, 13amph, 2.5mi = 82c
SPIN- 49min, 95r, 50w, 6-7sp, 147mhr, 10mi = 292c
ride gym 2 done- 4.46min, 12.4amph, 128mhr, .9mi = 70c
other- ride round parking lot, 18.58min, 118mhr, 3mi = 80c
ride dome 2 hm- 17.42min, 151mhr, 2.5mi = 176c
total cal 700

skuehn48

Hi all: Had a good weekend. DD and I went to the goatalympics on Saturday. Our farrier and a friend were showing two 4-month-old kinder goats in the foot race, obstacle course and unusual color. It was lots of fun. Yesterday we took our gift certificate to Home Depot and bought a bagger for the lawn tractor, a pressure washer and ordered cellular blinds for the living room. We then spent time putting the bagger together and after we got it on found out the lawn tractor has a flat tire. Boo! Took DH to the endoscopy center today for an esophageal dilation. That went well but I did not get to my water exercise class. Will try to go tomorrow before I go to PT.

Kim - The garden you will be working at sounds awesome. You will do great.

Linda - Congrats on the 5K.

Larisa - I would love hair stylist recommendations but I am about an hour or more north of you near Snohomish.

Pip - Happy birthday to Kirby!

Debbie - Hope they find out what is causing your DH's symptoms.

Heather - Nice you have started writing again.

"A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside." - Denis Waitley

Everyone take care, Sue in WA

oceanmelody

Hi everybody--today is the fiftieth anniversary of my daddy's death and I thought I would feel a lot bluer but then I thought about the fact that I would try to do what I always do and try to make him proud of me and I felt a lot better and more focused. It helps to keep his memory alive.

Getting ever so slightly faster on my bicycle but to me that is not as important as burning calories, getting fresh air and increasing endorphins. I want ALL the endorphins!!!LOL.

Still not doing as much as Pip but who is, anyway? I did my 13.27 miles and that is better than being a couch potato.

Hugs to all who need them,
Betty

pipcd34

nite - thanks for all the bday wishes to kirby!!!

exermom

Did 1 segment of the yoga tape, held my plank for 2 min 50 sec, then took the extremepump class. The plan for tomorrow is to do Jeanette Jenkins 21 Day Body Circuit DVD. Everything that I've read says that doing bicycles and the best for your abs so I'm thinking that maybe instead of holding my plank, I should be doing bicycles instead. Gonna ponder on this for a bit.

DJ - it's really weird, we look at the weather patterns. So many times there comes a storm but when it gets to right before Newton, for some reason it seems to split in two. Half goes to our south and the other half to our north. When we were having the pool installed, I remember the pool guys saying (they were from Charlotte) "it never rains here". Actually, it really does rain.

I'm really surprised that not one person is interested in any of the DVD's that I have.

Joyce in SD - post whenever you can. We love hearing from you

Linda/IA - congrats on the run and you did a superb time. Did you also use one of those reflector things so you'd get a good tan? When we'd go to FL we put a TV in our caravan on a milk carton. The TV ran off the battery in the car. We'd put a VCR and the kids could watch movies. To this day, my hubby can recite all of some movies even tho he's never seen them....lol

Lenora - thanks for telling me about the county extension office and controlled burns. I think first I'll call the fire company, I really would like a professional there. We don't have any kind of fire pit, so it can easily get out of control. I'd be so so afraid of that happening and I know a fireman would make sure it doesn't happen. If they won't do it, then I'll call the extension office.

Re - congrats on your "official" weigh in.

debbie - can you walk the halls of the hosp? Maybe while dh is having his test?

Karen - I don't think your burger recipe is weird at all. It sounds delish

katie - when I had to drink that stuff for my colonoscopy, by the end I couldn't drink it at all. Actually, for a time there the only way I could drink it was to hold my breath. Boy, you sure have a lot more things that you can't have then I did! Good luck to you. I remember when I had one a while ago, they weighed me right before it. I think I lost only 1lb. I decided right then and there that that was no way to lose weight, I think I'd rather starve myself first. Good luck to you. Update: Congrats on no polyps. Guess you're on the 10 year plan now

Lisa - when you put down the grass seed, did you have to put straw on top of it and water it? Or are you being religions -- God'll take care of it. That's my kind of gardening. That's probably the only time I'm real religious. No, I take that back. I get religious when it snows. "God put it here, God'll take it away". I tried once giving Vince a white sweet potato, hoping he'd think it was mashed potatoes. Pickey eater didn't like it. Well...I tried

Rosie - welcome back! Next time, don't stay away so long. So sorry you're feeling down-in-the-dumps

Karen - you take care of yourself, ya hear? Or I'll sick DJ's boot on you!!!!

pitaroyal - welcome! Baby steps, that's the way to take it.

Marcelyn - breathtaking photos

Re - rooting for you all the way!!!

Chris in MA - happy early birthday

Betty - how old were you when your father passed. I was 9 when my mother passed so this month it'll be 51 years she's gone.

Took the cake out of the freezer. I'll ice it tomorrow (I have some icing made already in the refrig). I'm thinking that I'll only give her 1/2 of the cake because there is just so much cake a person can eat. I'll also make a chicken salad for her, bought the roasted chicken today so I'll put some more in it. Went to exercise, came home and then to the post office, then bowling, home for dinner, ceramics, I went to mahjongg, now back home.

Michele in NC

mikesmom1983

Hi Ladies.

I am 1 year and 5 days younger than Kirby, I read Pip's post of Sunday today and got the dates wrong. Had no time at all yesterday to check in. I was on call this weekend and worked almost the entire day, until 10:30 pm. Barely had a chance to take a shower. I was supposed to have my nights free this week and off all next weekend but my coworker called in sick today so I didn't have this evening off either. I certainly hope she shows up tomorrow. I had planned on making Heather's spinach and feta pie for dinner tonight but got home so late I didn't have the energy to cook. Heated up a chicken pot pie but it was gross and only ate a few bites. Had a bit of chocolate instead. The alarm didn't go off this morning and although the I had enough time to get to work in time I missed my elliptical session. I barely got in 4000 steps today when I normally do 10000. It has not been an auspicious start to the week.i am hoping that things improve dramatically.

I am going to The Cape on Saturday for the weekend to celebrate my birthday. A good friend who has a lovely home on the water invited me and some mutual friends to to stay with them. A sunset cruise has been booked for Saturday evening. I am so looking forward to the weekend. A manicurist friend offered me a birthday manicure on Thursday which is so kind of her. Don't know what I'm doing on Friday yet, which is the actual birthday. PB keeps mentioning that my birthday is coming up but hasn't stepped up to the plate yet with any plans. This may be his downfall.

You are all in my thoughts.
I need to get some sleep.

Chris in MA

GRITSandSLUTSandWINOS

Re – Congrats on weight and scale ‘smiling at you’. I hope tomorrow, my weigh-in day; they’ll smile at me, too. At this point weight seems to be coming off so slowly; but, my muscle/fat % are up/down … so I am getting there. Need to go get in the pool so I can get my exercise in before the afternoon ‘thunder bumpers’ roll in. We finally got some ‘good rain’ the past couple of days. FINALLY, our neighbor’s rotten tree got blown down and removed … came down after we left for our ‘date night’ and before we got home, and it had been dragged out of the road. We had been surprised that it had not come down the day before because we had some flat line rain/wind that day. I don’t understand why he did not just go push it over months ago. But; these are the same people that leave a patch of unmowed grass about 3 feet wide out in front by the road. They’ve got a toddler (maybe a little older) child; a snake could get to him before they would notice it while sitting on the porch. They’re a little strange. He paid Dixie League ball with my boys, lo so many years ago.

Went down and picked up two DGD's because of the upcoming storm; their Mama did not want them to 'feel unsafe' in their trailer. Jax, their Boston Bull Terrier was the first one in the car. So they had to clean off my seats when I drove into the carport. He will burst out of his cage/crate if it starts thundering and lightening. Cracker had a 'fit' because he was in 'her' house.

Joyce – Funny that your Mom wanted 3 girls; my Mother used to tell everybody, that she had ‘wanted 6 boys; but, stopped after she had 3 girls; because they were twice as nice’; then, she’d almost immediately talk about how my middle sister almost ‘killed’ her (very, very High BP) and that she was told NOT to get pregnant again; because it would kill her, kill the baby, or both. But, she did, here I am … but, I don’t think she ever knew how that caveat made me feel some of the time. I had 2 boys; and both sisters thought I was in cahoots with Daddy for producing the 1st and 2nd boys in the family. My oldest son, as a toddler, would look down and where my Daddy had stepped and would hop in his steps; if Daddy had ever made a sudden stop; he would have had to remove the wad in his pants that DOS would have made. It was so funny. He followed him everywhere. We lived 25 miles from them; and, he wanted me to come ‘work for him’ … paid me to see his grandsons, actually. He certainly did not ever have to do that. We'd go up and spend about 3 days a week with him. I'd work, he's spoil DOS. Peach cobbler every day at lunch. I mean ‘every day year round’. When I was 9 months pregnant with my DYS he stopped off and brought a bushel of peaches for me. So 2 neighbors, baby sitter, DMnL, and I sat out in the front yard peeling and slicing and bagging peaches for the afternoon. We lived on the corner of a double dead-end road and they were extending our street. Dirt had been graded; but, not meant to be driven on. Neighbor’s son was riding his ‘trike’ on it after a car had gone up a little way. They started backing up; could not have possibly seen him, I started screaming his name, he never looked up, so I started running for him. My friends did not know what was happening, but they got up and started running with me. One banged on the trunk of the car as I grabbed him and the trike up and pushed him out of the way. I later went over to talk to his mother about what had happened and told her that I thought she needed to get his hearing checked. Sure enough, he was partially deaf. I went into labor later on and had DYS at 5:01pm. By 7:30pm, 6 of my neighbors, with the neighborhood baby sitter (as the DD) came to the hospital with a bottle of wine and crackers and cheese. DYS was, in the room, with me at the time because he could stay in the room so I could nurse him ‘on demand’ rather than on a 4-hour schedule like my DOS had been on. OB/GYN came in and told me I could have a glass of wine, but, to call the nurse to come get the baby since I had already nursed him. They also had a Playgirl magazine, and had already gone through it and marked the pages with the ‘biggest roosters’. They laughed and laughed and got me to laughing and finally the Head Nurse came down and warned us for the 2nd time to try to ‘keep it down’ or else ‘they’d have to leave’. We shut the door and continued the party. I had 2 boys; but, now … I am happy that I did not have a girl. I got/get to fiddle with combing DGDs hair and picking out cute clothes or going with them shopping; but, can ‘excuse’ myself if they get into ‘one of their moods’. All 3 of my oldest girls have extremely thick hair and very tender heads. My youngest DGD has a head of thick hair but she is not tender headed. Her Mama, a cosmetologist made sure of that. When they came as a surprise at Easter; she asked me to brush her hair for her, ‘because I did not have any girls of my own’. I really enjoyed that and it made a very special bonding moment.

We always got what we needed; but, certainly not everything that we wanted. There were times when my Dad’s services were bartered, instead of receiving cash money. He might get a side of beef in exchange for representing someone in jail for a misdemeanor. One day, after court was finished, he went up to the evidence table and picked up the rifle after getting someone off for ‘hunting at night’. Remember, this is a small town [#94 out of 159 counties, size-wise). Judge, who was a friend, asked ‘What are you doing’? He told him, ‘getting paid’. So he got the shotgun which one of my sons now has. An attorney could not do that now-a-days.

I remember as a child, going to the nursery school that was run by the All Women’s Teaching College in town. What I remember was that it was a long, gray, asbestos sided building consisting of a lobby with a big room on each end; and a 3 toilet restroom in the middle. Did not matter if the boys and/or girls had to go to the bathroom at the same time, we went. LOL! Lesson of boys and girls differences came early. But, nobody ever had a 'conniption fit' about it. I enjoyed my morning there and had a lot of friends because our mothers all went to college there. I got into trouble a lot; once for sticking the spoon being used to stir up chocolate chip cookies and then licking it off. Whoops! My boys went to a Mother’s Morning Out at an all woman’s teaching college in Macon, GA. You could bring them there and drop them off for 4 hours and it did not cost anything. My DOS loved it, although he’d play in the corner or wherever I put him down. He was pretty quiet and he’d play with whatever toy I handed him. They’d get him to color and do other things; but, some days, when I got back he was still playing with the same toy. He never threw his toys at others; but, he also would not let go of them either. Very territorial, in a way. He and our DYS are polar opposites; but, they have always gotten along with one another and are still very close. DYS is my 'adventurous one'. We never had any real issues with either of them; but, DYS loved the taste of 'beer' from the time he was just about 18 months old. We had won a 64 ounce can of beer and he wanted a taste. I told him, not until we had some friends over and had reason to open it. It would go flat. Well, later that day both he and my DOS were acting silly, really silly; and, I realized that something was 'up'; and when I picked up the can to move it, it was significantly lighter. He had popped the tap, just enough, so that it would trickle out ... every time I left the room, they'd go to the kitchen, open the fridge, and take a couple of swallows. They were drunker than a couple of skunks!

If I were to give a name to my ‘book of growing up’ it would be “LLL” (Living, Laughing and Loving).

Lisa – There are a few differences between ‘sweet potatoes’ and ‘yams’. I like both; but, one has a thin skin; but, the yams have a thick layer of skins. Sweet potatoes don't look a lot different than baking potatoes. Yams have dry skin and are pointed at both ends.+ These layers can be ‘tough’ after cooking and not all that great to try to eat. I always eat the skin of my baked potatoes (regular ones); but, even those have skins that are either very thin or a bit on the thicker side. I’m sure it must be because of where they are grown and the soil in which they are grown. The skins of potatoes have a lot of nutrients in them. Once you get used to eating them, you’ll probably never go back to scraping the potato meat out of their shells.

Normally, I put my potatoes in foil, so that the skin won’t be burnt before they are cooked. Being soft is how I determine they are cooked through.

Sweet potatoes make wonderful ‘fries’ and they can be ‘baked’ instead of fried. Sometimes, just for a change, I will order a sweet potato (or fries) with my steak.

Pip34 – Happy Belated Birthday to Kirby!

Drkatiebug – Yeah! Great report on colonoscopy. Tomorrow I go for my weigh-in and have an appointment with my GYN to have him check my throat/thyroid gland and see why Saturday it seemed to be swollen and sore. Getting a little better; but, still difficult to swallow.

Re – A size change usually occurs about every 10 to 15lbs; or it has for me. I have not had to replace any bras, yet; but, won’t even ‘think’ about doing it until after I lose down to my goal; I just move the snaps a little closer to the inside set. I don’t know how much water you drink during a day (and coffee does count towards water intake); but, I drink, now, about 14 cups a day. It took me a while to build up to that from drinking maybe 2 cups of water a day + cokes; cut out my cokes completely, and the weight loss really kicked in. Saturday was the first time in more than 18 months that I had a soda; and, almost could not drink the whole thing.

Katla – I think I am outspoken and opinionated because of my parents. Sometimes I just need to ‘sit back and keep my mouth shut’ about certain things (politics and religion).

Lenora

bjbelow

I've been staying under 1200 calories a day since January 1st. My choice of exercise is swimming 4 times a week for 30 - 45 minutes due to bad knees. I've lost 27 lbs. I wish it would come off faster, but grateful for that much. I have 40 lbs to go to reach my goal. Hoping to avoid needing a pacemaker.

Katla49

Heather: Congratulations for writing! WTG!!! :drinker:

Alison: I agree with Dr. Katie's advice, "I am so sorry. I'm sure you will figure something out. I have to work. Taking off is not an option right now." It won't be easy for you because you're in the habit of helping everyone around you, but it would really be a great idea. You are important, too, and you need to take care to avoid exhaustion and exploitation.

Sue: Goatalympics sounds like it would be really fun. :bigsmile:

Lenore: (((HUGS)))


Yoga today was exceptional. Last week I only got to go to one class and I'm hoping to make all three morning yoga classes this week. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

Tibetan proverb: "The secret to living well and long is: Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure..."

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison

barbiecat

Lisa, thanks for the info about sweet potatoes and yams....today when I was at the grocery store, I realized that what I had been buying all along were garnet sweet potatoes and I had been thinking they were yams....next to the sweet potatoes were yams...bigger and fatter with very dark skin....I felt so smart, thanks to you

Jake felt good enough to have a friend join us for lunch.....he helped with preparations by cutting up cheese to go with the bread and soup and then after we ate, he lay down on the couch to rest while joining in the conversation.

Alison, a phrase I find useful is "I'm not available"....sometimes it means I have to work or I have a doctor's appointment and sometimes it means I don't feel like doing what you ask and it's none of your business why.

Two Mondays a month I take a nap in the afternoon so I can stay up late to talk to a very good friend who keeps very different hours from me and the only time we can talk is at 9:00 on Monday nights.

Barbie

GRITSandSLUTSandWINOS

OK, ... after I got my red wooden rocking horse and cowgirl outfit for my 3rd Christmas, I also got "Ruth" the only doll that I did not tear her arms, legs, and head off on Christmas Day, and a Greyhound Bus; which I was playing with when my Mother got "T-boned" in a wreck on our way to take Mimi back home to Marietta. She was the only one 'hurt' because she saw it coming and tensed up. What I remember was walking through the maze of curtained off spaces that made up the ER at "The Gradyies" (Grady Hospital) as it is known in Atlanta (city hospital) and staring at some guy who had a stick (pine tree) stuck in his leg. I stood there and stared at him until my oldest sister pulled me away.

I know someone talked about the "Chatty Cathy" doll; but, do any of you remember the Patty Play Pal doll - 3 feet tall. Somehow mine got left at my Grandmama's house; and, my Daddy 'forgot' to pick me up after leaving me there with her. She tried to put her clothes and shoes on me. I was 'scared' of my Daddy's mother. Enjoyed going down there when all the cousins were there; but, she did not have lights and/or running water. Light by the fireplaces. She sort of went off her rocker after her DH and one of my uncles got killed by a train going to their dairy. RR did not maintain the right-of-way and they had to practically be 'on the track' to see the curve. My Daddy and Uncle were taking naps after lunch one holiday weekend (I think the 4th of July weekend); and the train blaring its whistle woke my Daddy up and he grabbed my uncle and told him, 'come on, we've got to go' ... they got to the dairy and the train had hit the car killing granddaddy, uncle, black man that worked for him, and the 3 hunting dogs in the trunk. I don't think my grandmother was ever the same after that. My 'aunt' never remarried and he children were little ... the youngest one only a baby. She's always been a part of the family.

Colored woman that had worked for us all my life (or most of it) was someone that I was extremely close to. She'd ask me 'what I wanted for lunch' ... I loved her 'fried chicken'. She ultimately 'tried' teaching me how to cook it, never learned. She made the best thick 'chicken and dumplings' ... maybe my 2nd favorite meal; and her 'fluffy biscuits' were to die for. She'd make an extra batch on Saturdays so that we could split them, butter them, and toast them for Sunday breakfast. My mother's biscuits were always flat and as hard as a 'hockey puck'. Nannie-L said it was because she handled the dough too much.

Etiquette lessons, dance lessons, speech lessons, and piano lessons was a part of our lives as well. On card playing night games (about every 3 months) my mother would allow me to set the table for all the goodies for the group of about 25 couples. I never learned how to play bridge, DH does not know how to play bridge. My Daddy taught me 'how to play poker' at the age of 4 because I would go stand on the rungs of their chairs and 'give away' their hands to the others. I got a 'lot of spankings' for that. It also was taught to me, so that 'if' people 'asked' about people/clients that my Daddy represented, I could look at them 'straight-faced' and 'lie' about it. Helped me understand 'confidentiality' which has been a part of my life ever since because of my career as a paralegal.

Elementary school - My 2 older sisters were put in the homeroom of the 1st grade teacher who lived behind us on the next street over. She totally expected that I would be in her class and could not wait for me to be one of her students. Back in the 50's they put you into classes, High, middle, and low. I never did well on 'timed tests'(until I was grown); and because of that got put into the 'low'/slow class. I came home from school crying because I was not in her class. The next day, my mother marched me into the Principals' office and told him to move me up and she'd make sure that I 'kept up'. My Daddy asked me what I liked best about school and I told him 'lunch and recess'. By 8th grade I was in AP classes. Had the German Measles in 4th grade and did not get to go to the birthday party of a male friend in class ... we were going to get the behind the scenes tour of the P.O.; and, I missed it. The following week, my Daddy picked me up and put me on the counter and the Post Master gave me my own personal tour.

Middle school, ... my BF was the girl that had moved in across the street one house up. We were so close that we did just about everything together. We'd go uptown and drag home big boxes we found behind some of the stores and would make little houses out of them and spend the night outside in them. Can't do anything like that now-a-days - world has become 'too evil'. Both our 1st boyfriends were 1st cousins. We'd sneak out at night from about 6th grade through HS. Her older sister would leave her Dad's utility van parked just outside the overhand; and, we'd push it down the drive and out into the street and pop the clutch and go joyriding it in. She (sister) always got into trouble, because we would not park it 'exactly' as he had left it for the night.

Was a cheerleader in HS; but, the school counselor set the rules; and it was difficult for me to maintain the overall GPA of a "B+" and I got put on 'probation'; but, after cheering in the gym during basketball season; I had decided it was not worth living through the 'migraines' I would have because of the noise in a wooden gym. Broke my tailbone in P.E. practicing doing a flip (on a 3" mat). Feet just did not come down 'under' me and I landed on my tailbone from about 4' off the ground. I could not sit up; and, our coach (best looking man that I knew at that time) got several of the football players to roll me over on my side and tie me to a hard straight-backed wooden chair; and loaded me into the bed of a pick-up; with 6 of them around me holding my head totally straight. Went to the little local county hospital and got transferred to the Medical Center of Macon to be seen by an Orthopedist. The only ambulance service in town was the 'funeral home'. Never have been able to understand why in an EMT bus ... you are strapped to a hard wooden board; but, there is a 4" padded mattress in the back of a hearse. Go figure! Had to sit on a donut pillow; and, I'd stick to it when I tried to get out of the desks; my mother made a cover for it so that it would not sound like I was passing gas every time I got up.

HS, for me, was a lot of fun. Summers, I spent as a lifeguard at the city pool. There were about 15 of us who 'ran the pool' during the summer and we all taught things such as swimming, golf, or crafts during the summer program. When I was little, I did not 'like' swimming classes at all and cried the entire time. I finally learned to swim in the Atlantic Ocean after being knocked down by a wave. Then I ended up having to teach 20 little kids how to swim. One mother would come and sit and her son 'cried' the entire time. I finally asked if she would please consider not staying, it was a disruption for all.

Well, he cried and cried and I made him get 'out of the pool' and sit until he stopped. Then I walked him around the pool a couple of times and asked him 'if he could trust me'. He said, 'yes'; so we walked around the pool on the step-up and on the 2nd time around as we got to the 5' drop off to the deep end; I took him by his arms and threw/slung him as far into the pool as I could and immediately went in after him; but, stayed an arms reach away from him. Talked to him and told him, 1st off - shut your mouth so you won't swallow the water, he did; then I told him to move his legs like he was riding his bike and move his arms in a figure 8 (treading water); when he got that down pat, told him to throw his head back; and his feet would come up and he'd float on his back. Which he did. I'm sure that a lot of people would say that was 'cruel and unusual punishment'; but, he learned to swim. I always tried to make sure that I made learning to swim 'fun' for the class; but, some kids, you just have to do things differently. After that I could not keep him out of the deep end or off he diving board (low). Made him jump straight out and not towards the side. He finally wanted to get up on the high diving board; and, I told him that 'if' he started up the ladder there was no turning back. We held hands at the end of the board and went off at the same time but not holding hands. He really did not want to get off the diving boards or out of the deep end. I laughed at him at a class reunion (multi-class) when he told me that he had had a 'crush' on me all those years. Even 'if' he thought I was trying to 'drown him'. All my DGDs that live next door have all said that "I was trying to drown them" when I taught them to swim. But, they are water babies now and I don't have to worry about them as much. I still watch them and my 3rd granddaughter is not allowed in the pool without an adult out there watching her. We used to have competitions between our city pool program and the city programs of two other towns near us. I did competitive diving (my BF at the time taught me); one day in practice, doing a 'full gainer' (where you jump on the end of the board, out a little, and then do a backwards flip toward the diving board ... I hit it on my way down and it knocked me out ... everybody watching me knew I was going to be 'out cold' because of how I hit the board. It took me a couple of days to get over the concussion. Then he made me 'get back in the saddle and do it again'. After doing it, then I could 'quit' the team if I wanted to. The closer you get to the end of the board I competitive diving the higher your score. I had gotten as close as I ever wanted and that was too close.

Then off to 'art school' in Atlanta (after taking private lessons from the age of 7). Art school was very overwhelming because it was from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon; and all the projects and homework on top of that. For a couple of years, totally lost interest in painting and drawing. DH knew I went to art school; but, he never said anything about why I did not want to do it any longer. When we moved out here over 15 years ago, he found my art school stuff and brought it to me. I cleaned all the brushes; and, still after over 35 years, the paint was still good; I took it back up. My DOS used to tell me that 'anybody could paint'; but, 'only REAL artist could 'draw' with a pencil! So, without anybody knowing it I took an online drawing class; and that Christmas I drew him a 'turkey' for Christmas and when I gave it to him, told him, 'don't EVER say that I am not a real artist'. H now has 3 pictures of turkeys that I have done for him, one in oils, one in graphite, and one in colored pencils. I enjoy painting at my leisure for my pleasure and most of my work ends up being presents for friends and family. I have done a few pieces on commission. My DOS is my 'critic' ... when he tells me that I am 'spot on' ... I will then sign it and never touch it again. Painted a former HS friend's portrait in his Army uniform ... he ultimately ended up sending me his bars, all his pins, and a button and a snippet of the jacket, so that I could get it 'spot on'. The bars off the Internet just did not show the exact colors. The bars consists of 64 threads each; and, some of them have just 1/64th of a color in them. I painted them with a brush that had 3 little hairs. I learned a lot from doing it; and, if I ever did another one ... I'd do it a little bit differently. He was a full-bird Colonel in the Army and had bars down the whazoo! In fact, he met me at the bank on our way to see our DYS in Louisiana. He lived in MS, about 11 miles away from a classmate, who never knew they lived that close together until we both were trying to find classmates for a reunion. Small world? HUH? Never knew that another MFP community member would have been someone that was in my sister's class.

OK, that is where it ends for now ... I'll give it a break! LOL!

Lenora

"Forgive any misspellings or grammatical errors, I did not proofread this. LOL!

fanncy0626

jmkmomm

DrKatie, congrats on your colonoscopy. My husbands was scheduled for around noon so he didn't have to get up until around 6 to drink that second bottle. I think he would have refused. I really think he would have.

I think it was Sue that her husband had to have his esophagus stretched. Charlie had to have that done many years ago. Oh he was flippin mad when he found out he had to be on a pill the rest of his life after that. He had a lot of scar tissue because of constant reflux. Now I'm not sure how many pills he takes with no complaint. Speaking of pills, any idea what to do with pills you don't take anymore. I have a bottle of medicine that Charlie took for his ulcerative colitis. They say not to throw them down the commode anymore.

Joyce, in SD, welcome back. Please don't go away for so long. There was another Joyce from somewhere else in Indiana and she is no longer here. It makes me seem like I shoo any other Joyce away. I am not a bully.

Tomorrow we have our two appointments 90 minutes apart. I sure hope I can make them. I know I don't have to go to his appointments but I want to. I don't expect him to go to my dentist appointment but he may have to and just stay in the waiting room. Of course our house is on the way home from his Dr appointment and mine. I can just pull over to the corner when we get to our street and he can walk home. It's only the 3rd house on the block.

I was only able to get about an inch of packing in his wound tonight. I hope that means when we see his surgeon on Wednesday that we can stop that. That also means that Charlie will have to be the one inspecting his ostomy bag all the time. One thing off my shoulders. I don't mind it but I want him to realize more ownership of his own body.

Joyce, Indiana

grandmallie

well I am awake kinda~
got maybe 4 hrs sleep on and off last night..
I hate nights like that.. all over something that I do have control over...but told Tom that he will be fielding a few phone calls today, and he was aghast. really this is your father, I barely have a pee break when I work, and cant get to my phone, where he can anytime ..so will put him on it today.. and if he doesn't like it to darn bad..