WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER 2017

Lagopus

Belated Merry Christmas to all!

I'm fine, just been suffering a bad case of brain fog since that week in early December when I had double-dose teaching - normal teaching hours plus evening courses. I've read the posts sporadically, but my retention has been low.

Some people have described their Christmas traditions, and though it's a bit late, I wanted to share the most special thing about Christmases when I had young children. We would drive north to the family farm - an old place that mainly stood empty. It took several days to get it heated with the wood-burning kitchen stove and old-fashioned tile ovens, plus a couple electric heaters if we were careful so the fuses didn't blow. But by Christmas Eve we usually had it up to where we didn't have to feed the fires constantly.

My husband and the kids would go out and choose a fir tree somewhere on the property and bring it in. We usually decorated it the morning of Christmas Eve. The magical part was that we used real candles, not electric lights. There was usually room for 14 of them, no more. We also had red crocheted hearts, and white crocheted snowflakes, woven paper hearts, some shiny red glass apples. After Christmas Eve dinner (a big meal eaten earlyish in the afternoon) we would retire to the room where the tree was and light the candles.

A tree with actual candles burning in it demands your full attention, and that's part of what made it so special. We would all sit there – even the kids would sit still, watching the flames flicker in the chilly air. Outside the dark windowpanes we could sense the calm silence of a rural forest covered with snow. That's Christmas for me.
/Penny, taking just one step at a time at the

klanders30

Penny good to read you! Your Christmas traditions sound peaceful and lovely.

Allie sending healing strength to help you and your dad.

Back to routine today, a little grocery shopping and exercise on the docket for today

NYKAREN

Machka9

My main internet has died for some reason. We suspect our provider is having issues. Hopefully they fix it over night. I've got hesitant and tentative connection with my phone.

So I started working on sorting and organising my home office. This is one job I would love to hire someone else to do.

I am organised and do like organising things ... I just organised my container cupboard while looking for a container for the leftover saag paneer ... but somehow I find that office daunting and overwhelming.

M in Oz

Machka9

Oh yes ... when the internet died this afternoon, I headed out for a 25 km bicycle ride. ☺

barbiecat

cityjaneLondon wrote: »

This morning I got up early to bake the croissants and lay the table. No one else was up so I ate my croissant and went off to do my exercises, which I completed while they were all having breakfast. I hope no one was offended and DH said not. I know myself - it I don't get it done at my "habit" time, it doesn't get done at all. DH is doing his now.

Love Heather UK xxxxxxx

Heather, I congratulate you for doing this. I hear too many people use the excuse of house guests to explain why they can't exercise. As the host, you are not required to be with them every moment. You provided great food and laid the table so they were well cared for. Then you cared for yourself.

Barbie

jmkmomm

Well guys I am just sitting here waiting on a bed so I. Can get out of ICU. Also wit gone doctors and breakfast.out hospitals here have all joined the band wagonthavtou call and order your meal when you want it. I have eaten ok, lots of fresh veggies, today it's whole wheat road to and a fried gig for a and which along with banana and grapes. I will leave one piece of fruit for later. But my cat scan showed no new bleeding! I now wonder how long it will take my fingers to lose his tingly sensation. He also did a cat scan of my left elbow to see why I gave such pain there. Slept prettybgood

SophieRosieMom

Happy Thursday ladies! I've been skimming the past couple days so please forgive me if I'm commenting on things that have been resolved.

Marcelyn - it was so hot and smoky here in W. WA this past summer, I would have believed that weather report. The 22 Christmas stockings were so beautiful!

Karen in VA - great photo of the bald eagle! Nice close up, wow. Olivia is such a doll. Tell me again when baby sibling is due?

Janetr - that little container with drawers is so perfect for your craft supplies. Do you know if it's made specifically for crafters?

Lenora - hope you don't catch the crud. Sure is nice to have you back!

Sue in WA - how are those little goats doing? When we raised them many years ago, we'd generally get January babies. Then lambs in February and March. Brings back memories of a wonderful time and crappy weather, lol.

Karen in NY - glad you made it back OK from your aunt's funeral and you are ready for the deep freeze! Last year we had pretty cold and windy weather in January as I recall - we aren't used to it but decided it was a good thing as it would kill the fleas in the lawn and the bad lawn bugs. They weren't as bad this past summer so I think it helped.

Rori - that's a big word for 2018, lol. I had to look it up.

Allie - so sorry to hear about your dad. (((HUGS)))) So glad you have Alfie there to comfort you. Happiness is a warm puppy. And that's terrific you have a neighbor who's willing to check on him during the day.

Sue - that crown roast looks SO good! And your Christmas table is just adorable. Thank you for sharing.

Penny - I loved the story about your Christmas on the farm and the candles on the tree. What a busy time! I heard on the news that people who live in Norway are the happiest. If they are like you, I think that's true. Is the reindeer still hanging around with the sheep?

Evie - those wall hangings are gorgeous! I am so impressed with all of you jewelers and artists and quilters and ornament makers. I have a half-finished crocheted pot holder in my "craft room" that has been sitting there for 6 months, I'm just about feeling guilty enough to finish it, lol. But I need to think about it.

Margaret - wow, that painting is so lovely. And thank you for the flower photos. Gave me a lift and inspired me to start looking at the seed catalogs!

Yvonne - how is your dad doing? I have been thinking of him, and Beth's dad along with Allie's of course. Hugs to those fellas and the families.

Barbara on the Oregon Coast - loved those Christmas lights! I envy you being so close to the water and glad you are settling in!

Heather - thank you for sharing your photos and Christmas with your family. Sorry Bea wasn't feeling well. Glad you are back into your exercise regime. I'm like you, glad it's all over - even though we didn't do any socializing or special meals, there was still too much candy and cookies and rich food around. Our neighbor brought over a big plate of cookies on Christmas eve. She always does that, and they were delicious. We had a couple then the rest got tossed out for the crows.

Michele - hope things go well with Pete and Denise there. Now that the whirlwind of the wedding is all done, I hope everyone can start to relax a bit. Looking back, I think I was probably a bit like Denise - as I got older it dawned on me how special my parents were and how much they cared and had tried to make me happy. Just do what you can - serenity prayer. My mom especially probably said it several times a day when I was around.

Machka - thank you as well for your photos and description of your walks. Glad the cherries made it through the windstorm - how are did the other fruits fare? Saag paneer sounds delicious!

Wendy - golly, that's a shame about your purse being stolen. Glad you were able to stop the creep from charging too much but still, bad timing.

Lisa - what a neat Santa app. So nice to be around grandkids on Christmas morning. That ring was exquisite. Sorry you couldn't find a good spot for your forever home... but you'll end up in the right place when the time is right and it's a lot of fun looking - and hitting the antique stores, lol.

DJ - you are like me.... we didn't do much decorating but I got everything boxed up and put away by 8 am Dec 26th. Boxing day, lol. When we had a tree, we didn't leave it up very long. Our neighbors have such gorgeous lights in their lawn and houses, they can leave them up for a month if they wish, I love looking at them!

Joyce - golly, thank you for letting us know you were in the hospital! THANK YOU for the update! Hope the tingly subsides and you get out of the ICU shortly and back home quickly. I'm sure Charlie misses you tons.

Barbie - your line dancing students are gems. That meal at your Chinese restaurant was very thoughtful. Don't blame your dogs for not wanting to go another round on that nasty morning. Looks like big rain coming today but it should wash the snow away.

OK, sorry if I missed anyone. Hope we hear from Chris!! And Tere! And Leigh! And Re! Toni T! Dana! Everyone who has graced us with her presence this past year. I'm taking a walk down memory lane, lol.

I've been researching vegan recipes and working on a plan to incorporate a lot more fruits and green veggies into my diet, cutting back on the dairy and meat/animal protein which I normally don't eat a lot of anyhow except for eggs. Got out my nutribullet and made a nice smoothie yesterday - I thought it leaked but it didn't so I am good to go.

I need to make sure I'm getting enough calcium - I like hemp milk which seems to be loaded with it.

Anyhow, reading up on juicing and smoothies and vegan and cutting out sugar and everything about a healthy diet. I think that would be a giant step in getting my allergies under control, from what I've read. I now need to go from reading to really putting it into action. That's my goal for 2018.

OK ladies have a wonderful day!

Lanette
soon to be soggy SW WA State

Machka9

The cherry picking has begun in earnest but we're still hoping for no rain till the end of January.

The rain stom that dropped 100 ml of rain on us at the beginning of December ruined most of one variety and part of another but so far the rest are OK.

They are running a crew of about 32 pickers yesterday, today, tomorrow (Friday ), Saturday and Sunday ... then Monday is a holiday. And they'll be back at it till the end of January. I think the packing shed crew comes on tomorrow.

I won't see much of my husband till the end of January!

M in Oz

Peach1948

Alie ~ So sorry to hear about your dad's diagnosis! Prayers for you and him.

langman22

Hi all you fine ladies,

Evelyn, beautiful quilts. Reminds me of my mom as she owned a quilt shop.

(((Allie)))

Margaret, I just love the painting. Where will you hang it? Always wished I could paint. Seeing the flowers bring summer to December. Thanks.

Machka, I’d rather have your +30c than my -7below. Beautiful pics. Hope the cherries pull through for you.

Heather, I love the blue lights on the tree. I wish we had more people at Christmas as we would love to play more games. We did play Yahtzee though and that was fun. Sort of a tradition to play it.

Penny, what a wonderful memory. I can see how that would be special to you.

Karen, happy to hear you made it home ok.

Lisa, forgot to tell you that I really like your new ring.

Joyce, glad there is no more bleeding. Hope you are on the mend soon and the tingling goes away.

Well, trying to get my head where it needs to be in order to get back to tracking and starting some sort of exercise next week. I have to admit that it has been nice not having to think, track and plan my food. But I’m feeling pretty ready to get back on track.

Hope everyone has a great day. Terry in VT

spikeyhair

Kate UK

KetoneKaren

Penny Lovely childhood memory. How unique!

Lanette Olivia's brother will arrive in April.

Allie So awfully sorry to hear the news about Dad. Did you say the tumor is 60cm? or did you mean 6cm (about the size of a lemon)?

Rori Your potential word for 2018 is a good one; I had to look it up...sounds like the perfect word for you and your husband for the upcoming year.

Karen in Virginia

I believe my word for 2018 will be "Pluck"! (I will need some pluck to complete the tasks that will lead to a happy and healthy 2018.)

pipcd34

SophieRosieMom

Ladies - new topic here. I need pillow suggestions.... has anyone tried the "My Pillow" I see advertised on TV? Margaret, that is such good news about you catching up on your sleep - what kind of pillow do you use?

I've been reading about the "My Pillow" on Amazon but the reviews seem mixed. Not anxious to spend $50 for something that will end up on the dog's chair, lol.

DH and I both need something on the softer side, but one we can mold "push" into a bit plumper when we sleep on our sides. I've woken up with a neck ache the past 2 mornings, ready to toss the pillows out into the trash.

Thank you to anyone who wishes to share.

Lanette
Sleepy in SW WA State

margaretturk

Terry I plan to hang my new picture in a hallway at the top of the stairs. It does not have direct sunlight there.

Slept 9.5 hours with one break. I think it the extreme cold here that made me sleep longer. Slightly warmer today high of 13 then back to the freezer for a couple of days. I have learned just to do the indoor things that need doing during this kind of weather.

Today I am getting together with teachers I used to teach with a number of years ago. One woman in particular is good at organizing our outings. She has an annual Christmas gathering.

Margaret

csofled

teklawa1

Lanette, my DH loves "My Pillow". For many years he has had trouble sleeping. Costco had a "two for the price of one" special last winter and we bought a pair of medium support pillows. He says it reduces the pressure on his neck and he can sometimes change position without waking up. I tried the second pillow but I didn't notice any difference from my regular pillow but I don't have trouble sleeping.

Betsy in NW WA

Peach1948

Lanette ~ I have HoMedics Thera-P+ Memory Foam Pillows which I got at Sam's Club. I love it now but at first it was letting out some gasses that were irritating. Aired the pillows out really good.

KetoneKaren

Lanette Of all things, a foam travel pillow works best for me. I have not tried "My Pillow".

Karen in Virginia

wildhorsewendy

Lanette, I have a flattish memory wedge which I really like.

Penny, what a lovely Christmas story!

Joyce, glad you are improving and getting moved from ICU.

Well, I went into the bank yesterday to get a new eftpos card issued and they are going to reimburse me for the paywave charges the thief did. I still asked for eftpos cards that do not have paywave. I am using my daughter's spare phone which isn't the flashest bit of technology but I managed to get one audio book downloaded onto it so I could take the dogs for a forest walk and listen to a story.

Today is the last day of doing accounts today before our End of Year cut off, so have to make sure everything balances. Then next week I'll be running numerous reports to send to Head Office...About sixty pages worth!

Some of my friends expressed outrage when I told them about my cards and phone being stolen from the car and said how furious and angry they were when things were stolen from them. I told them that I am choosing not to be angry. I hate the gut churning paralysing feeling of anger. It prevents me from enjoying life or focusing on my goals. So I just am not going to let someone else's actions "make" me feel that way. I choose to focus on good things, focus on achieving my goals and doing what is truly important in life. The best thing about getting older is being so much more in control of my emotions. They don't have to rule your life. You can rule your emotions!
Wendy