WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR DECEMBER 2016

Grits- that's something that Kirby has had with him since before we met , the foot. He said he brought it from Mexico one year and it has bee with him ever since.

Hi Gals,
So I felt bad last night as I read all the wonderful posts and sent good thoughts to many of you, but was on my phone and typing there is impossible for me..

Sherry – I am so so so happy for you!

Janetr – sending thoughts to your family – cute grand!

Quilting – I love quilting, have taken a couple of classes, but never do it, too much work… I have hand quilted (relaxing for me – but time consuming) and my BGF (best girl friend) has a long arm quilting machine and she’s quilted for me too.

Barbie – sending hugs to Brandy and to you and Jake as you go through this as a family

Meg – glad you are getting back into a routine

This week is going to be crazy, I have work of course, taking my nephew out to lunch tomorrow (45 min drive each way) and a potluck on Thursday a different potluck next Monday – but Thursday mid-day my mom arrives and will leave Monday mid day – so while she is here we will make our Christmas cookies, about 100 dozen… we made about that many last year and I ran out, so we are making a few more this year. We make 9 varieties and divide each variety between the two of us, and then we put them on paper plates and give them to neighbors/friends/work folks…. It works out well, makes great memories, and for about $40-50 each we make about 30 gifts so $3-4 per gift, not bad, and folks really look forward to it.


Dec Goals:

Write Christmas letter, and have all cards ready to send by Dec1…Ok this better get done soon!
Read and report on a book
Log everyday to the best I can, over if need be.
11,000 + steps everyday
Work on water consumption -

Smiles.

Kim from N. California

I think I typed too much it cut off the last paragraph. I was just saying good night anyway. Pleasant dreams y'all.

Katla, the only experience I have had with raccoons is sadly Gatlinburg, Tn. We rented a cabin and part of the instructions was to make sure that we never left food out on the back deck. We were so careful about that except the last night. We had grilled that night and I guess the whole deck smelled of it. So the raccoons went way down in the trash can and in the process knocked it all down. Plus they were very noisy. We had tried to be ready to move out as soon as we got up but soon realized that we had to big mess to clean up if we wanted our damage deposit back.

My pattern for the jeans quilt was in a quilting book. And it was labeled as a jeans lap quilt made especially for going to a ball game. I joined a quilting class and even though it was listed as for beginners, most of them in the class had more experience that me and they were doing some patterns that I had done. I guess I relied to much on Carolyn to help me. We would go through my books, then go to Jo-Annes and then on another day would start cutting. She would start me out on the sewing and then I would finish. Sure miss her. When she moved, I did do several without her but I enjoyed her company.

I haven't told you all about this little 10 year old boy, now 11 as of this week His Mom is real good friends with Michelle and has this big dog called Willis. I don't know what breed but Michelle's big dog is a full blood boxer and Willed is quite a bit bigger. Anyway, this little boy, name Dalton, got a disease called ALD. The best doctor is in Minneapolis and we are way down in southern Indiana so that' where they went. So Michelle has been taking care of Willis. Her dog really enjoyed having his as company as her other dogs are old and not as active. Dalton did not respond well to the treatment and is now home to die. Last night Michelle took Willis over to visit. Dalton isn't very responsive but is restless because of all his pain. But when Willis came over, he laid his head on Daltons chest and Dalton responded and was able to pet him. he also was not restless the whole time Willis was there. It is going to be hard for Michelle to let Willis go. She says that her friend has so much on her plate now, has no fenced in yard and any other excuse in the book. But both Dalton and his Mom really were so blessed to have their dog back in the house.

Sherry, you sound so giddy with happiness! I love it.

Janetr, make sure you let us know how your sister is. COPD is a wicked thing.

Joyce, Indiana

Barbie... my husband did not receive any physical therapy until two weeks ago. This was really strange to us and he only was given orders for PT after he called and explained where his deficiencies were (i.e., a drop foot, muscle weakness, falling, etc.). He is doing his best follow through on the PT home exercises and is seeing the therapist 2-3 times a week for the next two months.

Meg.... hello! I'm back after a hiatus as well!

Pip... isn't there .... wind ... with cold weather?

Janetr... sorry to hear about your sister.

Lois... sorry to hear you're under the weather. It seems I dodged the illness bullet this time. My symptoms never materialized into anything significant.

Kim... snazzy doo!

Well, I got my Martha Stewart Sparkling artificial Christmas tree up and decorated. My inner-child is satisfied ... there is glitter everywhere! And I mean everywhere! I've tracked it all through the house. When I tried to vacuum around the tree ... the vacuum created enough airflow to make the tree puff snow and glitter all over the room again. I suspect we'll be finding glitter for quite some time. I think it's hysterical ... the rest of the family isn't so sure.

Got the outside decorations up, went to my White Elephant Christmas party (received a truly ugly homemade rafia basked filled with pinecones ... but then I gave an old wreath made from yarn that had been wrapped around a hanger), and managed not to abandon my eating plan. A very busy weekend, but got enough accomplished.

This week I hope to finish decorating the house, get my cards mailed and then make final decisions on Christmas gifts. I've been watching my fill of Hallmark and ABC Family Christmas specials ... I've even got my husband watching them!

Hope you all have a good week too!
Beth near Buffalo

Janetr: I'm so happy that your sister is doing better. YAY!

Sherry Glad you are safe and sound. I think you are finally "home". So happy for you.

Janetr So glad your sister is better...and thank you for reminding me that Christmas is joyful, sometimes I forget that part...

Kim Love the festive 'do!

Karen in Virginia

Reading but not taking notes...feeling blah with this sore throat & stuffiness & overwhelmed with all the jobs I need to get done.

Barbie you've done so well in your recouping from back surgery

Beth in Buffalo I know you said you're DH ad issues after his surgery but it sounds like he is improving.

My DH is not! Saw a physiatrist on Friday & thought the new meds for muscle & nerve pain were working but Sunday he was back to the stabbing pain that has him crying out when it hits...I don't know what to do! There's no way he'll be able to do much at PT today but I'm going to ask the therapist her opinion. All the specialist say it takes time but it's been two months & I'd consider him still an invalid. It's so hard to see this very active guy hobbling around not able to do much of anything...bending over to put his shoes on is a major undertaking!

Kim love the hair

Pip your nails rock

Yeah to all those celebrating victories in their journey & (((hugs))) to those in need! Although I think Becca would say everyone needs a hug!

Lois frustrated & feeling a little powerless on the North Shore of Ma.

Hey now......

Cheri - I am totally amazed at your graph you posted....I'm lucky to get in the 4,500 steps I set my fitbit for.......speaking of fitbit, I may be lame when it comes to technology but I think it's the greatest darn thing ever invented!.....

Kim - love the hair!

Beth - I giggled so hard at your sparkling tree story I almost wet myself a little! That's funny....I can picture the vacuum blowing snow and glitter everywhere!....at least your inner child got to play and laugh!....

Joyce - so so sorry to hear that Dalton won't make it.....at least with Willis back home he might not be so restless with pain.....it's amazing how well people who are sick respond to dogs and other animals.....I'm glad he got a little relief with Willis there and was able to pet him....what a blessing......

Barbie - I'm sorry Brandy is having problems and limping, it's heartbreaking to have sick fur babies.....I'm sending love and prayers to you and yours.....

MrsGLT - thanks hun.....I'm sorry to hear about your honey's foot pain, I feel for him......I don't have gout but my arches have fallen and now I need orthotics, the pain was bad until I got them so I can just imagine how he is feeling.....poor guy.....

Janetr - sorry to hear about your sister but I am also glad she is doing better and is hopefully on the mend.....sorry your house was in such a mess when you got home....I probably would have wigged out and had a massive cow, then stormed out.....I am somewhat of a neat freak.....I admire your composure.....especially with the bugs, bugs give me the heebie-jeebies!.....

Katla - I love your live tree!! I had racoons at a house I once rented several years ago....found a guy right down the street from me who knew what to do....it was a momma with babies so he got a live animal trap, set it up along the momma's travel route and baited it with big marshmallows (apparently they love them) and the next morning he came back and she was in the trap and he crawled under the house after the babies.....he took them all off to a remote area of woods where there were other racoons living and set them free....problem solved and happiness was had by all....

Pip - love the nails....I taught myself how to do my own so I could save money....they actually turned out rather well but can't do my own anymore as my hands are to shakey now and I am too much of a penny pincher when it comes to stuff like that for myself....

Who did I forget?....I can't go back any pages on this thread or I will lose what I have already typed....sorry if I didn't respond to someone who said something to me.....forgive me, sometimes it's hard to keep up.....

Well, the winterizing is complete except for one thing I have left to do.....I have a puffy piece of quilted foam insulation that has mylar type foil on both sides that goes across the inside of the front windshield that I still have to put up....but the rest is done....

It turned out to be another sunny beautiful but cold day here....went for a walk around town here....checked out the little historical museum that had lots of neat old farm equipment outside....the buildings are closed for the season so I didn't get to see inside them but they had all the different equipment numbered with descriptions of what it was and how it was used.....very interesting stuff....it was neat to see.....

Had to go back into The Dalles to take the movies back.....stopped at Goodwill again, found a nightshirt with a kitty on the front that says "Paws Off!", a really nice grey sweater in my size and a nice navy blue and grey stripped v-neck long sleeved shirt for layering....also found the cutest little Rival Crockpot, it holds a quart and is the perfect size for making little batches of soup....I didn't know they made them that small!....

Had sloppy joes for dinner with a bunch of steamed baby carrots.....today I surpassed my step goal, kept my carbs way down (even with eating some of the goodies I laid out for everybody), also kept my fat way down.....but went a little over on my sodium even though I never add salt to my food.....made my water goal for the day and with my BMR and the calories out for exercise I burned about 2,500 calories today and only ate 1,394 calories....all in all I think I did pretty good today.....

Tomorrow I have to go into Portland (eeewwwwwwwww) for my PT appt.......can't miss that......not gonna hang around there long after either......oh yeah, I almost forgot, they DO have a dispensary in The Dalles (but only one I think, will have to double check that with my Leafly app and my Weedmaps app) but now I don't have to go all the way into Portland for my "medicine", wooohoooo!.....just for my various docs now.....

Met another neighbor today, lovely younger couple.....they are in the trailer to the left of me.....I think he said his name is Josh and for the life of me I can't seem to remember her name.....I am always so bad with names.....lovely pretty girl though.....they have two dogs who hardly bark at all, one of them they said is 17 years old.....he has to pick her up and take her outside so she can piddle and poo, then pick her up again and put her back in the trailer, she can't walk so well anymore, some problems with her hips, but they keep her well medicated for her pain and she is very friendly and seems to be a pretty happy dog.....she is a Golden Lab mix....pretty dog.....

I love this place.....with everyday that I spend here I get more and more relaxed and love this place more and more.....everybody is so friendly......even the ranchers who drive through town wave as they go by when I am out walking.....someone, I think it was Carol, forgive me if I'm wrong, asked if Missy is a cat....yes, she is a cat, she has brown/black/white stripes and markings kinda like a tabby cat.....she weighs about 8 lbs....I will have to take a pic of her down at the creek and post it here so you can see her.....she means the world to me, I don't know what I would do without her.....i am very happy that she seems to like it here and there are other kitties she gets along with and hangs around with.....

Well, I think this post has gotten long enough, don't you??.....I should go through my emails now then get some shut eye....I hope everyone gets some good sleep and has sweet dreams....tomorrow is a new day and a new way.....

Sherry and Missy in "making my environment a product of me!" Dufur

So great to check in with you all. What a busy great group!

Lois sounds like you need a second opinion on DH recovery, this isn't just a slow recovery, ask for additional professional support, imo

Cheri love the positive bar graph, very motivating.

kim. Festive hair color and wish I had been around the kitchen when you were baking all those cookies--what fun.

holiday gifts baked and mailed to family in Florida, as well as a small amount of online shopping, done and dusted. The excitement of the holiday is blended with concert crunch--wrangling distracted kiddos to focus long enough to play well for their proud parents.

I don't want to jinx anything but I feel back on track with the night time eating, which on reflection was doing me wrong. I substituted any evening grazing with pumpkin pudding--- 0% Greek yogurt, pumpkin purée cinnamon and a touch of maple syrup with chia seeds about 120 calories but for some reason it kept me from eating everything else. Oh yeah, I am substituting ginger tea in afternoon for my usual coffee. That might be another reason I am sleeping better.

Happy Monday, just got a two hour school delay for a few little slippery snowflakes--guess who now has time to address the Christmas cards (insert glittery Christmas tree here with Beth surrounded in glitter, tee hee)

NYKAREN

Lisa Your website is GREAT! I have bookmarked it.

Good morning, ladies!

Sherry It really is great to see you happy.

Karen in Virginia

Lisa great website but not sure how to bookmark it

Gym again this morning and hairdressers to have roots coloured to hide the grey. Might try to get some cards written today.

Kate UK