Senior Golden Sneakers - December 2010

delraybuzz

Hi everyone, I'm trying to lift my lids enough to see while "typing"! Crazy situation! But I miss you all!
BARBIE, your marvelous turkey dinner description inspired me to make our favorite cranberry sauce before running off to our favorite farm outlet. Since Mike is diabetic, and I stay away from sugar as well, I use Splenda and frozen applejuice along with cinnamon, cloves and allspice and of course the cranberries in about a 1/2 cup of water. I also add lemon zest, which I always have in my freezer! Your family's picture is delightful, and I assume they enjoyed your turkey? I'd have loved the soup with the matzo balls. How do you keep those from being fattening???

SANDY, your bingo skills are amazing! Good for you. I used to use the Quimica Alemana which my manicurist would bring everytime she visited Colombia. I'll try Amazon now that you found it! I see your back is still bothersome; hope it heals soon. :flowerforyou:

MARIE, you have become so proficient and clever with Photobucket, and your pictures are so entertaining! I got a kick out of the "tushes" wiggling away on The Cowboys!!! And you sound like an expert baker! Yum!!!

GIGI, I love retirement, and so will you. You'll probably be so busy you'll wonder how you ever found time to work! I wish someone would gift me with a Chico shirt! Hope I will fit into one pretty soon. They make their shirts for ladies with small busts! I do not fit into that description! When do you go on your trip? Looking forward to your barefoot countess picture! :smooched:

MARYELLEN, I hope you will get a well-earned rest over Christmas!

GAYLA, too bad about the bronchitis! Maybe just take a rest and you're so right about not having all those sweets around the house after the celebrations! Rest up! :ohwell: :flowerforyou:

LYNN, whereabouts are you located? The 2 hour difference intrigues me because I can't figure out where the "center of our activities" is! Like...2 hours from where? I know north of Florida has been severely cold, but I guess my area in South Florida didn't quite get below freezing last week. My orchids are in a vase and my palm trees look bare, but I preferred to save to flowers rather than take the chance on them freezing outdoors! Today hit 62 but very raw...and looked like snow! But this is December! Anyway, glad you're feeling better! :happy:

IRENE, you have a fascinating history! Alaska, wow! I've never been there, but always think about going! Having your son that far is difficult at holidays. But you are so thoughtful to send the things you do! Enjoy the rest of the gang at your Christmas get together.

I tried Notepad for this, and think it's simpler than Word for me. No setting up! :laugh:

By the way, how is our friend across the big pond doing with all the snow we see happening there? No more falls, Pam!!! :noway:

delraybuzz

Connie, looking back a week, I see you HAVE been taking off weight! It's not easy when you are being the "Caretaker". You are always in our minds and hearts, dear Connie!

lyn54

:laugh: Hey Buzz...I love that "handle"...I live in South Central Kentucky. The land of the the Kentucky Derby. I was born in Derby City-Louisville. I live down closer to Nashville, Tn. Actually, I can be in Nashville in 45 minutes. It takes and an hour and a half to be in Louisville. The Eastern Time Line is just 30 miles north of me. I am in the Central Time Zone. The I-65 Corridor is about 40 miles east of me. In Kentucky, if you don't like the weather as of now...it could change in 30 minutes from now. It's fun to watch them try to predict what we are going to have. Just like the ice storm...the percentage prediction was high but we didn't get it where I am it went north of us. We get a lot of our weather from Texas. Then it dips down sometimes from the northern area and mixes with the Gulf winds that blow up and that's when we have storms or snows or whatever. I'm not a hillbilly ...I don't live in the hill country. I actually wear shoes...most of the time.:laugh: :laugh: I don't own a pair of overalls ...:laugh: I dont' wear straw hats or have freckles:laugh: :laugh:

Gigi ...retirement is great!..I hope you will enjoy yours!

Have a good evening or moring...I am up late tonight. We went out of town to visit friends for Christmas. We didn't return home until 11:30pm. I can't unwind.

:yawn: :yawn: Good night all!!

lyn54

PS The picture in my ticker is the ice storm we had last Jan. That is my drive-way and my Dwarf Cherry tree in the middle of my sidewalk. That pic was taken off my front porch.

CALIECAT

Good Morning
Good Monday morning The Monday before Christmas

Irene ......
I didn't know you live in Alaska, What were you doing up there? Sound like you have some interesting stories you can tell us.H
ave a very merry Christmas.......

Sandy....
Your Christmas sound s like a lot of fun.

Gayla....
You get yourself well. Hate to think of you drinking all that junk feeling the way you do, Good to hear Neil got out with his Friend, His friend must be a swell guy.

Buzz.....
Love hearing from you, Hope your eyes get better. Been missing you a lot here.

Lynn....
Does your little cherry tree produce cherries.? I froze a bunch of them whebn they got cheaps and now have cherrries to eat during the winter months, We cannot grow them here. and I love them.

Maryellen........
Hope you get some rest soon..

Jeffrey.....
wishing you and your family a happy Holidays

Barbie..... What a grand year you have had. Reaching your goal. Not to many people can say that

Others that have reach their goal or so very close to it Gigi, Sandy, Jeffrey, Birdie.....Barbs And I am so proud of you all. Even the one that I forgot. Sorry about that.


here my picture for today

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: I just checked our birthday thread and there aren't any birthdays in our group in either December or January...thanks, Sandy, for reminding us that there is a birthday thread

:flowerforyou: Sandy, it sounds like you have an easier than usual preparation for Christmas....with all the things you do for your family and your current back pain, you deserve to have an easier time with others doing the preparation this time

:flowerforyou: Gayla, I hope you are feeling better......I had bronchitis a lot when I was working and it knocked me flat for days...maybe you don't need to do all that baking......nobody's waistline or cholesterol needs all that stuff

:flowerforyou: Buzz, I am so sorry about your eyes.....i hope the doctor has a solution when you go on Monday...there is no way to keep the matzo balls from being fattening......I make enough for each of us to have 3 matzo balls each and serve them in the soup with a measured portion of turkey and lots of carrots, celery and onions and the meal comes to just under 700 calories.....I try to eat very carefully the rest of the day and add in some exercise.......it is a huge treat for us but happens only a few times a year.......thanks for sharing how you made cranberry sauce.....mine is simple (berries and a small amount of sugar)

:flowerforyou: Lynn, I hope you are on your way to recovery...thanks for telling us where you live.....it makes it so much more personal knowing about your geography

:flowerforyou: Barb, you are amazing :bigsmile: no matter how busy you are you still manage to find bargains and exactly what you are looking for.....we are having the same nasty wind......Sasha hates it and the cats keep going out and staying for about 5 minutes and then begging to come back in which gets the dogs to barking so I'll know to open the door......i guess I get some exercise from that :laugh:

:flowerforyou: Gigi, I can't imagine the confusion of doing holiday preparation and preparing for a trip all at the same time but you are remarkable so I know you'll do well......I look forward to seeing the family photo on the beach.

:flowerforyou: Irene, thanks for sharing about the challenges of living in rural Alaska.....how great that you will have your daughters with you for the holidays.

:flowerforyou: Marie, I love your pictures, especially the snowman you posted on the birthday thread

:bigsmile: :bigsmile: I took the dogs to the dog park in the wind this morning....they didn't want to stay as long as usual.....my errands today were to go to WalMart and PETCO to buy pet food.......I successfully avoided buying any of the holiday stuff and bargains that were everywhere.....now, even if we get snowed in (which is unlikely) we can feed the pets for a month :laugh: I did a little bit of work in the yard but even though I was bundled up, my hands got too cold after 30 minutes.

:drinker: I went to an ornament exchange party yesterday.....there were about 25 women......I didn't participate in the exchange because I didn't want an ornament so I brought knitted bells that I make during the year (they're my easy project that I can knit in the dark----at the movies, in the car)

---

and passed bells out to all the attendees....the food was wonderful. I stayed away from the sweets but ate nuts and stuffed celery and salad and trail mix and had to ride the exercise bike and jog in front of the TV all evening to make up for the indulgences.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

tlp8rb

Gosh - looking back it's been five days since I've posted here. Doesn't mean I'm not lurking. We're kind of at a stand still around here. Hubby should be even better than last time but I don't think he is. As a matter of fact I hauled him in to the hospital today for some lab work, chest x-ray and consult with a cardiologist. His blood pressure and heart rate were quite elevated last night and this morning. The home health nurse agreed that he needed to see a doctor. When I told him there was a possibility he was going to be admitted, he started to cry. This just stinks. Take care of yourselves and urge your loved ones to do the same.

They sent him back home with an admonition to drink more fluids (he won't), do some breathing exercises (he won't), etc. etc. I think he has a death wish.

We're expecting our daughter and son-in-law this weekend, and then our company from South America arrives on the 28th. They have a nine-year old and I don't know how I'm going to entertain them and take care of my spouse. Needless to say there are no cookies baked, no decorations hung and no Christmas tree and I don't think that's going to change.

Read with interest the talk about Nuts and Bolts. The folks at Whole Foods posted a "healthy" version that has fewer than half the calories in the regular version of this snack treat. I'll post it on the Sneakers recipe page.

So with that, I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas. Doubt that I'll be posting much in the days to come. Just don't have it in my heart.

Sandydur

Busy, busy day again. My granddaughter spent the night last night and got up this morning to go to Cheryl's and bake cookies all day.
I went to the dreaded mall to see if I could find a white sweater to go with the white faux fur vest I bought yesterday. You would not believe how hard it is to find a white white sweater, everything is off white and I wanted white. I did find one, but not sure I really like it now that I am home, so I may go back tomorrow after I get my hair done. We are going to see Wicked tomorrow night, but leaving early so we can go to dinner first. No card game tomorrow, but bingo Wednesday and meeting on Thursday. Keeping busy actually helps with the pain, I really think I am going to start exercising again, I think I will feel better all the way around.

Connie, I feel so sorry for you, I know you love your husband and I know how hard it must be to take care of him when he doesn't want to take care of himself. I will keep you both in my prayers and hope for nothing but the best. I am so sorry this has put such a damper on your Christmas and your company. Some things can't be helped but I hope in the end that all works out for both of you.
You are a special person and deserve some good days. God Bless you.

Barbie, thanks for the kind words I needed them today. I had a misunderstanding with my DIL last night and I felt so bad. She just doesn't have a sense of humor and misunderstood everything I said. All because a friend of mine asked me to ask her if she wanted to sell her daughter little kitchen set. She said no that she would never sell it because she would keep it for her (5) year old daughter children. I jokingly said what if she has no children and she said what does that mean? I said she may not want any children and might just want to be a professional. She said why would you say that? I said it was a joke and she said not funny.
I told her to lighten up, her daughter is only 5. She said with all that we went through to get Marisa why would I joke about something like that. (Marisa is adopted). I was only being funny, but evidently only in my eyes. I can never win. I apologized and today did whatever was needed to keep her happy. Even my husband said why is it we are always apologizing to our children like we are the kids and they are the adults. Thanks for letting me vent about that. :laugh:

Marie, you are always in good spirits and keep the rest of us smiling. I love all your pictures and love how you take care of us.

Lynn, good hearing from you and hope you are all well for Christmas.

Gayla, I am so sorry you are feeling so miserable especially for the holidays. I hope they postpone your test, nothing would be worse than drinking that nasty stuff and coughing at the same time. I am glad Neil's friend took him shopping and he got out without having to bother you. I wish you a speedy recovery and a better week.

Bears are winning over the Vikings which makes me happy but not my son in law who works for the Vikings.

Have a good evening.

Lafla

Hi everyone! I went to the Dr. today and I am now on antibiotics and hoping in a day or two I will start to feel better. We went in to the city early enough to do a very little bit of shopping and by the time I was done at the Dr. I was pretty much ready for a sleep, which is exactly what I did curled up in my big chair. I did sleep much longer than I had planned (3 hours) but guess I needed it. It is so rare for me to be without an appetite but all I can say is that I have certainly not overdone my cholesterol this week!! Oh and my colonoscopy has been postponed till early January. I know I couldn’t have done it. So now I will hopefully be well in time to get a few things to put under the tree for Dave. He is such a good shopper and I am not.

Buzz – So sorry that your eyes are not improving. I know that is so frustrating. I hope that something can be done for you.

Lynn – I enjoyed hearing about your home and seeing your snow picture.

Marie – You are so sweet, always. Neil and his buddy have gone through school together and have always been friends, lots of fighting and making up but always friends. His friend also has some learning challenges but does function higher than Neil and is able to manage a job. He works for the town. They have remained close and although they have fought like brothers sometimes they are still good friends. I believe Neil misses him now that he has moved away so I was very glad they got out together.

Barbie – You are always busy and that is a very good thing. You showed good restraint with the bargains which end up not being bargains at all sometimes.

Connie – I am so sorry that your husband is feeling so sad and frustrated. I understand that you are getting the brunt of it which doesn’t do much for your spirits. Although it seems like more work having company, I do hope that it turns out to be a joyful time for you both. I will remember you in my prayers.

Sandy – Blast that back!! I know how frustrating it is to cope with unrelenting pain. I hope that the exercise will make you feel a little better. Of course, you will not persist if it is making it worse so I say why not give it a little try. Babysteps, my friend! Sorry too about the disagreement with your dil. Babe’s sentiment about apologizing is a very true one. You look after yourself and don’t let the young’uns push you around!!

Gigi- Thinking about your upcoming retirement and remembering one year ago what an exciting time retirement was for me. I still highly recommend it!! Have a wonderful time with your family. Can’t wait to see your pictures!

Barb – Busy, busy girl! I hope you have some wonderful vacation time over the holidays.

Jeffrey – Hope the holidays bring good things to you and Day, especially two girls home for the holidays!

I know I have missed some folks but I will just say that as Dave says, I am not firing with all cylinders.

Take care everyone and keep smiling. It is nearly Christmas!! Gayla

lyn54

Hi Everyone!
I went shopping with the two oldest grandchildren..two boys. A 13 year old and a 6 year old. That was interesting I can tell you. My DH(Grandad) starts out thinking he is going to be so stern and he's a big push over. They always come up with a way to win his heart. :happy:

Gayla..I hope the meds help. They have me and still are. The zithromicin (z-pack) that I took works up to 10 days after you take the last pill. My sister had to go to Quck Care today. They gave her Cithromicin...it's new and is like erythromicin but it's a lot easier on your stomach. I hope I understood that the spelling began with a c. It'a new anyway. She was given nose sprays and cough meds and the bill just for the meds was over a hundred dollars.. It's expensive to be sick.

Marie..the cherry tree that I have has some small cherries on them but they aren't edible. It's more ornamental than anything. It is called a weeping cherry. You can grow cherries and plums here but I don't have a tree. I'm like you, I buy them at the grocery. My cousin is married to a guy from Wahsington state...now that state can grow wonderful cherries. Some of them that come into our grocery are from there. She brought me some, one time, we she visited out there...they were to "die for.." I love them.

Connie -I hope you don't lose your hope. May peace be in your heart, that is what I will pray. May you have some comfort.

I read, a while back, some stories about World War II on here. Several people in my family served but I will tell about two of them. My uncle (mom's brother) served in the Navy. They were lost in the Pacific for several months and were down to living on raw potatos when they were found. They had to stay quiet because of enemy ships. My grandparents didn't hear anything for several months. They were very worried. He did make it home. He had a family of four girls and died with a brain tumor when he was fifty.
The other uncle was in the Army. He wanted to be in the Air Force but was color blind. He was a medic but he served directly under a Colonel. He drove him around and was exposed to a lot of atrocities. He saw and helped with survivors of the Holocaust. It really bothers me that in recent years people are trying to pretend or say that didn't happen. I worry what will be done to the written history of all the happenings of that war in the future when eye witnesses are all gone. I pray to my God that isn't allowed to be forgotten. Anyway ..that Uncle was buried the 8th of December, last year ('09), a day after Pearl Harbor and was buried in the Veterans Cemetery at Fort Knox. Last saturday, they had a ceremony where they laid green wreaths with red bows on all the graves in that cemetery. If you could see the cemetery, you would understand what an enormous task this is. My Aunt said it was a very touching thing and such a simple elegant picture. My Uncle served as a Civil Sevant, until his retirement, under a Colonel at Fort Knox. He had his pilots license, train engineers license..and he was allowed into the vault at Ft Knox.

Another story..when I went to Gatlinburg back in the summer, there was a man who sat down by me. He had retired to Pigeon Forge, Tn..which is there close to Gatlinburg. He said that he was a salesman that traveled through there and loved the Great Smoky Mountains. He lived in Maryland before. He told me about serving in the war and some of the battles. He told me they slept on the ground on top of snow with no blankets and just the clothes on their back. One night he found an abandoned ambulance. He crawled in out of the cold. When awoke the next morning..he had slept all night beside a dead man and didn't know it. He said he never had a cold. He said people today, didn't know how good they have it.
My nephew-in-law is in Afghanistan. I guess I am thinking tonight of all the men who fought so that I can have a good place to lay my head, good things to eat, and the freedom to worship my God and have a Merry Christmas..or that you can have a Happy Holiday or whatever it is that makes you happy.
I pray that God will watch over our soldiers, our great country and keep our leaders. I pray that our Country will stay where people can have the freedom we all enjoy. That would be the best thing I could get for Christmas this year.

May God Bless each one of you this Season.

CALIECAT

We are off on our trip ina couple hours. Hope I don't forget nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh Merry Christmas ,Will be back in a couple days.

Debtappe

Hello: I would like to join the list. I'm 58, I have lost 7 pounds since the end of September and I'm extremely happy about it. This is the first program that has ever worked for me long term. Usually, I quit after 3 weeks. I stuck with it and am going strong. It makes me very happy.

CALIECAT

Welcome Deb. So happy to see you. You are up early :flowerforyou: too. I haven't much time this morning to talk mush but did want to Welcome yoou to our group. You will love us.:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:


:flowerforyou: I did want to take time to tell Connie that we missed her posting but we do understand. Everything will get better my dear. Just have faith.Things will work out. Enjoy your Daughter visit and your friends after Christmas.
Well got to get my shower and pack my last minuet things I have a list of things to finishing packing. You would thing we are going to be gone a week instead of 2 days. My daughter just said one suitcase and we have to share it. I am taking my walker and it take up some room. Alice is taking her I have a cell phone and need too used a bunch of minutes up so if anyone want to call me I will post it to you in a personel message. Would love to take to some of you.Alice is taking he I pod so II will get to send some pictures of Christmas while wwe are gone.

Love to all.......................
arie

jeffrey71

Good Morning Everyone!

I know it has a been a bit since my last post and I am sorry for that. It has been very busy for us with the Christmas season, work and family! We hope to have both the girls home for Christmas, but it will depend on the weather for Samantha. Sam is now done with college! YEA! She is going to remain by campus until she can get a position teaching. The weather here has be rotten. Sandy will back me up on that! Freezing rain and snow this morning. We have most of the shopping done and wrapped so that is a load off of the mind.

I have resumed training. I have picked up about 7 pounds from not training due to the knee surgery. I am so sore right now that I just want to cry! LOL I have been strength training, and doing a fair amout of cardio, bike and plyometrics. I will probably start swimming in a week or so. so back to full force triathlon training. I have also been trying to locate races for next year.

That is the "cliff note" version for now. I will try to do better on my post. Take care everyone. Travel safe!

Jeffrey

lyn54

:flowerforyou: In reading back over my own post, I would like to clarify what I meant by "keeping" our leaders. God knows what I mean but I feel I should explain so there isn't any misunderstanding. I am meaning to ask that God keep them in the Center of His Will. That He would guide them in their decisions, regardless of their politics. That He would protect us all from bad decisions and bad judgement.
I felt I should repost a bit more.

Have a good day!

Sandydur

Happy Tuesday!! Short post just to welcome Deb. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: I think you will like our group and like the way we support each other whether through diet, exercise or whatever else you like to talk about. Most of us are animals lovers and love to share pictures. Welcome and keep coming back. :drinker: :drinker:

As for me, I had my hair done today for our big day today of going to dinner and then to see Wicked. The weather is ok, but a little misty which isn't good for my hair. :laugh: :laugh: We did get a few inches of snow last night but the roads seem to be ok, so I don't anticipate any problems. :noway:

Have a great day, stay healthy, drink lots of water and pray for each other.

Lafla

A quick Hi to all and welcome to Deb. I am feeling a little bit better but Dave says I have been saying that every day and don't sound better. I actually haven't had a sleep this afternoon so I am thinking I must be getting better. I plan to get some wrapping done this evening so I know what last minute things I need to get.

Have a wonderful little holiday Marie.

Take care and keep smiling. Back atcha tomorrow! Gayla Vivian

viliberty1957

Hello: I would like to join the list. I'm 58, I have lost 7 pounds since the end of September and I'm extremely happy about it. This is the first program that has ever worked for me long term. Usually, I quit after 3 weeks. I stuck with it and am going strong. It makes me very happy.

Deb, so glad to have you here. God Bless.

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: Gayla, I'm glad the doctor could do something to help you and glad that you postponed your colonoscopy until January.....mine is scheduled for January 18.

:flowerforyou: Marie, I hope your trip is the best ever

:flowerforyou: Sandy, I hope your hair looks fabulous all day and that you have a great dinner and that Wicked is as good as you expect.

:flowerforyou: Deb, this is a great group.....we welcome you and hope that you will become part of our family.

:flowerforyou: Jeffrey, you are a never ending bundle of energy.....I hope your family Christmas turns out as wonderful as you are hoping

:flowerforyou: Lynn, thank you for sharing your strong feelings about our country and freedom and for leaving politics out of your post.......one great thing about this Senior Sneakers family is that we stay away from controversial topics so it is a safe sharing environment for all of us........the closest we have come to controversy was during the baseball playoffs when it was clear that we didn't all support the same teams :laugh:

:flowerforyou: the power went off briefly a few times this afternoon (just long enough each time to shut off the movie we were watching) so in anticipation of a longer power outage, I turned up the furnace so the house would be warmer when it happened. The wind and drizzle have continued but that didn't keep the dogs and me from going to the dog park where they chased birds, each other, and other dogs for 40 minutes and I got a good walk.

:flowerforyou: last night I walked/jogged 3000 extra steps on the back porch while we watched the lunar eclipse.....what an amazing sight.:bigsmile:

jeffrey71

Good Evening All!

Welcome Deb! Glad to have you here! I have been on the journey for 2 years now. It can be done. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Got a good workout in tonight. I am so sore it hurts to sweat!

Sandy I still like the new hair cut! Looks hot! You been getting the same crap weather we have been getting. Sorry! Been to Blue Chip lately?

Barbie one of my best friends is moving to Seattle. We will probably be out to visit in the fall. I will keep you posted.

Gayla I hope you are well and things are quiet.

Sorry for the rush but I will catch up with everyone else soon!

Vill good to read your post!

Jeffrey (AKA why do I keep doing this to myself????) LOL