WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR NOVEMBER 2016

Anne from Wisconsin Did you know that step aerobics came about as a result of knee orthopedist who wanted to help a patient strengthen her leg muscles after knee surgery? Any low impact step aerobic program done regularly would be beneficial if she is willing. I like our wii step aerobic program, it's simple and effective.

NYKaren Fabulous sand sculpture! How great!

Carol I am so sorry you are having house woes. It really is easier to rent and let someone else take care of stuff. I own my home but upkeep is a b1tc#.

Katy in New Mexico A number of years ago I was flying from South Dakota to Virginia. I had been out of the country and had my passport handy as a form of ID. The clerk at the counter deadpanned, "Ma'am, you don't need a passport. We are in the USA." He had to look twice to see I was joking when I replied, "Oh, right, I only need it when I go to New Mexico, right?" We both had a little chuckle.

Cheri Good for taking care of yourself. I haven't tried a light box but am interested in it. I did get a lot of benefit out of my sunrise/sunset rheostat - it could be attached to any lamp and it worked perfectly. Really helped me get my eyes open in the morning without a jolt, and lulled me right to sleep at night as it dimmed gradually.

Sherry Yay! for a nice neighbor. Animal lovers are usually nice people.

Barbara in Idaho I have told this little story before, but I used to have neighbors who lived in a 3 bedroom townhouse. Mom & Dad and 3 boisterous teenage boys. Their mom used to get fed up with being taken for granted by her messy men and would run away 3-4 times a year - she didn't leave a note or anything, just left and went to her sister's house in VA Beach for several days. When she came back the house was always spic and span, the laundry done, the refrigerator clean and stocked, and everyone was on their best behavior. She was my hero!

Heather I am a procrastinator and I am very proud of you delving in to the papers. That shows courage and resolve, and it is inspiring! It will feel so good to have dealt with that albatross!

Karen in Virginia with a very stuffy nose

Well, I've made a start with the files and already have a pile of duplicates to throw away. I'm keeping manuscripts. When the scanning has been done I will throw away the original typescripts, once I have saved them to every device, hard drives and the cloud. Let's hope there is not an apocalypse! Found all kinds of things I had forgotten about, like old tv submissions. Like most of my stuff it nearly made it, but not quite. I sometimes think I would have made a good tv writer. A tough business though, and I guess I wasn't tough enough.
I have a nearly full box to hand over to the guy. I'm sure there is more in the loft, but I have had enough for one day. Paper is heavy and my back is aching!

Ordered two more Christmas presents. Got express delivery because I am going to take one up to London next Monday when we go up to have lunch with DH's younger daughter. Just arranged it today. Will also go and see Abstract Expressionism at the RA. Got to get my money's worth for my membership. DH is not a fan, but it is one of my favourite genres of art.

Salmon tonight, with roasted peppers, zucchini, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes. Yummo!

Love Heather UK xxxxxxx

Karen! That is funny! Just last week I had a One of Our 50 is missing Moment when I contacted UPS via chat. I couldn't convince the gal that I was neither shipping from or to Mexcio. Finally asked her to open a map of the USA and described where the state is located. After giving my zip code again, she figured it out... LOL

Someone asked what we are reading. Sorry, can't recall who... I'm currently reading Evil Eclairs by Jessica Beck and listening to Trae Crowder's audio book The Liberal Redneck Manifesto



TODAY
I need to make sauce and get it in jars.
Work outside for a bit
Ride my bike...it's ONLY 30 minutes woman!

Katy in New Mexico

Thank you all for your kind words and support. Of course I had trouble sleeping last night wondering where those boys were sleeping. I think the mother may have some mental problems. After talking to the grandmother I've come to the conclusion that they are a weird family. What mother tells their child to clean out their car and sleep in it with two young boys? She thinks the daughter is severely depressed - gee do you think? Anyway enough about that I can not save the whole world.

Heather I too love that new mantra! And I am so admiring your determination to move forward with your tasks at hand.

Back later - off to counseling with one of the boys.

Gloria in crisp but sunshiny WA

Sue from Texas, I remember when we were planning our Disney World trip that I found a blog on how to experience Disney while being lo calorie. Please don't ask me where this is! If I remember correctly they do offer a lot of salads and fruits. Good luck and have fun. If nothing else, you will get a lot of walking unless you were like me and rent a scooter. Still even with a scooter there was some walking for me. Disney is a trip to be remembered.

Who posted the sand sculpture??? You just have to wonder why the sand sculpture kids are finding when they crawl into the trolls eyes.

Watching 2012 that I had recorded a while ago. I can't even an event that will stop the world as it is but I know that some day something will happen, just don't know when and how.

Joyce, Indiana

Call me crazy but I love to see other people happy and succeeding .

Good Evening Ladies,

Toni, thanks for the group hug. That was good. *well, except Becca hugs a bit toooo hard* lol

Sherry, so happy for your awesome neighbor and that he made to move to come over and meet you!!!

Joyce, glad you went pain free on Sunday. If you take them with some food, hopefully the Aleve won’t hurt your tummy.

Janetr, our Lowes food and hardware stores are at opposite ends of the same shopping center. You know, we never know which one we are talking about without being perfectly clear. Lol

Gloria, that is terrible to send you a sick child and not even warn you. And then to not be reachable is pretty sorry. I’m sure she is worried out of her mind with no place to live.

Katy, you have me laffin’ like crazy about the UPS lady and finding New Mexico. Thanks.

to any Newbies that I missed. Come often and join in the chat. This thing works!! Please sign your post with what you want to be called. It makes it easier for us to respond to you. Also a location is great, be it specific or general. We are happy to have you join us.

Sending love, good thoughts and sunshine to all of you and I hope you all have a Happy and Healthy Day!
I Love you,
DJ
Myrtle Beach, SC

THIS IS A LONG POST; BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOWN FOR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND, SO IF YOU DO NOT CARE TO READ IT, JUST SKIP IT. I have highlighted the names of people that I did respond to one or more of their posts.

Michelle – I agree, that happens … even here. At the Women’s Retreat found a couple of ladies to play “Mexican Train” after one day’s session. They did not know how to play so I showed them as we went along; said that sisters and I had tried to Google better instructions than what I had. OK, then there was an older woman who ‘explained’ the other trains; and when they could be used. If you have 3 or 4 people playing … they have one of the ‘extra’ train slots to play; and we could add up to 8 people playing. After the person with the ‘highest’ double and puts it in the slot; do they work out their train until they can no longer play it; and/or can they start a ‘new’ one in the extra slot … or would then need to only play it if they had a ‘double’ pip’s match which would have a different number on the other end; and only play them on a rotating basis depending on whether they had a train on them or not. Do they only get to play that ‘if they cannot’ make a play and that is the only one that they could start? Do they only play the ‘extra’ train as their turn comes around? They don’t have to put their train up until after the initial start, just when it starts rotating around. Do you have a complete copy of the ‘rules’? Could you send them to me (if you still have my address) … or do you need me to PM it to you again? Can just 2 people play Mexican Train or do you need 3 or more. I actually played a 2-person game on Saturday night with one of the younger women, who says her husband plays dominoes but has never played Mexican Train. She mentioned that he plays something called ‘bones’; but, that was not on sheet of instructions. If someone plays a double; but, cannot open it back up, would they have to put their train there, or does the person who laid it down (on their train) have to be the one to open it? If they have a train out, can anyone ‘open’ it up? Sisters and I played on any of the opened slots. We also decided that ‘if’ I player ended up with 20 tiles, then one of the other players would give them a ‘starting’ tile and then draw another one (to take its place). The woman telling us the ‘rules’ did not play; but, it was sort of interesting to take her ‘give’ on the rules. Gee, wish I had people who lived near me to play it, I love playing it. OK, explain doubles (ones you cannot open up yourself (on you train ... and would necessitate putting the train on the dominos to open it up to others. Are you, the player, the only one that can open it up or can anybody else do it? Does the train still have to stay on it until that particular player gets a play? We laughed and got to know one another, someone that neither of us would have ever expected for each to get to know one another better.

I’ve never heard of a “Lowe’s Food” before. We don’t have one here. Now we do have Wal-Mart, that are only ‘grocery stores’; and, Target now has a grocery store in it; but, for some reason, I have never shopped for groceries there. I shop next door at Publix. I might start going to Harvey’s in Americus which is about as close and has a huge selection of things that even Publix where I shop doesn’t have. There is a larger, newer Publix in Leesburg; but it is ‘more out of the way’ for me, if I am making trips to Albany anyway.


Sherry – Glad that you met a ‘nice’ neighbor; meeting him and being in pretty much the same situation … a pair can make things nicer for one another; sharing a garden, BBQ grill, and fire pit, and a garden sounds like a wonderful way to spend time outside and feel better about it. But to go in with someone for the price of something would sort of make you somewhat ‘beholding to him’ and you do not want him to think you want something more, especially in a 'new' friendship. Just getting out of a 'bad' relationship doesn't mean you need to become open to something that also could turn out bad, even if it seems good now. But, there again, it still could be good! I would definitely keep the visits ‘outside’ in the space between your two RVs; that way, if you get uncomfortable, you can always go inside your own RV. Just to be safe until you really get to know him. Making ‘new’ friends is always a little hard for most people, because it is really a ‘trust’ issue.

I miss my ‘role models’ too … parents, grandmothers, and other aunts and uncles. Miss my friend from ‘art’ … she was much older; but, she had such a ‘free spirit’. I am thinking about going back; will check with another ‘older’ friend to see if she has started going back. The only thing that I don’t like is that we have to have 3 pictures to go into the ‘show’ we put on the first week of June. Freaking thing ... this morning I received an 'email' from 'her' ... sort of freaked me out. Looked like a valid email; but since I have a reading pane so that I can see what is 'in an email' without having to open it up, I chose to delete it without opening it because it was just a link to something else. Not going there!

I liked the sand castle too. So detailed; but, they also use ‘stuff’ to make them big, not just water and sand. I can remember as a child making castles; but, I really enjoyed sitting in the edge of the water, when the surf was going out; and, digging in the sand/water and letting it drip through my fingers. I won a sandcastle contest one on a beach near Miami. Got a T-shirt for it. I still use it as a ‘night shirt’. Becca – you would have liked it … it read: “I got my All over at Hallover” [sp?]. (the ‘nude’ beach north of Miami).


Pip – Not that I am ‘glad’ you were just having ‘muscle spasms’; but, at least it wasn’t anything more serious! Hang tight!


Liz – Great weight loss; I go for my weigh-in tomorrow; but, will be ‘surprised’ if I have lost anything … probably gained because was at a Women’s Retreat this weekend and we had a lot of good food that one of the younger ladies made for us. I was pleasantly surprised that neither meal she cooked was ‘high’ in calories. I just sort of ate a little too much of my cream cheese pecan pie, which went over very well. Came home and cooked one for DH; and that is what I ate for ‘supper’ … a small sliver; less than one piece of pie (usually 8 slices).


Katy – I will go back and read it. I had more than 180 postings when I got home from the Women’s Retreat; because I could not find my wireless mouse when I got there and had to use the touchpad which I HATE. The last day, when I was packing up my laptop and other stuff, found that ‘squirrely mouse’ … right the in the bag. I wanted to throw it across the room; but, I didn’t.


Joyce – We have restaurants closing all over town; then ‘new’ ones springing up. We don’t have a BB&B, the closest one is in Columbus. It really isn’t a bad drive to go there. But, I really hate that they closed up SteinMart. When I worked all my clothes came from there. Now I use Belk’s. Someone asked if I ever went to Kohl’s; but, here it is in the strangest spot; where you have to ride through other parking lots to get to it. I never think about it, I think I went in once, with DDnL#1. They had some nice things. But, for some reason, I thought their prices would be lower. I wonder what happened to ‘skirts’ and ‘dresses’ … hard to find them anywhere. I do like wearing a dress to church and some other places. I found two last spring at Belk’s and I know they have them … just a little pricier than they casual clothes.

None of us know when the world is going to ‘stop’ … we just know that it will; I hope that I have either passed away already or I get zapped up by “The Rapture!”

Have a safe trip to Arizona. Hope you stay ‘in touch’ with us.


Barbara – I have Windows 10+ which gives me a search engine called Cortana; so I don’t have to close out or minimize what I am in to ask it a question; but, I am not sure that those letters would show up, maybe if I typed in ‘medical’ marijuana, I could have gotten the answer. So I will just wait for Mary to tell me.


Heather – Your mantra is like FAITH = ‘first you leap, then the net appears’. Don’t have to know your ultimate destination (because it will change probably) and all it takes is taking that first step.


Glo – Good for you! She should have ‘told you they had been sick’ … you don’t need to get sick, or anybody else in your household. I can remember when my DOS’s ‘first’ wife brought over DOGD to spend the day with me, without calling first. I was about to have a full-blown anxiety attack as it was; and, it was ‘cold’ out, she had her dressed in only a diaper, the blanket that should have been wrapped around her wasn’t. I mean it was COLD! She handed her to me and just left. I had a panic attack because I did not have any diapers for her at my house or even clothes. I started having pain in my chest and was afraid I was having a ‘heart attack’ so I called 9-1-1; they came and took me to the hospital. I was holding on to DOGD with a ‘death grip’ and would NOT allow them to take her from me. So all they did was check my pulse and BP and sent me home. I had to call a ‘former’ friend to see if she’d come pick me up. She did, took DOGD to her house for her girls to watch her, and brought me home. Then called DOS at work and told him he needed to come stay with me (DH was out of town); so he did. When he got there he asked where his daughter was and she told him at her house; and, he told her to stay with me long enough for him to go get her and ‘then’ he would get ‘in touch’ with DH and tell him that he needed to come home as soon as he could do so. It was a bad time for me. I should not have been even keeping her under the circumstances; but, had no idea where her Mama was going that she did not want to take her.


Carol – Daddy rented out our former house for years; but, got tired of doing so because usually when they left … they tore up everything in the house and he had to go back in and do repairs. Hoping that your other siblings are helping with these expenses. They definitely should, especially if you have to rent it out (if nobody can live there that belongs in the family) and will have to ‘fix things’ when the tenants break them, or they just get old and run down. Renting property out is a lot of work and expense.

The 3 of us owned a little concrete block building that Daddy had bought; the rent went into a savings account under our name; to a black record store. We got records whenever we wanted them. Always got the ‘newest’ ones out; but, we always traded back and forth between friends. It was just something we did back them. No problems, ever, and we’d just write our names on the label and ‘then write down’ who we had traded with. We always only loaned them out for specific times. That way, the others in the neighborhood, or other friends could make decisions about which records they would buy that we did not have.
I found a box full of DH’s old 45rmp … a lot of old “Elvis” and all those who were popular in the 50’s. I am keeping them. Thankfully we still have a record player.


Allie – I did not see it last night; but, I plan on going out tonight … they say it will also be able to be seen tonight as well, maybe another day after that, just not quite as full. I did see a very full moon shortly after we moved out here … HUGE, like in “Moonstruck”; and, I WAS! So amazing to witness one.


Sue – Grew up picking up pecans for like 10¢ a pound. You’re lucky to be able to find someone to pick them up by hand. Most people around here own their own pecan trees and have big machines to pick them up. So we end up buying them from the pecan place … either whole, unshelled; shelled in halves or in pieces. Some neighbors are built around an old pecan orchard; we lived in a house, growing up that had 5 or 6 different kinds of pecans. Stewarts/Stewards are my favorite (flavor-wise); but, they are the ‘hardest’ to shell. My Daddy would put stuff on them every other year so they would form nuts; we had nuts of some type of the other every year and had enough to make a good allowance. Some of the pecan orchards around here, have machines that suck them up like a big vacuum cleaner, spitting out the nuts from the leaves, and collecting the leaves in a big hopper. Some really have fancy irrigation systems, too. We’re known for peanuts and pecans in this part of the State.


Mary – Thanks for informing us about ‘marijuana’ and what content it contains and why. Do you have to have a prescription to buy marijuana (for 'medicinal' purposes) or can just anybody go into a "Pot Store" and buy whatever they want?


I’ve got to buy Christmas for DYS and family because they are not coming at Thanksgiving. It will seem strange not to have them; but, I understand their reasons. I do use ‘gift cards’; because that way they can get what they want; and, not something they won’t use or doesn’t fit. They seem a lot happier; but, I do give them gifts that I buy throughout the year. Just need to get them all wrapped and to make sure that each one gets at least one present to unwrap, besides the ‘gift cards’. I always buy DDnL#2 and DOGD ‘gift cards’ from Victoria Station, even though DDnL#2 has to drive across the state to Alexandria to use hers. They make it either a ‘date’ trip or a ‘day trip’, depending on when they want to use it.

The only things I have ‘canned’ are figs, pears, Muscatine and Scuppernongs grape jelly, and pepper jelly. I’ve been canning figs since right after I married DH; DMnL taught me how. The first time I got pears (from the trees behind our house), I cut them up in small pieces and cooked them … left for a few moments and went outside. I guess time got away from me, and when I came back in, they were burnt. So I ended up pouring them out; went and pick more pears and started over. The 2nd batch I made sure that I stayed inside while they were cooking. They did exactly what I wanted them to do, thought about adding some nuts in them; but, decided not to. I don’t like raisins, so that wasn’t going to be what I add. I did add a lemon cut up (as I do with my figs). After also burning my 15-bean soup; I decided that I needed to get a ‘new’ pot. Threw the old one away; new one is thicker on the bottom. Deer got the grapes the last 2 years; but, thankfully I still have some juice all cooked out, so that will be an easy canning … not having to strain the grapes. Got 3 more jars of the pears left, as the deer also got them this year. I’ve canned beans before (green beans) with a ‘fool proof recipe’ … I need to find it and then maybe this Spring I can, can some other kinds of beans. Our tomato lady died this past year, and while her husband did sell the tomatoes that had been planted earlier; he did not plant any this year. Sure miss the having ‘fresh’ tomatoes; but, a neighbor brought over some, because she had too many for the 2 of them to eat before they would go bad. Thankfully, she also gave DOS’s family a bag of them, too. Did not want to have to share the ones I got.

One of the ladies I rode up to Callaway Gardens with had made some sort of “Chex-like Mix”; but, a lot better than the kind you buy in the store; but, whoa! I ate more of it than I should have.
Sometimes when I am in a ‘deep sleep’ I will talk in my sleep; but, wearing the C-pap mask only makes what I say ‘garbled’. I knew exactly what I was saying one time; but, roommate said that I did it about 4 or 5 times during the night. She had earlier admitted that she snored; but, I told her that after laying my head down for less than 5 minutes, I would be sound asleep and it would not bother me.

Welcome to all the ‘newbies’ I have missed by being ‘out of touch’ for a full weekend. Prayers for all that need it and condolences for those who have lost someone.

My DBnL that had a stroke the Friday before Halloween has continued to amaze his MDs/Surgeons and friends and family members. They had said early on in the weekend that if things continued to progress they ‘might’ move him out of ICU; well … they moved him out on Sunday a couple of floors down into a ‘step-down’ unit. Sister is checking on places he can get ‘in-patient’ rehab; and, if her insurance with the State of Georgia (she was a teacher) will pay for care out-of-state. They want to stay in Miami for this treatment because they want to be near the MDs/Surgeons who treated and operated on his 3x (all anywhere from 6 to 10 hours each).

He has been able to recognize and talk to my sister and their daughters; joke and talk with the MDs and staff, respond correctly to most questions he is asked, some he is off a little like dates and that type of thing. Niece is posting on CaringBridge.org daily updates and she made the comment that when they were ‘whispering’ he would respond to their remarks; “… this coming from a man used to wearing hearing aids and still asking ‘what did she say’?” The outpouring of prayer by friends and family member is astounding!!!! The last time I checked they had about 1900 hits. Niece is doing a fabulous job with her journal entries. This is a great way for someone to be able to notify others who live great distances away about what is happening with their loved ones. I did not know this even existed until niece set it up.


Lenora

Kim- we do pick them by hand and sometimes my DHuses a roller and dumps them n a pile for me to pick the good ones out.
SueBDew

Great discussion at book club. Did work two hours on pecans.
Lenora- we live in a gated community that was once the second biggest pecan orchard in the US. We pick them up by hand!! The orchard has all those big machines and boy do they kick up the dust. Wish I could send you some virtually. We get anywhere from 5o cents to 1.00 a pound. Hen we see them in the pecan store for 12.00 a lb.
Joyce- we are staying in a condo on Disney property and there is a grocery store that delivers to the condo. So I am making a list and checking it twice. Lol
Have to get some dinner ready. I didn't have time to eat lunch so was thrilled the hostess had a veggie plate and a fruit plate.

SueBDew