MARCH 2007 - Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

It is the time of the year again for allergies, but I never had that much trouble with it. And the conifers and pine trees are not flowering yet - they are the worst for dripping noses and sneezing. I had for months now a stuffed nose, mostly the r.h.s. and could not clear it away. But going to a doctor for that is not my style. But since about 5 weeks the lining of my nose and deeper inside is open and blood comes out all the time. It is OK as long as I don't sneeze and clean my nose. Then I have to do it about every half hour. And it was itching and tickling all the time. I am going for the Guiness Book of Records for the amount of sneezes which follow each other, even starting when the previous one is not finished yet. Then I have to be very careful as some stuff might end up in the tube to the lungs. My goodness, it is exhausting to sneeze sometimes for about 12 times, then stopping for a few minutes and starting again, not 12 times but somewhere in the 5-6 times. It is not ladylike at all, but I have given up a long time ago to act like a lady.

So finally I wrote it down for my lovely "tasty" Dr. Pancake (Pannekoek in Dutch). He is really nice and young and wants to know everything about Meniere. Never had a normal physician who really goes on the Internet to search some sites, so he understands what I have and also now two other patients. I write down often what I have, as it can happen that early in the morning I do not remember anymore and because of the really bad pulsatile tinnitus, I cannot properly speak to him, as I cause myself to get a swooshing heartbeat right through the roaring. Then my words do not come out as they should, and I never understand him when he answers me.

Well, I put my nose at the top of the list now, felt very stupid to ask a doctor about it, but it really bothers me and that sneezing should stop one day. And he says I am allergic !!! : : : I have it for too long now, that is not a normal cold. Oh, learned something new now. Ended up with a corticosteroid nosespray and have to use that for 4 weeks, even if I feel better. Hope the steroids do not cause much harm to me. I react never very good to that sort of medication.

Tomorrow is my last try to go to the Flebology clinic and now we really made a good agreement, I hope. Hubby puts his alarm at 6.45 and gets up himself and then will wake me up (I usually wake up as soon as he leaves the bed). Then he will stay with me in the bathroom so I have no chance whatsoever to get unstable (sp?), when I clean my nose, as that happens about every morning that I have to grab the door of the shower cabinet or a rail we have next to the toilet. Two days ago I fell over again, and it has nothing to do with being dizzy, but my stability is next to nothing when the heartbeat is accompanied by an enormous swooooooosh. I can walk straight very well, but early in the morning I have to practise more. I only have one very bad balance organ, the other one is out since 1978. And I always was so proud that I could walk straight by using my eyes to focuss on something. But this allergy also seems to cause my eyes to hurt and itch all day, so I cannot see much with my blary eyes.

Now I read that more seem to suffer from allergies, Maggie, Carol, Rae Nell, all living in different places on mother earth, but having the same symptoms in winter and summer. Really weird, as I too have the stuffed ear (left one only) and the pulsatile tinnitus is every day playing in my head like an organ! Only the music is not my taste.

Good that Jenski is giving the allergy people some fresh air! Better than a fan next to me. We always keep our windows in the bedroom open, but I wonder whether it is such a good idea now. As I mentioned before, we are living in a building factory here, and dust is covering everything. All cars are covered with a layer of it and the new leaves in gardens also loose their attractiveness. Wished it would finish soon, but for the coming 2 years we will have lots of work being done opposite our house. Behind our house they are now working at the second to the last row of houses. They are all hidden behind blue linnen, or whatever else builders use. New roofs everywhere, walls been sanded off (bricks, and mortar repaired and cleaned), chimneys taken away, as no one is allowed to have open fires or gasstoves anymore. All houses get central heating (they are all rental ones !!!) and people who have woodstoves are allowed to keep them and get a small outlet on top of their roof. The new roofs will be insulated with a thick layer of something I do not know what it is, not the normal stuff we used in the past - that glass stuff that got into your hands and was so itching. The 2 schools opposite us should be finished in August, but they won't manage that and hope to open the schools in January 2008. I have a photo of our view what once used to be our forest, and will print it one day here. It is no use now to clean the windows anymore, they looked so dusty and my homehelp wanted to clean them last Friday. But when she comes again this Friday she will be deeply disappointed, I think. Might use my NZ system of cleaning: put the hose on the windows and let them dry through the wind. My house in NZ was too high on its foundations, I could not reach the windows very well, and needed a ladder all the time.

Peanut Brittle: I love your optimism and cheerfulness - it is indeed spring and the sun is shining now almost every day.When I sat here this morning already at 4.30 (still have that bad insomnia, can't stay in bed for longer than 4 hours, then my body does not want to be there anymore) it was still very dark. Daylight saving started last Sunday so the mornings are one hour later. But around 6.30 and especially at 7 the blackbirds started to sing. I hardly can hear spoken words, but their lovely sound penetrated through my own "music" in my head. So glad that they always choose my chimneytop to talk to each other -the other one on a house opposite the side road of our street. They do that all summer and we will keep our chimney, we do not need it for an open fire, but for the blackbirds it is a great spot to use as a stage.

Annegina: Did you also have trouble with that stuff on the Living Room? I hardly ever go there, but did it today and read it all but did not answer. What a nasty stuff to present there. I also do not feel all too happy all the time, and then to read that is not a good start of your day. So I went over to the Porch, but hardly anyone was awake there. Wrote to Joe who is moving house and needed some more attention now. Does it happen often in the Living Room that they are indeed very gloomy and scare the newbies? It happened a few years regularly and I decided not to come there often anymore. Sometimes I am a bit selfish, as I have to care for myself too. And the newbies get so many answers of others, they might not miss mine, I think. There are times that I feel guilty and write there a bit more. I was welcomed there so very good and never saw nasty posts there in 2002.

I am not feeding the birds anymore. They got lots from us during the winter and it was not a real winter at all. So now they are all fat enough to start gathering nesting material to prepare a home for their new families. Was so funny to see a sort of small crow flying away with a piece of thick material to put between items that can break when you send them over. It was lying below my bedroom window. The wind must have dropped it there, and mother/father little crow (has another name, but I do not know that one) thought that it was very good stuff for the babies nest, nice and warm, but a bit too big and so white! !!!!! Must look very funny to see a nest in the pine trees with slaps of that stuff hanging over at all sides

Peanut Brittle: You made me even more aware now of the way my body looks like now. I hardly have wrinkles in my face, but the skin of my hands is of an 80 or 90 year old person, all crinkled skin, no flesh underneath and thick veins, old age spots My sister is 5 years older and has firm skin on her hands. Why are we so different? We both have an enormous belly, but her legs look good, mine are full with fish flakey spots, all brown and now all over my legs, not only the bottom part anymore. And the thick and painful varicose veins. Well, maybe the last ones will disappear, I hope. But all sorts of stuff I got prescribed for the fish flakes (it has a beautiful name but as always, I do not remember that sort of skin disease) hasn't helped a bit and it is a dirty job to do all the time. I only want to see my face, when I do not have a terrible headache and can look out of my eyes and smile to myself. Then I can like myself, not when I see the rest of my body.

Do you all, the older ones and the ones who are too fat (and obese) to look good, have trouble to buy clothes? I order from a mail order firm. And the pictures they show you, for the big sizes !!!!!!, are always slim young girls who wear the stuff we big women have to wear. Only one mail order comp. once tried to show how those clothes looked on a more firm body of an older woman. And even she was half my size. But the advantage of buying at that firm is, that they charge the same money for all sizes. So not going up when you do not look good and have to pay heaps for clothes that only look good on slim people. That gives me some satisfaction then, and I have ordered some already for the coming summer. All long sleeves, but the tops are mostly too low down. And I have to cover that for that skin cancer stuff.

Joyce: I have a special magazine for people over 55 years old. Full of good articles, and not that many advertisements. But sad enough, it writes often about diseases and sickness and disabilties of older people. I did not read them for a while, hubby did though as he is able to skip the ones he does not like. It is a real thick magazine which appears every month. It gives more info than the other normal magazines for all ages. But those are full of ways of child caring and breast feeding, and we are really past that sort of stuff. Although we still have our grandchildren, I do not want to be taught by young people how to take care of kids. I have my own way, which is different than what the young ones do. And my grandkids behave here better than at home. Only wished I could teach them to eat something without spreading it all around their plates and on the floor. We used to have carpet when my kids were young, and I seldomly had to clean that carpet every week. Now we have a laminate floor and in the room at the back, real ceramic tiles. And most people have that nowadays, so mothers do not pay that much attention to the way the kids eat. It is so easy to clean it up afterwards. I always had a tablecloth on the table, one coloured one for breakfast and lunch, and a white one for dinner. I changed them once a week. No plastic over the table (I really hate that!). And I do not remember that I had to tell my kids off all the time. Maybe my memory is selective ?

I wanted to write so much more, but I have to finish now as the alarm clock will start in 5 hours. I really hope that I can sleep all that time, but with the help of my husband nothing should go wrong tomorrow morning. He only forgot to get the letter my dear dr. Pancake wrote for the insurance that I needed to be treated in the clinic. So we first have to drive over to his office to get it out of his box for everything people need to get from mr. dr.

All other ones I did not write to, I wish all the best, no sneezes and allergies anymore, and enjoy the coming of spring! And in a week's time it will be Easter!
Then my dear little Owen will come home !!!!!!!!!! I will get him an apple cake decorated with Easter bunnies and only his name on it, as he does not like icing or cream. But he loves apple cake, a nice big one with raisins and cinnamon and sugar and of course apples.
Gosh, how I am looking forward that he will be home again. And hopefully things will improve a bit at home. They all have learned their lesson now - hospitals are not always the best solution

Love from Marian

 

Good beautiful morning to all the dear neighbors at Joyce's Fence!

...what a NICE way to start a day!

Winter returned in the night to give us a dip into the teens, but the sun is bright today so the sap will run, la la la la la. OH, such memories of sugaring... little me learned how to split 4' long logs to throw into the "arch" to boil the sap. Oh, did I feel RUGGED...

Oh, Marian! Your bouts with insomnia do my eyes and spirit good as you share your thoughts and your world with the rest of us. I am a HUGE supporter of nasal saline spray, as my sinuses take a beating by heating with wood, and dust, and pollens and that "new" word I've noticed on the Weather Channel: "particulates." Do you think they're perhaps smaller than "particles?"

HANDS! My Avon lady uses a "word" for what's going on with my hands... and Andie McDowell of the L'Oreal commercials uses it TOO, so perhaps it's a "real" word... (tee hee) "crepeness." (PRONOUNCED: "crepe eeeee nesss.") You can spend $20 for a tube of hand cream and "in 4 weeks" (tee hee) you will perceive a difference.

In FOUR WEEKS they've got another product lined up to sell us!!!

When I feel wrinkled I think of that saying about how we shouldn't arrive at "old age" in a perfectly preserved body but totally worn out, sliding in sideways with a martini in one hand hollering "WHAT A RIDE!" And I buy creams that I like the feel or smell of and I don't expect them to do anything other than soothe ME a little. And as for the rest of my body I look and a LARGE VOICE in the back of my head says, "THAT'S WHAT CAFTANS ARE MADE FOR!"

Can anyone tell I'm the daughter of an advertising copy writer? She used to pick apart commercials-- critique them! It was awesome to watch her get worked up in a lather. Does anybody remember the Alka Seltzer commercials where the stomach was arguing with its human? She didn't write those, but she LOVED them and said over and over that THOSE ads were the product of a gifted mind!

Rae Nell, I so hope your head ache is better. They can be so debilitating, I hope you've found some relief. That last nasty one I had that came out of the blue seemed to repond a bit to nasal saline (as it felt a bit sinusy), ice on top of head, slightly inclined position... I so hope you find your comfort zone. I send hugs.

Cdedie, hope you're allergies give you some relief soon. Allergies STINK even if our noses are stuffed up and we can only use the figurative... here's hoping you feel better soon.

Jill, I keep sending hugs your way and am imagining the beautiful but sad send-off for your BOCO. My Katie Cakes and Rocko are planted beneath their own garden and I go there often and talk to them.

Linda! YIKES! Baseball is right around the corner!! It's hard to believe as I look out the window and still see big snow banks. If the bright sun keeps up, however, the snow might all be gone by Sunday. The big questions now seems to be will Clemmens retire or pitch?

Annegina, like you, I've been shovelling bird seed at an almost alarming rate. I think they're "tanking up" for breeding! The little finches are getting bright yellow feathers about their heads... PLOOOOOOOOOOMAGE!

Dixie Darlin! The magical day is almost here!! I put the last stitches in the binding for Kathy and Paul's wedding quilt, "Cole Slaw" last night! And I cut the fabric for my next one: "Girlie Girl!" (pastel pinks and greens...)

It's not as hot in here this morning as it was yesterday, although time will tell. It's colder outside, so I tossed another log on the fire. I might regret that decision.

The stomach is screaming for some breakfast so I'll sign off for now and come back a little later.

Have a lovely morning all!

xoxoxox
Jenski

 

Just checking in here. Sounds like every one is on the right step to not sweating the small stuff.
I am doing fine. Looking forward to next weekend and the following week. We are taking the week of the April 9th off. My oldest daughter and her new husband will be going to Discovery Bay, Wa. From the 7th to the 10th they cant stay the whole week so my Hubby and I are going to be there for the rest of the week. The condo was booked for the whole week as I couldnt book less days. So we took the opertunity and took off that week. Even tho I will be off for 6 weeks From May to June for my knee surgery. Oh well hey a girl needs a vacation before surgery to perpair her self right?????
My daughter that lives in Hawaii is coming in next week on the 4th and grandson is going to be picked up from his dads that day so he can spend some time with his mom. And then my son is coming in on the 6th with daughter-in-law to be. So we will have a house full. But on the 6th hubby and I are leaving for Olympia, Wa to spend the night there. And maybe take Oldest daughter and husband to be out for dinner and all that good stuff.
Next month is a busy month for us here. The wedding and vacation and then my many doctors appointments before my knee surgery. Wont have much time with my little ones here. But that is life.
Hope every one elts has a wonderful day.
And hugs going out to every one here.

 

Thursday 29 March 2007

Take good care of yourself, and you will look as beautiful as you feel, especially if you look in the mirror and focus your attention in the right direction.

I looked out my window yesterday morning and saw a silver bubble moving about in the back yard of our neighbor directly behind us. then I saw two men in hard hats (not silver) in two of their trees. Oh, my goodness, they have called someone to trim their trees near the fence - that is good news. Well, it turned out to be 5 fellows in hard hats (only one had a silver hat) trimming only those branches that interfered with the power wires that carry power, phone lines and cable so they do a rude trimming.

Nevertheless I had hoped they would trim the tree branches that hang on our side but they didn't - so we did. Before those branches are filled with leaves is a good time to do it so now it is done but for one thick branch that moved too much to saw it off - we did manage to trim all that hangs from it. Whew! I have wanted that done for a long time.

The wind doth blow hard in these here parts. Yesterday at 52 miles an hour the wind was blowing and later in a nearby town it was blowing dirt, creating a visibility problem on the highway and knocking things over, shutting down the highway. Tumbleweeds have piled up and created hazards where they ran out of places to go, once stopped. People were complaining about them overrunning their yards and homes.

These tumbleweeds can create a fire hazard as well. they blow in of the prairies and desert area south of Hwy 84 - those same tumbleweeds that were darting across the roads on our trip on Tuesday.

Spring break is in session for the kids here. I got all the way to the place I work on volunteer day and suddenly remembered that we were on spring break too and drove home. : So I drove home. It was really cold in the early hours and warmed in spite of the wind to about mid 50's.

Dixie That is wonderful that your daughter in Hawaii will be home for the wedding and to see her son. If I were the father of the child, I would fight for custody. I would not allow her to go out of state and remove him from the only stable environment he has had.
Some things are hard. I hope things work out no matter what.

Jen You are so funny. It is funny how often sex has come up as a topic of discussion here. I been here for 7 years now and seen it several times. I remember a friend of mine in Missouri with MM who said that once she was going into a vertigo attack during sex and her hubby thought her moaning was because she was rapturous happiness. LOL She never told him differently but she threw up after and was violently sick with vertigo. He was afraid to touch her after that.

Yes these old topics keep coming up - even the suicide one. Two of our old members did take their lives, but I am not going to contribute to that - one was in England - he was also gay and never known by his partner if it was because he was gay or had MM. Another was a woman. It was all very sad. Unfortunately doom and gloom do exist with any chronic disease and while it was validating for me to find "others" some "others" find fault with everything anyone says. There are a few who will jump on anything I post in the living rooms, which is one reason I don't much. It is normal to compare symptoms and find others who feel the same way you do.

So your area did get some of that warm weather we had earlier!! 79 is just at the point of not being comfy for me. I don't know how I survive our hot summers. 8) ??? there is something about those warmer sunny days though that just lift the spirits.

I loved your gratitude list. Wonderful. Most of the time I try to stay focused on the good parts of life - there is so much to be grateful for.

AG Carol I am glad you find this a safe haven to come to. I think that even though we hardly hit the topic thought of the day - just the visits are stress reducers. I filled the bird bath the other day - I think the wind blew it out though. LOL ;D

I have no clue what we will do for Easter - waiting for an invite. Maybe we will do it - who knows? I think we should go somewhere....out of town for an overnight.

CD Carol gosh - sounds like you are under siege and held captive with this MM stuff. Hang in there. I hope things improve and soon you will have more good days than bad and will wonder what it was like. Okay - you will remember and just be glad it is over. Hugs for you for how.

RaeNell I hope your headache goes away. Hugs for you too.

Linda 8)

Marian I won't subscribe to AARP (magazine for retired people and over 55) because it is too much about old and aging - LOL Actually, I am enjoying "O" magazine - the Oprah one. I read several stories that I loved in the April issue - all about Connections - adoptive people seeing their roots even though they have lovely parents they want to know about where they came from. I totally understand that since my own mother died at the young age of 21 and I was only short of 2 and don't remember here. I was allowed supervised visits with grandparents, great grandparents and aunt and never knew my birth family till older.

There are a few magazines I will keep coming and others I will allow to lapse. I get the Martha Stewart Living too - sort of like it, sort of not. I am not a super woman like her so don't relate to all the "pooh bah" stuff she does. I don't care about her super organized perfectly ordered life and can't relate. ??? ???

I love the Reader's Digest so will keep getting it and Good Housekeeping - and a couple of others I am trying.

It was so good to see you post here again.

#

I am holding out for a lovely day today. I have a dental cleaning appt today. I will have to find a route to get me there - they have that road closed down and doing work on it with a lot of delays. ??? My dentist is off that road and only way to get there. Should be a challenge or a nightmare.

Hope you all have a wunnerful, wunnerful day! 8) 8) 8) 8) #

 

Well hello neighbours! - What a nice breath of spring air this place is! I have had a list of things I have to do since I have got back aqnd I have managed to do none of them - too nice outside so I have mostly just done some yard work and a whole lot of playing with the dogs. So my kennel and dogyards are immaculate and tidy and organized - and the house looks like it has been bombed inside, haha! oh well I will save the inside stuff for a rainy day as I hate to waste a nice day inside. Sounds like allergy season for everyone - I started on my allergy meds as I was sneezing and wheezing like a teakettle. It is still fairly cool out here but no snow and the mud is drying up. I am going to take a garden stroll and see if any of those really hardy little perrenials are peeking out yet. As always it is no nice to "see" you all here and find out what is going on in everyones neck of the woods. Bye for now!

 

...if I look in the mirror and focus my attention in the "right" direction I shall see...

happy eyes with mischief in them
those grey streaks in my hair that I like
my goodness I just discovered I can SMILE AT MYSELF and it actually feels GREAT
in fact, that's a great way to start the day.

Giving ourselves a smile!

Tizzy! The image of your with your dogs makes me smile as well. So glad you're enjoying time outside with your beautiful crew.

 

I've decided I need help against the aging battle.

 

hey neighbors,
stopping by to say hi!
still having head ache, still pushing through


much love

 

Linda, how are you suppose to use that at a baseball game? Or is it the cushion you're showing off for your tush?
Oooh,Tizzy, can I play with the dogs, too? Seems I'm missing my golden retriever. Jumpy, muddy, dogs romping all over. hehe
Yes, Joyce, I've tried to avoid all the confrontation in the living room. There are some mighty strong personalities that can't let go. Almost like a human rottweiler. Now that's an image! I shied from the suicide thread, too, but decided to try it. It started off well but got crazy. I can understand where Chris is coming from though when he just wanted it to go away quietly. When our daughter's best friend suicided a few years ago all the odd comments we all take for granted, like "that's to die for", and others, they all took on a macabre meaning. I think it should be locked now. It's just getting too nasty to keep around.

The wallpaper is up! Yeh, all the decorating of the living room and foyer is done! I checked the records - we had the painting done in September, so that's 7 months in actual work, 9 months if you consider all the selecting process. Almost like having a baby?

I've got to put dinner on the table. Been here too long already considering the time of day it is. Take care everybody. Hope all of you feel better tomorrow than today.

 

Oh, Rae Nell...I just wish I had a headache cure to send you....enough is enough, Darlin' - that ol' pain needs to go NOW!

Sorry all - I've been reading but not posting much lately...I guess for once the turmoil on the Front Porch has just zapped my energy. This (dj's corner) - is the only safe place for me on the board, because I just refuse to participate in those heated discussions. Doesn't mean I don't have an opinion : but there are some discussion topics that are just doomed from the outset.

Life is good...it got hot, then it got cold, and it will get hot again, but right now I'm wearing a sweater and holding off on hauling down the tubs that hold my summer clothes. Tonight is the last dance class for the foxtrot...DH and I still aren't that great, but a few days ago we were visiting Mom at the nursing home, and in the dining room where she was eating lunch, they had on some music...so we got up and danced a few steps! You'd think we gave a performance the way people clapped for us....made me think that we should do it again...

Off to make a chile relleno casserole to take to the potluck tonight...that is, if I can keep my eyes open! For some reason, I've really got the snoozies this afternoon.

Sorry I haven't responded to everyone - I have been reading, and think of you all.

xoxoxoxoxo
deercharmer

 

TOO LATE!!!!!!! LOL Hi ya'll!

Cloudy, dark, rainy (we need the rain!) and dreary was the day today. In one way I love stormy, rainy weather - and the other is the pressure in my ear! Yucko! Have noticed that the grass is greened up since the rain, the crepe myrtles are wanting to bloom, and our pool is getting cleaner by the day!

The power co sent some guys around to cut around the lines here too Joyce. Hubbie talked them into cutting down an old hackberry tree in our yard instead of just trimming it. Still can't believe they did it saving us many hundreds of dollars! So a good thing. However...(LOL :) I miss seeing the birds sitting in it and what are the woodpeckers going to do? :'( :'( That was the tree that I've seen 3 different types of woodpeckers in. :'( :'( So I still don't know how I feel about that tree.

I have been thinking of Jill and her family today. Putting poor ol' Boco to rest. :'( :'(

It truely is sad to love spring and fall so much and then be allergic to it! Ok, I seem to be on a downer... I'll take a cue from Jenski and come back when I'm better and happier!

Love and Hugs AND feeling better to all!!!!!

 

Oh MY GOODNESS, I just came out here after lurking around in the Living Room for a while. Didn't post anything, wasn't the place for ME tonight,lol
Boy, I disappear for a while and so many things go on... Don't know how long I'm going to sit here tonight either but I'm going to give it a shot and see what happens. These herniated discs are pinching the sciatic nerves again down both of my legs, can't sit, can't stand, can't lie down and get into a comfortable position lying down for any longer than an hour and walking---- Just One Big Ouch !!!! Not as bad as having to dance with the Beast though so I ain't complainin too loudly.. Don't think this man here would agree with that but what the heck, what does he know eh....

Jill, I was so sad to read about your poor furrbaby, it's just so hard when we have to part with them like that and my heart goes out to you.

AND, to you too Carol, I hope you're feeling better real soon, yes,- I think we all re-visit the fear and anger and everything else that this BEAST has taken from us. I know I have, many times over the past 20 years. I've always been able to pull myself out of it but the last time,- last Fall, I had to get help from a therapist. The help I got from everyone here in this group was really what pulled me through, I don't think I would have done it so quickly without all you people here so you all have my eternal gratitude.

Joyce,- how on earth can you read in a moving vehicle???? I would be SO sick I'd be reeling and barfing all over the place. I can only take just so much of looking out the passenger window too.

Ooooooooh, did somebody have to mention "aging"???? A horrible word that... Clothes that don't fit right cause you're one size at the top and another size at the bottom, wrinkles, skin creams that promise everything and do nothing... AND, in my case,- gray/white hair... A Dr. that says "you really have to lose that weight, it'll be much better for your back and you're at a high risk for age-on-set diabetes because there's so much of it in your family.. Geeze Louise !!!!! I wanna enjoy my old age, I wanna eat what I wanna eat and when I wanna eat it !!!!!! I thought the Senior Years were supposed to be the Golden Years and a real fun time !!!! If there are the Golden Years, I'm terrified to find out what Platinum is like. lol
Maybe by then, the clothing manufacturers MIGHT just decide to have clothes designed for us in mind..

Marian,-- I hope you were able to make that appointment today and I hope everything went just fine and you'll get some relief at least from one thing.. That apple cake that Owen loves so much sounds absolutely heavenly. We have a Dutch bakery here and their cakes are out of this world. You have to get there early in the day though because they disappear fast. The icing is so much nicer than the North American icing,- our icing is way too sweet,- sickening sweet really and the Dutch icing is more like a cream. My mouth is watering, I'm not supposed to be thinking about this stuff, I'm supposed to be thinking about fresh fruit....

Rae Nell,- I hope that headache of yours disappears soon,
And everybody else that's sneezin and honkin all over the place, I hope it eases off soon. Something really got to me in the Supermarket today, don't know whether it was all the flowers and plants they've brought in for Easter or what but here I am, still doing it hours later.

AGCarol, Jenn, Dixie, Maggie, Linda, Sue, and everybody else hanging out here in Joyce's back yard, I hope you're all doing ok... You all take care, and you all have a great day tomorrow
Loretta

 

Hi All, I have returned from the 'inner sactum' or as my sweet friend from India calls it - "the necessarium". In between bouts I slept...almost twelve hours yesterday in total and the same today. This is unusal for me. Then it is unusal to have severe bouts of vertigo/nausea, etc. back to back like that. But, it is behind me now and fading from memory. I'm looking forward to tomorrow- the daylight hours of tomorrow.

Amber is convinced it would be a good idea to plant her radish seeds one at a time and has asked for assistance. :-\ Hmmm I've always just scattered them around and let be what ever is. Anyone have any good ideas how to 'easily' plant radish seeds one at a time? I'm open for any and all ideas.

And, good news: Bridget's rescue kitty which she gave to Troy for his birthday presented her new family with three kittens last night. One male, two females. All are healty and strong little ones. The gals are calicos and the male is patches of grey with other areas which are grey and black stripped - really odd patterning. He makes two of the girls in size and is the biggest baby - mewing so loudly when he misses his mom or something is not right in his world. Troy let Amber name them; so, the male is Zeus, the mighty and the females are Safwah and Najmah which most likely will turn into Saffy and Naji (or Naj) in the coming weeks. All of our four footed family members have nicknames as well. It has been difficult for Amber since losing Squeak and Kit Kat; now she is smiling again.

Ok, Linda, I've tried and tried and for the life of me I can't tell what this is or what one is supposed to do with it. ??? Help.

Rae Nell, do you think you could be having sinsus headaches? We received a catalogue in the mail recently that was selling a device one inserts nasally to wash out the sinus cavities. I had never never heard of this before, but according to the promo it is great for allergy and sinus problems. Has anyone heard about this or is anyone using one?

Marian, how close are you to Amsterdam? My husband has been persistently asking for Amber and I to fly to Kuwait for a visit and we would change planes in Amsterdam. If, and it is only an if at this point, we decide to go I'm sure I could arrange a lay-over in Holland and would very much like to meet you. It would not be before middle to late summer if at all, but I'm just trying to think ahead. I've enjoyed your posts so much here and on the forum. Is there a hotel or bed and breakfast near you if this trip turns into an actual fact?

Hi to everyone at the fence, take care as I know many of you aren't feeling great - healing thoughts all coming your way. :-*

 

good morning guys
thanks for all your well wishes, i spent most of the day yesterday
in bed. saw my chiro and got an adjustment on my neck and
we got some showers so i got a little relief. unfortunately my
tummy was acting up yesterday and like Cee calls it i spent
lots of time at the necessarium
i am going to get up and go to the gym and see if that helps my feelings.



much love to you guys and big huggs.

 

Just checking in here. The month has gone by so fast. Next weekend is the big day for my daughters wedding. I will promisse that there will be lots of pictures to post. When we get the taken and down loaded I will email them to Linda to post.
I am getting excited about the wedding and then the next week we go on vacation hey a girl needs to have a vacation before knee replacement surgery dosent she.
Well hope every one here is doing good and hope every one has a great weekend all so and a great last day of the month.
Hugs to all

 

Friday 30 March 2007

If you spend your energy trying to convince people that you are perfect and never admit the imperfect aspects of your life, you eventually will find yourself surrounded by people who have also convinced themselves that everything in their world is just "perfect."

Oh my goodness, that is so true. LOL I know people like that. then there is the opposite end of that little gem, you convince yourself that everything is wrong, you will attract others who have nothing but wrong things in their lives. I know people like that too. It seems in bot extreme instances there is a one upmanship going on. My dad was one of those people - you had a story - he could top it, up and down the scale. Too funny. Surely we have all witnessed others playing this game.

When I worked, I knew a fellow that was so busy it could take hours for him to enumerate how busy he was and like I told him once, if he would take the time he was complaining about being busy and actually do something, his job would be cut in half. I was rather more like a Judge Judy in those days and would roll my head and eyes and just say cut to the chase and spare the gory details. LOL When I worked, I was a Murphy Brown personality - too realistic and terribly straight forward. Murphy Brown was my hero - fiction or not. I still love the characters that Candace Bergen plays. : Love Judge Judy too. ;D

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Yesterday a dentist visit. Everything looked good - my very excellent dentist said my mouth couldn't look better - LOL - then he wants to talk about implants. I told him that I have been wearing dentures since I was 18 and why change now in my golden years when many are getting them at this age. The cost of bone grafting and implants hardly justify the expense.

Today another anatomical part of me gets the masher and mammogram. ??? Ouch! They really do need to get the men in there for mashing something.

I soaked some pinto beans yesterday and last night slow cooked them all night with some pork tenderloin and herbs. I added a can of tomato paste and brown sugar today before fixing my oatmeal. I tasted it and it tastes and smells like a right good soup. I added some powdered onions and a couple of other things. The smell is wonderful! I love a good bean soup. I love pinto beans.

We bought those pound cakes from Costco and I made lemon pudding for the top and topped it off with cool whip - Yum-o! It was goood eating.
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Tizzy seeing you back again brought a smile to my face. saying that kennel and the dogs were immaculate and the house a disaster reminded me of my aunt who helped an uncle run a dairy farm and over 600 cows to milk - she kept the milk house where the separator and all were clean and sterile and immaculate always. Her house was the proverbial disaster area. People and especially women who work outside their homes, be it kennels, millhouses, etc. always seem to be that way. I know you will have it organized in a flash. We have our priorities.
Good just having you back.

Linda Is that a sitting stool? It looks like a portable stool to sit on. It is not too far off the mark for a walker that also has a seat. Those are really cool. The bad part is - you have to tote it about. ??? I have things that hang on my shoulders - feel like a beast of burden with all the stuff I tote about. LOL ;D

Jen I love that - looking and actually seeing the mischief in your eyes. Smiling about things you do is one thing and laughing is another. It is good when we can smile or laugh at ourselves. Life is good!

deercharmer I remember the foxtrot being the first dance I learned. I loved dancing. I envy you that you have a DH that loves to dance and is willing to learn with you. What a lot of fun you have had at those classes - I bet you hate to see it end.
A lady here teaches a lot of dancing - she said that since Dancing with the Stars is so big - that there is new interest in dancing. Imagine that - the old really great dances being re found. she has more people than room to teach for the demand. I can't imagine.

I once dated - sort of - he was a good dancer, but he was an old Aurthur Murray dance student and then teacher and so fun to dance with and he said I was a natural and followed really well so we sort of like just going to dances to dance. So we really didn't date, so much as we danced together.

I have never eaten Chile relleno but hear it is good. I am sure home made by you is better.

Rae Nell Glad you are well enough to even check in here - take care of yourself.

jrw I used to go head to head with people on the forum, but quit. Some thrive on it and others shun it. As my hubby said about being a lover, not a fighter, that is how I like to feel.
I think the disease or fear of the unknown (those not diagnosed with anything and still don't know) tends to make people angry - we get locked in anger at times and need to move on. The thing is most don't recognize the anger till they have moved past it. There is something noble about taking the high road and even that becomes a point of contention. I think today's thought is a gentle reminder that the extremes of being okay or not being okay are at play.

Oh gosh the remodeling or redecorating - like birthing a baby - too funny. I am STILL waiting for hubby to paint a bathroom. he would say he is STILL waiting for me to chose a color. How long is an elephant pregnant?? Several years maybe? That is my bathroom downstairs.

Carol Wow - that is great that the tree trimmers removed a tree for you. We don't have any nesting yet in our area so the birds will find other places to hide their nests and eggs. It is always bitter sweet when a tree comes down. We love them, but even trees have a time to go. ???

Loretta It is funny - I never get car sick. I have always been able to read while in a car - I have never had motion sickness. Even with Mm I have never had a problem in moving cars, trains, buses or planes so have always been able to read. Even when I was a kid, I had reading material for long trips. It's just the way I am.

LOL - I am trying to fight the "aging" thing every step of the way. Like you, I want to eat what I have always eaten and yet somehow it isn't as nice to me as it once was. I know my metabolism isn't the same, but it is so hard to adjust.

Cee You sound like you have serious travel plans ahead. That would be nice to meet Marian if she were close enough. I have a friend who has been to Holland twice and said Amsterdam is to avoid as far as a visit - he hated that city but loved others she visited. another friend has cousins there she visits every year.
New kittens in the family - that sound like fun and brings back memories.

Dixie Almost only a month to go for the surgery. You will be fine. the wedding will be beautiful!! I hope things go smoothly and as planned. Take pics. Click! Say cheese!

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Well, need to see what the new day will bring my way. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Hope I greeted everyone who was here the last 24 hours. Keep smiling and enjoy the seasonal changes. Our forsythia is in full bloom, as are the daffodils, hyacinth and the grape hyacinth and the allium is growing longer stems as are the tulips. We have parrot tulips (rather old and stunted) under the crab apple tree but so pretty. All over town the purple flowering plum trees blooming and some white blooms on another tree that blooms in spring. There is beauty all around as you drive through the neighboring communities. Lovely days and lots of eye candy.

 

Yes We will take lots of pictures and all.
I am getting kind of scared about the up coming surgery tho. But in the long run it will be well worth it. I go in on the 5th of April for blood tests and a class on knee replacement surgery. I guess they give you exercises to do after surgery and I have heard that they have you see a real knee replacement surgery being done all so. So that should be interesting hu????

 

Yep - from what I hear - they show you what to do, who you will meet, what to expect and what you will be doing.

Hubby had "passive exercise machine" hooked up to him after and cousin didn't. Seems all Drs. have their own agenda about what they need to do. ???

 

Good morning Everyone! Hope your day is starting pleasantly as is mine...

I think I mentioned I'd finished one quilt, "Cole Slaw" (the wedding present), and quickly began work on a new one: "Girliegirl." It's pinks and greens and very very SWEET... and I'm INTO it! If I had my way I would not do anything else BUT work on it until I got to where I felt OK about stopping. WELL... enter "life" and one must cook, wash dishes, etc., but my mind is like a steel trap and mostly engaged in the colors...

OH-- did I avert a near-disaster for supper. My pal Sue gave me a super easy recipe for Swedish meatballs and it's GOOD. You use frozen Swedish meatballs, 2 cans of mushroom soup and a pint of half and half. She simmers them in a crock pot for a few hours, but they can also be done on the stove. My brain was elsewhere-- somewhere in Girliegirl-- and I put the meatballs on the stove with the half and half-- forgetting the soup. Thought it looked awfully thin. About an hour later I decided it was REALLY thin and threw in 1/2 container of sour cream, deciding I'd do a "stroganoff" thingie... with strognaoff one needs pepper... GADS... I can't BELIEVE I did this... I opened the wrong end of the spice can of pepper and proceeded to DUMP three full shakes of pepper into this sour cream, half and half meatball MESS. Something in my head screamed, "DO NOT STIR!"

I carefully lifted out four pepper-covered meatballs and scooped the blackened layer of sauce out. Rinsed the meatballs under running water and threw them back in the pot. I opened a can of diced tomatoes, deciding I'd throw them in for good measure.

It was about that time John came through the door wondering what was for supper.

"An invention."

He went outside with the dog and it was then I realized I'd forgotten the mushroom soup!

Once that ended up in the pot it looked a bit more like it was supposed to.

We had it over egg noodles. And by golly it wasn't half bad!

Let's take bets on what my cholesterol #s will be! Half and half, sour cream... what am I THINKING?

I have no idea what that object is but I certainly hope it ISN'T a "Thigh Master!"

Joyce, I bet Linda will be wanting to dive into your pinto beans!

Cee, planting radish seeds one at a time sounds like a job for a friend with OCD! I love to plant radishes to "mark" areas where other plants are as they germinate so quickly. I like letting them grow and "go to seed" as well... they're prettier than I imagined a "radish" plant would be... good luck to Amber. If she does plant them one seed at a time, it's possible that by the time she's finished planting the last one, the first seed might be popping through the soil .

Dixie's weekend has arrived! I hope it's wonderful for her and all of her family. Can't wait to see the photos.

Much Huggage to all... must "run" for now but will come back later on for a "fix of friendship" from all here.

Smooches!
xoxoxo
Jenski

 

JRW asked me to post these pictures. She will be along to explain: