WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER

Hello everyone,

I am suppose to be off for the next 2 weeks, but I might end up back in the office for an hour or two for a big project that the program in charge put off until the last minute. The contractor they hired to do it is a real nice guy and so to not mess him up, I offered to go in for an hour or two to meet the contractor and transfer the database to him. I do the back end and he does the web interface.

DD has her enrollment meeting with the charter school she wants to go to at 1pm and DS has his social group at 4:15pm. DH took off to go visit his cousin before his mom gets here on Wednesday leaving it all to me. lol DH is going to do the baking when he gets back. He can't cook, but can bake and with 16 supposedly coming for Christmas I am glad he wants to do the baking.

Speaking of treadmills and water, I better get on the bike and drink some water myself.

Happy Monday!

Jeannie
PS: On being cold - since woman's camisoles are SO expensive I broke down and bought a pack of Hanes Mens muscle shirts on sale at Walmart for $7.99. I got the colored ones and no one can tell the difference on them.

Welcome Rae! So glad you joined us

Talking about physical therapists "inflicting such pain", my MIL when she had a frozen shoulder would tell us that the p.t. was killing her. When Vince had the tibial plateau fracture and they came to give him pt in his room, do you know they closed the door to the room he was screaming so loud? But in the end, it really was for the best.

barbie - what kind of pedometer do you have? The one I have leaves a "bump" on my hip where the shirt meets the pants (did I explain myself correctly?). I'd really like to wear one -- more out of curiosity than anything else -- but I admit that I'm also somewhat fashion conscious. Oh, speaking of fashion conscious -- I needed a new sports bar but I refused to pay full price. then I saw them on sale 40% off plus I had a coupon for another 30%. Unfortunately, they only had one in my size. But you can bet that I bought it!!!

I am so glad that I have that leftover fruit that I snack on. It may not be the best (the best would be if I didn't snack at all), but at least it beats those cookies. The leftover hors dourves from Friday I'm just packing up and taking to the soup kitchen. I already had one of the spanikopita. I just have this "thing" about throwing out food, guess its from hearing "you know, there are children in China who would love to have those (insert you least favorite food)"

chicklet - rant all you need to. You have my utmost respect. Everything everyone else has said, I second (and third and fourth)

Jeannie - that is so nice of you to have Christmas for those WOFN's. What do you do about presents? We have a friend who is having to celebrate her first Christmas in NC because of an injury, and I was thinking about inviting her, but she'd feel bad when we were opening our presents and there wasn't anything for her.

Welcome Anglea! For anyone else who has a Wii -- it seems that when I do the hula hoop on the Wii, it many times doesn't let me take the hoops that are thrown from the left, but I can take it from the right. Also, the message "twirl your hips in a large round circle (or something like that)" seems to stay and stay on the screen! Today when I was doing it, suddenly the hoops would just drop. I changed the batteries in the remote and in the pad (the thing you stand on). Lately, when I take the body test, if I have the thing where you walk in place for 20 steps, it gets hung up on some of the steps. It's more frustrating than anything else.

Today (Mon) did an hour of this class called Power Hour. Honestly, I just wanted to try it, I was expecting something more intense. But it was OK. Tomorrow I have a board meeting at the Y then usually I do their spinning class. However, at one branch the fitness center will be closed so they can get new equipment (why it takes all day, I don't know), so I may not be able to take it at that branch, in which case, I'll just go to the branch near me.

Boy, things are really quiet. The last post was McMadame's at about 11:00 this morning.

Have a great evening everyone!

Michele

:flowerforyou: Good morning everyone

Brrrr it's minus 13 degrees this morning! I think I need to get some thermal long johns to wear under my trousers!!

The funeral went well, it was a nice service and we were encouraged to remember the good times with Derrick. It's just a shame more of his neices and nephews couldn't attend for one reason or another. As my dad said a lot of his friends died years ago so we weren't expecting anyone other than family.

oh no DD has started putting her coat on, time to go out into the cold to walk the doggies It's times like this I wish we'd stuck to cats !!!! only kidding doggies I'm on my way ..... where's my hat and gloves!

Talk later

xx

Mac- Thanks for the lead on Old Navy. I will have to check there too. They just “outlawed” individual heaters at work in our new building, so I will need more than what I bought anyway.

Michele – Being that we still have kids at home all of our presents will be opened way before guest get here. For your friend I’d just get a token gift like a bottle of wine or something small. She will be glad to not be alone.

I got very behind on reading the posts. To all who have lost a loved one -my sympathies. To those busy getting ready for the holidays-please do not stress out. Take a moment to enjoy the season

DD got accepted into the local charter school which is 30 minutes north of us. DS got accepted into another local charter school that is near where I work. So starting January 4th I will have to leave an hour earlier to bring DD north than DS west with me. I feel better now that I know DD's best friend gets there early too and they "hang" with a really cool teacher who lets the kids that get there early due to parents working hang in her room before school. My visions of DD standing in the cold and wet for 45 minutes until her school starts are gone! I still have a lot of forms to fill out and stuff to collect to get ready to put them into their schools.

Jeannie

Hello Everyone,

I finally got a chance to read the last week or so of posts. Can't reply to everyone, but...

Welcome newbies!!!

Amanda, Congrats on reaching goal!!

Chiclet-Sorry to hear about the trouble with your identity on MFP. When I searched for your original profile, it said you had deactivated it. I am wondering if just before you signed off the last time if you might have gone in to settings for some reason and accidentally deactivated it.....It might be worth a try to send a PM to "Mike" the site admin and founder, and see if he can help you get things back.

It took great courage to share the story of your childhood. You are living proof that therapy can change a person's life. Your mother is very lucky to have you in her life.

Robin, I am glad you made your comment about Vitamin D, as it reminded me I have been remiss on taking mine, and maybe that is why I am feeling a little dragged out.

As far as things around here, all the doggies are healthy, but at the moment, Mai Li is wandering the house whining about something. Amazingly, the same little girl who pitched such a fit that I had to take her in to the vet EVERY day for 10 days to have meds put in her ears is now letting ME clean her ears without pitching a fit!!!! She has figured out that "good little girls get treats" when we are finished. LOL.

Bradley took advantage of my forgetfulness yesterday. I always put the kitchen garbage can in the bathroom with the door shut when I go out. Otherwise, my little "Yorkshire Terror" can tip the can over and spread a mess all over the kitchen. Unfortunately, yesterday, the can made it in the bathroom, but the door didn't get latched. I came home to find the "garbage monster" had struck again. Fortunately, the can's position was such that it could only tip part way, so only a few things were rooted out. Still, it was one more thing "momma" had to take care of when she got home.

As far as doggies are concerned, has anyone else seen the cute "Tele-flora" tv commercial with the Dalmation? It is very cute, a box of flowers is delivered on a porch. The Dalmation, wearing a red vest, walks up to the box and decides it needs "watering"--if ya know what I mean. The voice-over comes on stating that if you don't order from Tele-flora your flowers may not come out smelling like a rose, and touting their personal delivery of orders. Cute!!

I am having Christmas Day dinner at my place, with just my parents. On Christmas Eve, I am having a few friends in for an informal dinner. I have lots of Christmas decorations up this year, and have added some things. Thanks to some thrift store and Dollar Tree shopping, I was able to add lots of "Christmasy" touches without breaking the bank.

I already got two Christmas presents for myself. I gave my non-stick cookware set to a friend, who considered it an improvement over what she had, and I took advantage of a sale at our Kroger-owned store to get a complete set of T-Fal Elegance Stainless Cookware, along with a matching FREE 12" saute pan. The regular price of all would have been around $170, but between the sale price of the cookware, the coupon for the free pan, and another 20% off, I got everything for $64!!!! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ka-ching!!

I love my new pans. They are lighter weight than what I had, and I no longer have to worry about scratching a non-stick surface, or wonder if anything unhealthy is transferring from the non-stick coating to the food. They also heat up much faster and on a lower heat, due to the aluminum core. A little spray of olive oil, or some non-stick spray and nothing sticks.

At the same store a few days earlier, I found a cute little electric fireplace for 50% off, so now my living room is very cheery. I did, however, learn that if I use the heating function on the fireplace, and the television is on, I better not turn on my hairdryer!!! First time we tried that, I found myself standing in the dark and had to go reset a breaker. All the affected plugs are on the same circuit, and it is a little too much.

I hit the 50% off sale at one of the local thrift stores and found a pair of my favorite brand and style of slip on leather shoes, that are normally about $80 at Macy's. They looked as though they had hardly been worn, and cost me a whole THREE dollars!!! I also got a couple of sweaters, both with the metallic threads that make them look "Christmasy." I bought a pair of Anne Klein slacks for $2.50!!!!

My CD changer quit a few weeks ago, and I THOUGHT I had found a replacement during the same sale, but after having it home and playing with the programming, it became clear that the CD player didn't work consistently, so I had to return it. For the time being, I am stuck with the single CD player that I relocated from the bedroom to the living room.

I have most of my shopping done, and have some baking to do before Friday. I am making a bunch of little pumpkin bread loaves to give as gifts, and I am also going to make some decorated sugar cookies. Trader Joe's had a complete cookie making kit--with cookie mix, frosting, and even has cutters--all for 99 cents!!

I also gave myself another gift--the joy of WANTING to get up in the morning to go to work!! After feeling like a square peg in a round hole for the last several months, I learned of another insurance-related position in an office even closer to my home than where I had been working. I have learned that when I ignore my hunches, I usually live to regret it. I had a strong feeling this would be a good move--strong enough that I went in on Monday morning and quit at the old office.

I was interviewed and offered a spot that same afternoon at the new office. There is no micro-management at the new place, and I am looking forward to being able to work hours that fit me, rather than trying to fit in to someone else's idea of when I should be working. As is the case with most agents, I am considered an independent contractor, but at the old place, their expectations resulted in them treating their IC's like employees. This I will not miss.

In case I don't get a chance to do so later in the week......

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!


Barb

I HATE THIS!!!:explode:

I had been so depressed. for the past few days I couldm't do anythiing without crying!:sad: It'spouring down rain nonstop here in Cali and I tried to put off doing laundry as long as I could. But one morning I woke up to mom wetting through onto her clothes, blankets and sheets (which could have been avoided if she just told me when she originally wet herself to change her, instead of wetting again and again because she didn't want to get changed that early in the morning. The whole room smelled like urine, so I had to find and beg someone to take me down to a laundramat in the rain and do all the laundry. I was sitting in there as my laundry was washing and there were two guys and two women with me. I was sitting on a bench and I was exhausted and trying to relax, I had put my earplugs in and turned on my MP3 player and Claire de Lune came on. As I was listening to it I just broke down crying and buried my face in my hands and cried and cried. Thankfully nobody came up to me and I just cried and didn't care what people around me thought. (Although I did see one guy looking at me like I was insane), but I didn't care. When I got home, the caregiver was there and as soon as I saw him broke down crying again. He held me but I could tell it was awkward for him. I have been like a zombie going through the steps of daily routine care for my mom and my life. I am in so much pain. My back and now my sciatica nerve is constantly hurting ant the simpliest chores are done in pain. My mom gives me expert advice and says that I better start doing exercises to control the pain, and I told her, no, you need to start putting some effort into rolling yourself when I change you instead of being dead weight and making me push you back and forth.

This past weekend I went grocery shopping and bought a few things "extra" (can't reallly afford to do this) to make cookies. I can't afford to give gifts this year to anyone as all the money we have goes directly into caregivers. So I thought I would make a few batches of cookies and give them to all the dear people who have helped me so much through this time with mom and with all my trials and tribulations throughout the year. I wanted so badly to give them somethiing so they would know how much I appreciate them. But last night I was going through my cookie book and I was in such pain just sitting there that I realized there is no way I can do a marathon cookie baking session all by myself in this condition. I will never be able to stand, bend and bake for hours at a time or even have the time in-between taking care of mom to be able to do this. She just monopolizes my time so much. I had to cut my caregiver time down to 2 hours from 6 hours, because I can't afford it any longer. And it is just not enough time to allow me to bake. I asked my son to come down tomorrow and possibly help me with the baking, (I can make the doughs, and prepare and put them on the pans, he would just have to put them in and out of the oven for me and wash some dishes in between, but he refused. He said just don't worry about it. I told hiim that I can't afford to give him anything for Christmas and wanted to make cookies for him and his new family to share, but he said don't worry about it. So I hung up and just cried again.

With all this crying, I figure my time of the month must be coming pretty soon, but I am not kidding myself, I know it is stress too. My forearms have broken out in a rash. It looks like I have the measles! I am itching all the time. I am so poopy and it drives me crazy that I am breaking down!:grumble: For awhile now I have been a firm believer in the Simple Abundance and positive thinking. It has gotten me through some bad times and has helped me tremendously, but now not even that is working. I HATE THAT! Here I am reading this book to my mom hoping a little of it will rub off on mom or she will see the light to positive thinking and I just see her blank, stubborn face looking at me like I am full of you know what for believing in this. It's like what's the point in bothering!!:noway:

But yesterday something miraculous happened and it was the most wonderful, amazing thing that has happened yet in my life!
The caregiveing company that I am using that I had to cut back on, had a person who comes out and introduces there services and sets up the contract with me. Well I had informed him last week that I wouldn't be able to use their services anymore and needed to use another company that allowed a two hour window only. He said he understood, ( he has come over when a caregiver can't make it for a day due to being ill and has helped me with my mom in moving her. He has seen what I have to go through and after he helps me is sweating and says, "you need help badly.") and said he would try to come over and talk to me about seeing if he could offer something else a little cheaper; that he knew people. I told him thank you, but he never showed up and just figured he had forgotten and didn't think any more about it. Then yesterday he calls me out of the blue and asks if he can drop by and talk with me. So I said sure. He has always been very nice to us and I thought he just wanted to check in on us and see how we were doing. He caught me walking Boo in the rain and came out of his car and with his umbrella and walked along side of me. He told me that he wanted to give me his commission that he received for having us use his services while I had them. At first I didn't understand what he meant. He said everytime he gets someone to sign up for their services he gets a commission and he wanted to give it to me to help me with money to pay for the new caregiver. By the time we got back to my apartment and sat down I finally understood what he was saying and I just stared at him in shock. I said, "Why would you want to do that for us?" and he said, "Because I know you are struggling and you are such a good person and are doing the very best you can and I want to help you." I kept shaking my head in disbelief and he said, "Deborah, there are people out there who care and want to help you. I am one of them. When this same thing that is happening to you, happens to my parents, I don't know if I could do what you are doing, financially, physically or mentally. I just want to help you and this is the best way I can." My bill with his company is around $1500 and I have yet to be able to pay for this. He didn't even know this. He said that wasn't his department, he is just in sales, but I could use the money anyway I wanted. It turns out he wants to give me $700!:noway: I asked him if this would hurt him in anyway financially. He said no. "Are you sure?" I asked. He just smiled and said, "I am positive." I just broke down crying in front of him and thanked him profusely and said it was the best Christmas present I have ever received in my entire life. It is the most unselfish act anyone has ever done for me! I mean, my God he doesn't even know me that well!!! After he left, I just sat there stunned for awhile, letting it absorb into my mind. I started thinking about things an old boyfriend taught me. He was the one who got me into the positive thinking and how if you are positive, good, honest and giving, good things will come to you. Pay it forward. I have been so fortunate during these times in my life lately and have tried to live as positively as possible and be grateful for everything I receive and have in my life. My attitude is so different from the way it was before my divorce. I have changed so much. I hope for the better. I truly believe in positive thinking, truly believe people care about me, truly believe that good things will happen if I believe in them. And this kind act that he did for me, from a person I have just barely known and met, and who could give something so from the heart, is miraculous! I am so grateful and thankful. I will never forget this. NEVER. And when I am able to, I intend to help people all I can for the rest of my life as much as I can. It is in my destiny, I know it.

I told my mom after he left, and her reaction was one that I used to give. She felt guilty, embarrassed, and thought of it as charity. I told her, "No, this is a result of positive thinking. Everything I have been trying to teach you in this book is what this is about. This is what I have been experiencing for over 2 years now. I do what I can for others from my heart and am grateful for all I have, and good things happen. I never know what to expect but, good things happen and I accept them gratefully now, and don't fight them by being guilty, embarrassed or thought of as charity. If people do these things, they are doing them because they want to and can. By being grateful and paying it forward is what makes them feel good about it." I said, "Look at it this way mom, If you could help someone and tried to give to them and only received negative responses and they fought you saying it was charity, wouldn't it make you sad and a little frustrated because you really wanted to help them and it wasn't anything that would hurt you financially or physically? You just were doing it because you could and cared, yet they turn you down? Giving is more important than receiving as far as I am concerned. That's what this whole season is about...Giving. And it should be like that all year long, not just for the season." I told her since I have adopted this new way of thinking, I have met some incredible people along the way, who have helped me in all kinds of ways, not just financially. I gave all of you as an example of how rich my life is. How your support has helped me with my weight, eating habits and just being there for me. I told her, they care. And I am grateful to say they are friends of mine.

I thnk she is slowly coming around to understanding how this works in someones life. It does no good to think negatively! There are enough negative things in the world to bring you down, you don't have to do it to yourself. You have to reach down inside and look and find the things you are grateful for and take nothing for granted. As I do for all of you.

Thank you all for your support and for just being you.:flowerforyou:

Chiclet.

(By the way, my time of the month reared it ugly head this morning! But it's okay:happy: )

Chiclet,
Your post made me cry. You are suffering so much and still remain so positive that I feel a little guilty about being upset about not having a job. I have so much and you reminded me that I should focus more on that. thank you for putting things back into prospective for me. You truly deserve all the good things that do come your way. You are an inspiration. I am honored to call you friend.

just reading the post I am once again amazed at the power of Women...we are able to do so many things and still make room for others ....

chicletgirl...I feel your pain..I also have a mother I am taking care of and I am seeing things I never saw before..she seems to be a little harsh at times...it does hurt when you are doing all you can and yet it seems so much more needs to be done..like you I also decided to bake cookies as gifts this year...however since my DD will not arrive until Christmas Eve night I will have to get all of this done...LOL...I think I might have put my foot in my mouth on this one..(laughing at myself)..

It's just beautiful to see the power of woman...and to know that truly we get better with time....Sorry I did not speak to each post...know that I did read them and wish all of You the very best.......I will try to check out the post on tomorrow....

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2 ALL!!!!!!!....;-)

Hello everyone!:flowerforyou:

First I want to thank you all for the nice comments about what I wrote. I don't mean it to turn into a sermon or for that matter a lengthy novel, just so much seems to be happening right now in my life and I don't have anyone to talk to, so unfortunately you all get the brunt of it all, whether it is a rant or a story. I always intend on making it brief and it never turns that way.

Well today for some reason, everything went right and smoothly. Even mother nature treated me good today and I wasn't cramping or crabby. Soooooo, I made my cookie doughs! I did a quick stir fry and then changed mom's brief and slapped in a movie for her to watch and away I went making dough. Boo helped. She was the official taster, a task she is very good at! She sat on a chair next to the table and watched me make all five doughs, sampling them when I finished. Her favorite......the peanut butter cookie dough, natch!

I made snickerdoodles, chocolate crinkles, chocolate chip w/ nuts, pineapple cookies, and the peanut butter. Tomorrow I bake them and then give them away as gifts. I hope I made enough:indifferent: If I haven't I may make lemon bars tomorrow. We'll see.

I was surprised that I had the time and the energy, so I just took it and ran with it. All in all it was a good day. Hope tomorrow goes equally as well.

I've been seeing what some of you are making and they sound so delicious and decadent. Someone made a bunch of things and listed them, and my mouth was watering. I wish I could be there for that Christmas get together.

Well I am off to bed.:yawn: Gotta bake tomorrow.

Chiclet:flowerforyou:

Good Morning Everyone!

Just wanted to tell everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS! OR HAPPY HOLIDAYS! OR HAPPY HANUkKAH or whatever your traditon is.

I am having over-night company and my house will be "grand central station" for the next 3 days. If I have time to log food it will be a miracle.

I can't address everyone. Just wanted to thank each of you for your encouraging posts. As one of our newbies said that is was the power of women:happy: How true!

Chicklets life is a good example of the power within a person that sometimes we don't realize we possess. Her telling of her life is touching.

May you have health, joy and happiness all through the year!

Chicklet - Your story gave me the chills in a good way. There are angels out there. We just need to see them and accept them. That man will get his reward somewhere, someday for helping you.

Speaking of England in snow, I have always wanted to go to England for Christmas. I think it was all the Scrooge and ****ens stories. We got our first colored TV as a family Christmas present back in the 60s. We couldn't wait to watch "A Christmas Carol" together on Christmas Eve only to find out the movie was in black and white!

All of you are such wonderful people. I feel very lucky to have met you all. Someday, hopefully, I hope to meet some of you face to face if our paths ever cross.

Jeannie

I apologize for my prolonged absence, but plan to try to get back to you in January. However, I wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!

Hello all! A quick in and out here. I am between making bread and sweet roll doughs and going to the gym. I don't really have the time but I'm making the time. The YMCA is closing Dec 31st and the town may, or may not, start it back up. They are taking over the sports program which the YMCA was contracted to do but norhing for sure if the gym will be included in that package. Yesterday they were supposed to close at 7:30. I got there at 4:30 and then found out that there is a little note on the desk with new hours for the week. They closed at 5 that day. :grumble: The hours are supposed to be posted on the door but they didn't do that. So only 1/2 hour on the elliptical and no work on the machines. Today they are closing at 6, so I need to get moving.

Chiclet - I was so pleased to hear about your Christmas angel and that you got your baking done as well. Now if you can get some company to come that will be great. I know what you mean about wanting family and/or friends around on Christmas. If I had to pick presents, Christmas food or company I would go with the company hands down.

Robin - Perhaps keeping extra busy may help the stress of missing your Mom or maybe do the opposite and take some time to go through some old pictures and reflect on the good times. Sometimes that is what I do when I miss my parents and for me it seems to help. If I just acknowledge what I'm feeling and spend some time feeling it I can move on to other things. When I feel upbeat I realize if we hadn't had a good relationship I wouldn't be missing them so bad and that makes it somehow easier to deal with.

Gotta run.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY CHANUKAH or HAPPY HOLIDAYS - whatever applies.

Faye

chicklet - my heart goes out to you. As I read your post, I'm sitting here crying for you. Crying but also smiling as I read what the caregiver is doing.

Did an hour of yoga today and an hour of deep water. Tomorrow I'll do a weight DVD.

Well, so much for the weight DVD. Here it is, Thurs. Yesterday Denise was supposed to get to Jessica's at about 2. She didn't get there until 5:30, saying that she "hit traffic". There is NO WAY it took her 5 hours (she said she left at noon). They didn't leave Jessica's until 7:30. Around 11 Jessica called & asked if we could meet her somewhere because she was falling asleep at the wheel. So we met her at the VA/NC border, didn't get home until about 1:30. I wasn't about to get up early to exercise, got up, went to the store to buy more lobster tails and milk, had to buy gas. We took the cats (Lexi, Loki, and Melanie <Denise's>) to the vet. Jessica examined Melanie and she couldn't see any sign of abuse. Denise didn't even bother to go to the vet. My guess is that she's embarassed that she hasn't given Melanie vet care. She did get her 3-yr rabies shot. At least we know she's vaccinated. Denise did bring the kitten down (the one that she found outside her apt), I'm trying my hardest not to fall in love. It really is a cute cat, but I know what will happen. SFB will abuse it, we'll wind up taking it. No, not again. Denise was pretty anti-social but today she's fairly decent. Fairly, just barely.

Denise wants to go to Pizza Hut for dinner. I don't really like PH, too greasy. So we decided that we'll go to CiCi's. I don't remember one in PA, so it'll be something new for Denise.

Jessica wants to have crab legs tomorrow so she bought some today. Something else we'll have. I gotta think of what I can put the liquid butter into, I do have these small (like salad) dishes that match my china set, so I may melt some butter, put it into these dishes.

Won't be exercising tomorrow. Will be busy cooking.

Boy, have I been stress eating. I guess in one sense I'll be glad when Denise leaves, the stress will be off me and Vince. she's just so selfish. She can be so much better, but I do think that the influence of SFB brings that out in her.

The vet did say that Melanie has irritation in her eyes, probably caused by the smoke of Denise and SFB

Busy, busy, busy. Everyone have a great holiday. I will most likely not be on tomorrow.

Michele