WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR OCTOBER 2019

1404143454656

Replies

  • kevrit
    kevrit Posts: 4,387 Member
    Sitting at Eye doctors with eyes dilated waiting for next step.

    Holidays:
    Halloween— I live in a campground so nothing special. We do have a stuffed Yoda in the RV windshield that we dress up for the seasons. Right now he has a Halloween costume on. I do have a skeleton hanging and a skeletal arm holding on to my DH’s bike handle. We have an alien in our campsite that DH made last year, but he is there year round for the tourists.

    Thanksgiving— last year we started with 2 people who were going to be alone and ended up with 30 people at the Ranger’s house and everyone contributing. It was a great time. Not sure about this year but possibly ending up the same way.

    Christmas— I shop all year for unique but appropriate gifts. I have to sip everything so keep it limited. I will finish up by getting gift cards aimed for the individual. Cards— I will only send a few. I’m going to order some from Shutterfly. I have a discount with them.

    Can’t see very well anymore. Dilators working.

    RV Rita
  • exermom
    exermom Posts: 6,556 Member
    Took the water class. The plan for tomorrow is to do a Take It Off DVD.

    Kate UK – be sure to buy me something nice!

    A thought: I was thinking of getting PJ/Denise a sled for Christmas. One with a back so PJ can sit up. My thought was that right now when Denise takes the dog for a walk she has PJ in the stroller. I’m wondering if you can use the stroller in the winter. Remember, she’s in DE. I’m wondering if there’s a requirement that the sidewalks need to be shoveled within a certain amount of time after a snowfall.

    Mary – didn’t you leave Shep with your daughter once before? I’m trying to remember why you took him home with you. I’m sure he’ll miss you but will have a good time.

    Vince FINALLY ordered the solar cover. See, if it had been me, I would have ordered it a few weeks ago and had it ready to be cut when we were ready. He waits until the last minute, now we have to wait. Looks like we’re going to have to close up the pool <snif, snif, boo, hoo>. Until March. Well, that’s only 5 months away, and one of those months we’ll be in FL, so I’ll try to look on the bright side. About Christmas: I made this Diamond Dotz, one for Jess, Denise, Pete. The one for Colby has been made for about a month now, I’m just waiting for Vince to get it framed for me. Hope it’s not like the quarter round in my exercise room where I’ve only been waiting for about 6 years for him to put it up. Update: Vince just told me that he's waiting for me to buy the glass. Well, I need for him to make the picture frame first.

    Sunday is Denise’s anniversary so have the card in the mail.

    About checkbooks: Ours has a calendar in the back of the book, we write so many checks that the calendar is from 3 years ago….lol For the most part, it’s one check for the church and one check for the place where I take the extremepump class.

    About Christmas: Vince is really into decorating (as you know). I just wish we could take the decorations down earlier so that we can leave for FL sooner.

    My temporary bridge is a bit rough. Just realized that. But I can live with that for a few weeks. I will just make sure that the permanent one is nice and smooth. This is only for a few weeks.

    Today put out some of the brownies for Vince (I had them in the freezer). I had one but I really didn’t want it yet I had it. Why? Probably more out of habit than anything else. Whenever I put something out for him, I usually have one.

    Vince is a little bit frustrated with Newcomer bowling. A fair amount of people signed up, but not many are coming. One person is going to a Halloween party (on a Thursday?) and lots of others just said “I won’t be there”. So far we only have 8 coming, about 16 signed up. It’s just frustrating when it appears that bowling is a second thought. They know the dates well in advance

    I wish we did Thanksgiving the way they do it in Canada – earlier. To me, just too much hustle and bustle. Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas. I usually breathe a sigh of relief when Christmas is over

    Vince likes to decorate BIG TIME for Halloween. The only one bigger is his decorating for Christmas Vince bought the Halloween candy yesterday. Three bags full from WalMart. I have the bags tied up and in the pantry (out of sight). I tied up the bags so that would only be that much more work for me if I were to be tempted to have “just one” candy. Oh Halloween I know that I’ll have a bowl of popcorn. This has worked pretty well for me in the past. I might have only one or two little candies

    shOtzz – I usually buy my cards at the Salvation Army. Yes, about some things I am cheap. Hey, cards are nice, but they only get thrown away

    Susan WA – when Jess lived in Reston she liked to host Thanksgiving. We usually had our Thanksgiving the day after Thanksgiving just so we weren’t on the road the day before.

    Michele in NC
  • fanncy0626
    fanncy0626 Posts: 7,152 Member
    Michele - I almost left him there last year, but I did a week trial run and had to go back and get him. At times last year I regretted not leaving him so this year I was ready. I really do miss him though :/
  • Vickil57
    Vickil57 Posts: 1,894 Member
    All this talk about the holidays. DH puts up a lot for Halloween, it's his youngest sister birthday. They usually have a big party. Thanksgiving I have had to work for years and when I didn't we would usually spend it with one of the kids and their family. This year our oldest son and family are having dinner on the Saturday after and we will go there. Since I don't work on Thursday we may have another one of the kids and family over. Since they are adults they will not get together.
    Christmas is my holiday. I send out a little over 100 cards and love getting cards from friends and family we only hear from once a year. Several years ago our oldest son made a 5 foot wood cross that we covered in garland and lights. The only things on it are memory ornaments of family passed across the arms and down the base ornaments with grandchildren and great grandchildrens names. Around the bottom of the cross is the navity
    set that one of the granddaughters painted when she was around 10 or 11. I try and spend a day or two making cookies with the grandkids. We then give them away to neighbors and a couple times we have went to the park and library and passed them out to the homeless. I want them to learn about giving and not always getting. We do get them each something.
    Went to the chiropractor after work and he helped some, gave me some strenghs to do. Still using the tens unit some but hoping it will not be for much longer.
    Blessings, Vicki GI NE <3
  • 1948Peachy
    1948Peachy Posts: 1,511 Member
    Michele ~ My granddaughter loves all kinds of creative art projects (9 yrs old) and the diamond dotz sounds like something she would really like for a Christmas present.


    Mary ~ Your daughter is beautiful and Shep is such a handsome boy!

    Holidays: There were 5 kids in my family and 3 in my husbands. We spent over around 20 years visiting both families on Thanksgiving and Christmas as both moms loved having their children there. I am happy to say that since my husband’s mom and dad passed away and my parents were divorced and moved on their ways, most of this stopped (to our relief). Now, my DnL’s mom has Thanksgiving and my Son and DnL have Christmas. I get too anxious to plan, clean, and get everything ready. Like Heather, I want everything to be perfect and need to adopt Barbie’s quote (paraphrase), everything does not have to be perfect.

    We do not participate in Halloween for unknown reasons or Valentines Day (it was that week that we had to bury the hubs parents who both died the same night of heart attacks).

    Cards: I am not a card sender!

    Carol in GA
  • LisaInAR
    LisaInAR Posts: 2,020 Member
    Woot! Back home from my meeting, which went very, very well, and the person that was willing to buy our futon was just five minutes behind me, it's in her truck, and now it's gone. We brought it here from North Carolina, but don't need it now, as my son left his bed behind him when he moved. :) One more thing gone. Plus a little cash. Life is good.

    Kinda cool talking about what everyone does for the holidays - we're all so different, but have this in common - healthier lives... supported by each other.

    Later, y'all,
    Lisa in AR
  • okiewoman510
    okiewoman510 Posts: 1,319 Member
    Christmas Cards are addressed, stamped and ready to jot a personal message on before they go in the envelopes. Hubs and I often travel the week of Thanksgiving so we eat somewhere while we are traveling. When we are home, we generally are invited to a neighbors and have dinner with their family contributing whatever they ask us to. This year hubs is working most of the week so I'll work as well and we will go to our neighbors (assuming they invite us :wink: ). The bonus to this scenario is that they will give him a week off some other time to make up for him working.

    I can't remember who cleaned their oven, but thanks for the reminder. I have my self cleaning cycle running now. I have cleaned all the counters, the cooktop and sink so now I don't want to cook or wash anything. I might run to town for some dinner. Although, that will be a lot of effort, maybe a granola bar will suffice.

    I also cleaned my turkish coffee mills, I use them as pepper mills. I started with one and my Dad loved it so I got him one. His brother loved it so I got him one the next year. When they both died, I got theirs back so now I have three. It is a lot of brass polishing! They aren't perfect, but they are better and shiny!

    Okie in the TX Hill Country


  • SuziQ113
    SuziQ113 Posts: 1,520 Member
    All of the holiday talk is getting me in the spirit. I love reading about everyone's plans and traditions. I used to go full out from Halloween through Christmas and have toned it down over the years.

    This year's Halloween decorations consist of holiday towels in the kitchen and powder room. That's it.

    Thanksgiving is absolutely my favorite holiday. No matter your background it is a universal holiday in the US.

    I hosted Thanksgiving last year for all of the singles. I love planning and executing large party plans (yes, crazy). I love the full experience from the shopping through enjoying the meal and even the clean up. I make everything from scratch (not the bread for stuffing) and make all of the traditional items and one surprise dish every year. I have learned to go with the flow and stuff happens.

    This year will be a change for me as the singles I hosted last year all live in the same condominium complex in Fort Lauderdale and have decided to do a "visiting" meal. There will be three hosting (appetizers, main meal, dessert). I have been told not to bring anything so I figure I will bring a course-appropriate bottle of wine to each and a flower arrangement (cornucopia for main meal and hand-tied arrangements for the apps and dessert). Here's the arrangement I made last year.

    lnlevcmgml66.jpg

    The group has been going out for Christmas dinner. We found an old-school restaurant that we all enjoy where the meals are always satisfying. I am undecided with decorating this year but always set up the Nativity and remove it after the Epiphany. And, send out cards because I love receiving them.

    Sending hugs and positive thoughts to all.
    SuziQ
  • SuziQ113
    SuziQ113 Posts: 1,520 Member
    kevrit wrote: »
    Our alien “Paul”!

    RvRita

    Love Paul the Alien!
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,251 Member
    :)About Holidays, I taught in primary school for over 30 years and decorating and celebrating holidays was expected. I decorated the classroom, bought gifts for the students, helped kids make gifts for their parents and decorations for the classroom and for their homes, and did cooking projects with holiday themes (latkes, decorated cookies, cranberry sauce, etc.). By the time I retired, I'd had had enough. Now we do practically nothing for the holidays. We live in a 55+ community and there are no trick or treaters. We don't care for socializing or recreational eating so we don't accept invitations for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Jake likes turkey so I'll cook turkey and trimming for the two of us and make the carcass and leftovers into soup to freeze for the future. At our meal on Thanksgiving we'll talk more than usual about the things in our lives for which we are grateful (there are many).

    :) I read an article about 20 years ago that clearly made the point that holidays should be about doing things that are meaningful. I've tried to live by that principle and it has served me well.

    :) I celebrate Halloween and Christmas with my line dance class by encouraging costumes and treats for anyone who wants to dress up or share food and I plan a program of familiar dances that we dance to holiday theme music.

    <3 Barbie in NW WA
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    edited October 2019
    sh0tzz99 wrote: »
    Holidays - We don't really "celebrate" anything except our birthdays. For those, we try to travel.

    Travel is usually our gift to each other for birthdays, Christmas, anniversary, etc. too. In 2012, we took off for 8 months to travel around the world ... that covered us for all the occasions for a few years! :grin:

    Sometimes we'll include an event in with the travel. My birthday falls on a long weekend here so on two or three years we travelled up north and saw a play one night then went to the speedway the next night.

    And cycling ... we celebrate stuff by cycling. :) Even our wedding! We cycled a century (100 miles) then got married. :grin:



    Speaking of holidays ... this weekend is a holiday. Actually today (Thursday) is the holiday: Royal Hobart Show Day but many people take Friday off too.

    I've even taken Monday off as well!

    But it won't be much of a holiday ... we're running 3 cycling events and I've got to study for my final exam in between it all.




    Machka in Oz
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    exermom wrote: »
    A thought: I was thinking of getting PJ/Denise a sled for Christmas. One with a back so PJ can sit up. My thought was that right now when Denise takes the dog for a walk she has PJ in the stroller. I’m wondering if you can use the stroller in the winter. Remember, she’s in DE. I’m wondering if there’s a requirement that the sidewalks need to be shoveled within a certain amount of time after a snowfall.



    About checkbooks: Ours has a calendar in the back of the book, we write so many checks that the calendar is from 3 years ago….lol For the most part, it’s one check for the church and one check for the place where I take the extremepump class.

    Michele in NC

    You can google her city and find out what the regulations are regarding shovelling sidewalks.
    Also, it depends what kind of stroller she has ... some can be used in the winter.


    About chequebooks ... we don't use cheques at all here in Australia. If I handed someone a cheque, I'm sure they'd just hand it back to me with a puzzled look on their faces ... "What's this?"


    Machka in Oz

  • ginnytez
    ginnytez Posts: 1,411 Member
    I don't decorate the house for Halloween any more but always give out candy (residential neighborhood). Usually have 100 or so kids come by. This year will be strange-for years Trick or Treat has always been the Saturday nearest the date-this year the county Sheriff changed the date to Halloween which is a Thursday night. We have choir at 7:30 and trick or treat hours are 6-8. In addition to cutting short handing out treats, I will be driving out of neighborhood while kids are running around. Haven't decided what to do for that. That day at work we have all staff meetings (two sessions). Staff can wear costumes, win prizes and exec team puts together little treat bags (have 225 staff).

    Having Thanksgiving at my house this year with son, his gf, my husband's sisters and nephew. My brother may drop by. Mainly son and I like our dinner and he still wants to come home and help cook so I will not complain. Don't mind the work. Will see step son and his family the Saturday after (they have big gathering for Ohio State-Michigan game).

    Haven't decided what we are doing for Christmas dinner yet. Have shopping started. Have started addressing Christmas cards for work (all 225 of them!). Will make small ornament for supervisors. Have to address cards for church. Hope to have shopping done by December 1, but will not doubt keep buying past that (I really like giving gifts).

    I write many fewer checks than in the past-pay most things on line. However, I still balance a checkbook the old fashioned way.

    Going to get some sweaters out of washer and lay them out so they can dry flat, set up coffee and head for bed.

    Take care all,

    Ginny in Ohio
  • exermom
    exermom Posts: 6,556 Member
    Went to ceramics tonight then colored my roots.

    Mary – did you have to go back and get Shep because you missed him or because he missed you?

    Carol – the diamond dotz is really quite easy to do. It’s sort-of like the paint by number only you use little diamonds

    SuziQ – lovely arrangement. You are so talented.

    Michele in NC
  • Snowflake1968
    Snowflake1968 Posts: 6,979 Member
    Lots of talk about holidays.

    We had Thanksgiving here last weekend, my family and I celebrated on the Sunday evening. We have a 4 shift workers in the family so the only time new with “normal” schedules are the grandkids, hubby and I. Thanksgiving is not as big here as what it seems to be in the States. It is just a bigger Sunday dinner for me, so I love doing it.

    We normally don’t do anything for Halloween decoration wise, but we do hand out treats to the kids. This year I have to dress up for work. The Leasership team that consists of 13 of us in nursing home dresses up and the residents judge us. I have to make my costume this weekend. We also have at the nursing home a costume parade the elementary school next door to us walks all 300 students over to the nursing home and the residents line up in the hallway to give out treats. The treat we as the home are giving this year is expired surgical gloves, each finger is filled with rocket (a roll of about 20 little hard candies), the palm is filled with a mini chocolate bar, the wrist is then tied with a ribbon. Residents and staff have been busy making these.

    Christmas, we celebrate Christmas whatever day we can depending on schedules. I have a budget for the adult children of 100 each plus a stocking filled. For the Gramdchildren they get one toy, one outfit, one book, pjs, and a Christmas ornament. This I find sales for and sometimes it is very inexpensive. I also fill stocking for the Grandchildren and my husband, he fills for me. We send token gifts to my husband’s parents, my Mom, our siblings and our nieces and nephews. These are very inexpensive trinkets or I make something myself. I love Christmas and decorate the Saturday or Sunday closest to December 2nd, this is my MIL’s birthday and a promise was made the year we were married to my husband that I wouldn’t decorate before her birthday. They are usually taken down New Years Day as we have birthdays in early January.

    I used to send cards to a lot of people that I made myself, but I haven’t made any in the last couple of years. The cost of postage is insane!

    Hope everyone had a great day!
    Tracey in Edmonton
  • JRsLateInLifeMom
    JRsLateInLifeMom Posts: 2,275 Member
    Pip- poor Floyd praying for you guys.

    Halloween 🎃- bought candy 🍭 for JR (chocolate with no nuts for JR) in case it rains planning only 2-10houses near us only.

    Thanksgiving- my birthday at my Aunts like usual. JR will get car sickness y I will be nauseous from the hour drive. Worth it to see family but poor hubby has to deal with double the car sick folks since JRs birth. (Daughter luckily has zero motion sickness hubby too) (Me y JR feel sick on short drives to the mailbox even).

    Christmas- My house family over y Daughter visiting only need the tree up everything done as of Tuesday. Mother-in-law y me both got what we needed. Smelled a candle at Bath y Body that smelled like Rat or Gerbil paper/mulch in the cage yuck 🤢! Avoided it went next door to TJ Max for candles 🕯. Got hand soap at Bath y Body always a good one in the bunch on sale $3.50 each.

    Amber Tx

    Still over my calories ugghhh winter munchies keeps swallowing me whole! Tried to do better but peanut butter crackers sent me over the limit. Lunch y Dinner was soup y Apple 🍎 salad with a side of stuffing. Gatorade zero y Crystal light tea peach flavored. Snacks ice cream 🍦 70cal y 160cal one, peanut butter wheat ritz crackers,cheese crackers 1/2 a pkg,y egg whites on a slice of toast.
  • OregonMother
    OregonMother Posts: 1,665 Member
    I'm so sorry, Pip. What a horrible shock.

    Flea
    Willamette Valley, Oregon
  • csofled
    csofled Posts: 3,022 Member
    😴💤
  • GodMomKim
    GodMomKim Posts: 3,708 Member
    Hi Gals,

    I caught up – good thoughts to everyone.

    Pip – I am sitting here crying, I am so sad for you, Kirby, Floyd and Yogi. Floyd will be hanging out with Bullwinkle! Take care and know we are sending you good thoughts, hugs, and a ton of support!

    Kim from N. California
  • evie1958
    evie1958 Posts: 866 Member
    Pip, so sorry to hear about Floyd, such a shock. {{{HUGS}}}
    Lisa, I was thinking about your son wanting a quilt in blacks and greys, my friend just made one that has a lot of blacks and greys with some white as well. She appliqued some red flowers for a bit of added pop. It looks fabulous! Could you do something like that for him? Does he have a fave colour (other than black or grey! lol) that you could do a highlight with? Just a thought.
    Rori, so sorry to hear that your brother is drinking again.
    So many posts, so little time!
    The topic of the day seems to be holidays. I am in Canada, so we had our Thanksgiving last weekend. We also have a small family so we never have a huge dinner, but we still get together. LThe last few years I have done our family dinners on any Mondays that happen to be holidays as I was working weekends. Our DIL also has a large family and most of them work Mon-Fri so they like to do their "stuff" on the weekends. This has worked out fine for me! I'm no longer working Sundays, but I still like doing the dinner on the Monday, that way I have Sunday to clean house and do some meal prep, makes for a more relaxed me on "the day". A few years ago I bought a turkey breast and a couple of turkey legs (or thighs, can't remember) and just cooked them, the amount of leftovers was just right! Unfortunately, this has been harder to find, and it's a lot more expensive to buy turkey parts than it is to buy the whole darn bird, so whole darn bird it's been. I just made the last of it into soup today!
    I don't decorate for Halloween anymore, never really did too much, but have done nothing for the past two years, since we moved into our townhouse. I had stopped giving out candy at our old place also, the last year that I did it I only had about 10 kids come to the door. Sorry, but just not worth my time.
    Our DS and DIL decided when they had their first child that they would alternate Christmas Day and Boxing Day with us and her parents, which is fine with us. Last year, her parents realized we were all by ourselves on Christmas Day and invited us out to their place for dinner! It was quite nice, I do like a good family crowd! Hubby isn't as social, but he survived. This year we get them for Christmas Day, so will be quite happy to just veg out on Boxing Day, thank you very much! lol
    I have not been eating properly and the scale is reflecting that. I have been going to the gym tho, so that part is good at least. Started doing more strength training, upper body anyway, the legs are already pretty strong, upper body-not so much. I had already started working my core, so adding the upper body just seemed to be a natural next step.
    Okay, enough of my novel for tonight!
    Hugs to those who need them, congrats to those celebrating and welcome to the newbies!
    Evelyn, Vancouver Island
  • cmsavells
    cmsavells Posts: 257 Member
    Oh Pip!! I am so, so sorry!! Peace to you and Kirby.

    (((hugs)))

    Connie in KY
  • Snowflake1968
    Snowflake1968 Posts: 6,979 Member
    Pip - I am so sorry.
  • wizzywig
    wizzywig Posts: 1,246 Member
    Pip I am so sorry.
  • auntiebk
    auntiebk Posts: 2,619 Member
    Hallowe'en, since we live .5 mi up a dirt dead end lane we get no trick or treaters. Will have to come up with “something obvious you wouldn't ordinarily wear to Line Dance Class” for our end of season potluck and dance party Tuesday. Rationing out the candy (mostly to Joe) that I couldn't help but buy.
    Thanksgiving will roast a turkey breast, make dressing on the side, bake some sweet potatoes, serve with a salad, a store bought pie and some dry champagne if I can find it. Just the two of us, but I love the “day after” turkey sandwiches on balloon bread with Best foods mayo... ;)
    Will Amazon some Chanukah gifts to my Messianic god-daughter's children. Would love to get together with them for a cooky painting party, maybe next year.
    Christmas every year the decorating gets less, some years a tree, some not. No cards. No gifts except for Joe. Already ordered his slab bacon, will supplement with a bottle of very special cognac and a couple of new 100+ft drop cords. Sometimes I let Joe know what I want, others he has fun at Bi-Mart (but swears he hates it).

    Connie “hallowthanksmas” LOL!
    NYKaren :heart: the thankful people sign.
    Machka no checques in Australia? Ever? Or just since debit cards?
    pip (((heartbroken hugs and tears)))
    Michele thanks for the update.

    Sweeping (!) the hall yesterday morning noticed some water along the wall. Yup, the water heater was leaking. Emailed our H20 engineer neighbor for recommendations, he replied right back with he'd be here today. So thankful he's an early riser (replied at 5:47 am), an expert and a good neighbor. He investigated, brought a replacement, and spent the better part of the day pumping out the old and putting in the new. It was so rusted, the shut off valve couldn't work so turned off water to the whole house for most of the day. Trying not to stress over the expense and just be grateful it wasn't worse. We're hopeful the bubbled up subfloor will dry out and flatten down. Even if it doesn't we'll just have to live with it. No way can afford new flooring 'til the roof's paid off.
    Was a little down so used the “it will be too hot to walk Tumble on the asphalt” excuse to skip dog group and curl up in bed with a book. Better than hitting the beer, popcorn and Hallowe'en candy... but not much ;}

    Lighter, lovelies!
    f8qt1s098sxm.gifBarbara, the Southern Oregon Coastie AHMOD
    Word for 2019: "GOOD" good attitude, good food, good times, good choices, good enough, feel good, GOOD! Word for October: get up and do it!
    Steps=3244, vits=23 log=23 CI<CO=20 CI<250<CO=12 Tumble=14 mfp=23 AF=18