still feeling kind of puny, but getting better. Still dizzy quite a bit, at least not the horrible spinning and 🤢. Sounds like my mom had something similar last week too. So must have been something viral. I “got” to take two of my PTO days for Tuesday and Wednesday ☹️. I made it through work Thursday and Friday and mostly laid around all weekend.

Hopefully Russ is feeling better

Back to the grind

Hi ladies. It feels like forever since I came on here. I usually do at work when things are slow, and things aren't slow right now! I'm on my lunch break right now

I am debating if I want to put up a Christmas tree. The desire has gone down since Mom died and even more since Dad died. I never have people over so it's not like anyone would see if I did. Also, there's Wesley to deal with………………… I am thinking of getting a pencil tree so it takes up less space, but then again with a pre-lit one I don't want Wesley to bite through the wires like he did before. I am currently building a Lego Christmas tree. Can I count that as my tree?

We arrived home today. I'm tired and feeling lazy. I will unpack as the weekend progresses. We stayed in Brighton, MI last night so we could go to Frankenmuth, MI to Bronner's Christmas World store. I had never been and wanted to find a new snow globe since my other one was thrown out when we moved. It was leaking and the liquid inside had gotten murky. Russ lasted about 15 minutes and had to go to the car. It was very over stimulating but I continued to shop. I found a really cute snow globe with a snowman motif. It can stay out all winter. I bought cute tea towels for the DILS to put in their Christmas boxes. I also found out that Snow Village is still being made. They had village buildings and accessories. I thought it was discontinued years ago and hadn't added to mine in years. I bought some new figurines and trees to add to mine. The ornament section was huge and very overwhelming so I didn't buy ornaments for the kids. I couldn't focus or make decisions.

Angela, we went without a tree one year after kids had left home. It was just us so we didn't decorate at all. It was so depressing for us. Nothing to mark the Christmas season. We didn't like it and have decorated every year since. My sisters live alone and they don't decorate. It doesn't seem to bother them. I just like highlighting the holiday season. It gives me joy.

Marla, I think I read a B12 deficiency can also cause dizziness. Look up causes of dizziness and see what comes up.

My cousin Polly who is about 76 is in the hospital with pneumonia, UTI, kidney infection, Sepsis, and fluid around her heart. I don't know when she will be discharged and if she will be able to attend Thanksgiving at our house. Scary!

Have a good weekend!

WTG Angela! I am not done with Christmas shopping but have made lists of ideas for each son and their family.

Enjoy your decorations and holiday season. It's always nice to come home to the seasonal decor and lights.

I'm glad you are feeling a little better Marla. I hope you get stronger for the holiday season. Since I have to mail presents and get them there in time, I have to get serious about now. I just sent presents to AK from Amazon for the girls. I will send a box that arrives around Christmas with a few things for David and Chantrelle. They are leaving for Mexico 12/14 for a family trip somewhere warm. I had to consider timing so boxes aren't sitting in a snowbank near there mailbox when they aren't home. Still time to manage FL family and Rory and Hannah will be here for Christmas.

We are hosting Thanksgiving. Drama as usual! So my cousin Polly is in the hospital but may be discharged tomorrow. She wanted to be picked up and come out to our house for dinner and then be taken home. We are expecting a lot of snow tomorrow night and Thursday. I also reminded her that her immunity may be down and she may not want to be in a group. I offered to take her left overs on Friday if weather is ok.

Marla, will you be at your parents or sister's house?

Happy Thanksgiving ladies. Send me up some left over turkey dinner!

Today I went to the holiday boutiques in two different towns in our county. I found a few little things for Hannah and Rory but wasn't really in the shopping mood. I looked at everything but couldn't make decisions in with some merchandise. My mood wasn't right or their wasn't anything that wowed me within my price range.

I did go to a bakery in the town north of here and bought their famous cinnamon twists. I had never had them so bought 4. I stopped at the nursing home on the way home and gave one to Sarah. She was sound asleep in her recliner so I woke her and chatted briefly, gave her the twist and said I would let her nap. She couldn't stay awake and her speech was slurred from grogginess.

I had some nice conversations with some vendors about their products (photographs, pottery, goat milk soaps, etc.).

Marla, did you get a snow storm today? I saw on the news that your area was in the range of a bad storm. So far, we don't have any snow falling this round. I think it will fall south of us this time.

Russ brought up the Christmas tree and boxes of decorations. Tomorrow I will make Turkey Tortellini Soup and beer bread for dinner, and start on my decorations.

I hope you have both had a nice weekend so far.

We had our 'family' (me and boys, folks, sis/bro-in-law, niece/hubs and nephew) dinner on Wednesday at Michele's. It was kind of weird. I was still annoyed because when I had tried to initiate communication about doing the dinner (early in November) in the best way possible for the folks Michele seemed to have made the plan without me. So I mentally threw my hands up. And dinner was odd. It really tasted like they made changes to how we normally prepare food. Now remember, I am always the one who gets sort of pointed at for "what weird thing did Marla make?" when I try to make something a bit lighter to go along the traditional items. Because straying from tradition is frowny face. But there was jarred gravy, the turkey tasted bland and so did the potatoes and beans. I mean I would understand if it was on purpose because my dad is not well overall, but no one said anything - so I don't know if it was just a weird accident or on purpose. I mean, I wasn't going to say - hey all this stuff was bland as *kitten* - what's up? Meh, weird. And Caleb came back just for dinner and took off as soon as dinner was over. I mean I know that's normal, I just was hoping to have like an hour just to be with just him. I have Zach was is burrowed in and not going anywhere and another who can't be near me. This really isn't how I pictured this part of my life and it's still so hard to adjust.

I did a bit of online shopping, but mostly just house-rotting. If the roads would have been safe I would have done my normal weekend shopping/prep for the next week, but winter nasty has arrived.

Marla, I'm sorry your holiday meal was so weird. Do you think Michelle or your Mom bought pre made from the local grocery and reheated or just did not put the time into the meal? On the flip side here, Russ is a good cook but he can get rigid in what has to be on the table for a holiday meal (his family traditions) and how it has to be made. He will try different recipes from year to year but does not trust my sisters or cousin to bring the dishes he loves. He has to make them. Luckily they always are great! Doesn't Bernie go to your family meal? Does he go to his own family and you don't?

How are C and Z doing? Has C mentioned anything about what is next for him?

We did get 4-5 inches of snow over night. More high wind gusts and snow expected today. We don't always get the max due to our county being surrounded by Lake MI on 3 sides. The lake warms the air and sometimes the storms move around us due to islands off the coast, or air is warm and snow doesn't form. On the flip, we get lake effect snow where cold fronts warm up enough to drop the snow on us significantly.

Angela, do you get a lot of snow where you live in Nova Scotia?

Russ doesn't want beer bread with the soup so he will run to the local grocery and find a crusty bread to go with it. I will spend the morning decorating and begin the soup late afternoon.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

It seems to be snowing here every day. We have quite a bit and the roads are snowy and icy.

I am 3 for 3 exercising this week. We have gone twice to the gym at the reservation and I went to my first Aquafit class in a month at the Y yesterday. It felt good. I have an Aquafit class tomorrow and then no more this week. I may get to the gym at the reservation Friday morning. Not sure of my schedule.

Today I drove to Traverse City to volunteer at Power Book Bags. The parking lot was full and I could see so many volunteers inside at the tables. They seem to have plenty of volunteer groups in their new location. I decided not to stop in and went and did errands instead.

Our tree is up but I am still decorating. I need Russ to help me with the garland and then I can put all the ornaments on. He has no interest in decorating…

The tortellini and turkey soup I made from left over turkey was so good! I made two containers of turkey stock from the bones of the turkey. I will use them to make home made turkey noodle soup or more tortellini soup.

WTG with running Angela!

I think weight loss has gotten so confusing with marketing. I read so many things that say no matter how much exercise and eating normally, a menopausal and post menopausal woman won't lose weight. If eating incorrectly, she will gain weight. WTH? So much talk cortisol now and that it is the culprit for women's weight gain later in life. This marketing and profit greed industry is driving me crazy. At this point, I don't want to pay for gimmicks that don't work and bounce from one method to another. I figure exercising, decreasing sugar intake and making healthy choices much of the time will have to do. My weight will do whatever…

It is getting colder here too. The news said we may get wind chills in the negative digits here. That isn't typical so we will feel like we are back in MN!

I agree with Marla, Angela. A "mental health" day is always helpful to catch up, relax or whatever you need it for.

Stay warm!

I hope you have a great long weekend Ang

this cold! it's like January cold -

I need to find some oomph, I am craving something sweet and cranberry - something like a cranberry biscotti sounds yum -

I thought I was moving past the vertigo. On Wednesday I felt pretty great, then on Thursday morning I felt awful!!!! again. I didn't think I would make it to work (what!!!) but I guess I am getting better at coping with it - I made it to work and made it through. Then yesterday I did feel better again. I suppose I should try and go to the doctor, but I just don't want to. (whining).

Saturday!!!

pretty good. Probably not a real biscotti since it’s pretty soft, but tastes good

great gifts!