15th Dec

[Mick]

Mae all .how are you doing today then? Hope all is well. Not impressed here..my back is in agony. Due to the mattress and this settee. I kept telling madam it wasn't right and she was saying it was just my imagination. Anyway yesterday I was absolutely aching couldn't walk properly. Julie lay on the mattress..there is a crater that the moon would be proud of..So we ordered a new mattress yesterday with a delivery date of today..no mattress..email from the company to say that the contractor had delivered them to the wrong depot. Warrington as opposed to Castleford..close eh? They cant deliver it till it's put on the system. And they cant do it on a Sunday. So i have taken 1 of the single mattresses out of the van.I will kip on that.As for the settee they are coming to fix it on Thursday..but to be perfectly honest I think I will be replacing it anyway.

Hiya ppqp glad you are sleeping..forgotten what that is.seriously though hope things are doing better for you?

Hiya lav thats a cracking pic.how are you doing today then? Hope all is well.Julie still doing her Needlework .

Hiya slo...no it was Julie's dad sat and said nothing for an hour..not me .as for the auction for my stuff.. the auction isnt till beginning of February. He has to photograph and catalogue it all up. He gave me an estimate which impressed me...quite a chunk above what I thought. Have you had a good weekend?

Hiya pie how are you doing? Any more foster dogs?hope you had a good weekend.

Hiya teegee. Ho are you doing? Hope all is well with you.

Right folks.have a great weekend

[Lavande]

Happy Sunday everyone,

The day seems to have gotten away from me, again. Just sat down for the first time, haha!
Made a great pot of soup made a gift pillow, addressed some Christmas cards - only send a few these days. Kept all the hungry animals fed & watered, etc.
The rain has started, it’s going to be a damp week but better than snow I guess.

Mick, I know exactly what you’re talking about with the mattress craters. Those divots do a number on your back. I purchased a newer version of an egg crate mattress topper a few months ago instead of tossing another mattress. It’s worked out great so far. Glad you got a good estimate on your finds - money in the bank for you

Not much else happening here so I’ll wish everyone a decent night!

Lav

[Slo]

Evening,

Had a weak, rotten day. No energy. Everything is so difficult with this severe neuropathy throughout my body. I got the living room carpet vacuumed, but it exhausted me, and I had to nap afterwards. I took a 10- minute bike ride outside (since I can’t take a walk, like a normal person in Winter), but it exhausted me, and I had to take to my bed for a long time afterwards. That was it for today.
I stupidly have thought that this is fixable, but my denial is lifting; and I’m realizing that this is a progressive condition with no cure; and I will be living out the rest of my dumb life in a way that I didn’t expect: weak, impaired, in pain, restricted, and disabled.

Mick, didn’t you just get a new settee a couple years ago? No judgement, as I just got a new couch a couple years ago too, and have already given it away to my daughter. I have a new loveseat being delivered this week. I sure hope I like it in here, and that it’s comfortable.

Lav, I do like King Arthur flour better than most; so I can believe that their yeast is superior too. Say, isn’t this your birthday?! If so, then Happy Birthday!!

Hello to PQ. One more week of work until vacation time!

[Slo]

Cross-post, Lav. I guess it isn’t your birthday! Maybe it’s the 17th. I did not get out the few cards that I should. Maybe tomorrow. I too have added a memory foam mattress topper.

[porqoui]

MAE ALL...for some reason I wasn't feeling too great last night, start of an upset tummy, start of a headache. Decided it might be the patch so I took it off and after awhile I felt better. I've decided I'm going to switch to putting it on in the morning when I figure it's at it's most potent and then depending on how things go may just remove it at night. So far things are going great with the no smoking, not really getting my after meal cravings like I usually do. Sorry this post is all about me, just wanted to check in before another day went past. Have a good night all...PPQP

[Slo]

Hi, PQ! Taking the patch off at night while you sleep just may work, to keep you from smoking cravings, yet also keep you from negative patch side effects. I am so glad that your quit is staying solid, and also going reasonably well.

How is Mick doing after a night on the thin camper mattress? It’s Monday, so hopefully action is being taken to get your real mattress to you instead of Warrington. Wherever that is.

Lav, let me guess: you’re making a pillow!


What a difference a day makes! Now that the full moon is over, I feel better.
I had another rough but cathartic emotional releasing session today over at the clinic (facilitated by electrodes in my head, glasses with embedded lights, and music).

Tomorrow I am headed up to see Mabel & Beckett in their preschool Christmas concert!
Young Daughter has made it home from college for the beginning of her Christmas break! She is with her dad tonight.

[Lavande]

Hey everyone,

Just sitting down after running my a$$ off all day, Lol
Got a lot accomplished so it’s OK. Rained all night then started again tonight with a good deal of fog too. We met our friends/embroidery customers halfway for `dinner, it was nice.
I even got the dog in for a pedicure & a refill of one of her meds & my bridge glued back in that fell out 10 days ago haha!

Slo, I’m sorry you’re feeling so rough today. Please don’t give up hope, you’re too young for that. I think we all need to make adjustments in our lives from time to time relating to health conditions. You have to find the sweet spot between pushing yourself too hard & comfortably getting a thing or two done a day. I’m sure it’s hard but maybe your sister could assist for now if possible. My birthday is on the 19th, thanks for remembering

PQ, good idea to remove the patch when you don’t really need the extra help. I’ve heard of people getting headaches & becoming sleepless when leaving the patch on all night. Glad you’re feeling better now. Keep that quit going, you’ll be so happy in the end!

Hello to Mick, Cyn, Pie & everyone.
Have a nice night all.

Lav

[porqoui]

MAE ALL...we're back to the deepfreeze, just in case we forgot it was winter. LOL -17C/62F but the chinook rolls back in on Friday so I can live with that. Yes, removing the patch at night has made a difference. Huge Xmas lunch/bridge game at work today. I wasn't playing bridge but I don't think I need to eat for a week!

Slo...Glad you're feeling better now that the full moon is done. How nice to see the grandkids in their Xmas concert, you'll love it.

Lav...sounds like you did get a lot done yesterday, well done. Yes, taking the patch off did make a difference and I'm so pumped that the quit is going better than I expected.

Mick...I hope you got your mattress sorted out.

Last day tomorrow for the boss then 2 more days for me. It's always quieter when he's not around. Shout out to the rest of the gang. Have a good night all...PPQP

[Lavande]

Greetings,

Not to brag or anything but it was sunny & 62 degrees here today & I have no idea why LOL
The rain holding off until overnight is helpful. I'm trying to finish up a few embroidery jobs so I can get them shipped but of course having design troubles & machine troubles to boot - figures. I'll get it worked out.

PQ, glad things are looking up for you this week. good job on the smoke quit!
I hope the rest of the week is calm & easy for you.

Hello to Mick, dealing with FIL troubles again today sadly.
Hello to the rest of the gang & hope everyone has a decent night!

Lav

[Slo]

Glad you had a festive day at work, PQ! Good job problem-solving the patch problem as you navigate through this quit.

You did get a lot done that day, Lav! And had some fun relaxing and connecting with your customer friends too.

You’d think it would be fun to go to grandkids’ Christmas concert, but I found it pretty miserable. I got inspired by seeing a clip of Andy’s faraway daycare concert. But that one knows how to behave! D1 was just being bossy & mean towards me. An hour before the concert, she has no idea what the kids are going to wear for their Christmas concert?! I say it should be like Christmas-y clothes. She says the Grinch T-shirts that they have on should be fine? So I tried to find things in Mabel’s closet & dresser for her to wear…Son-IL comes in 10 minutes before we have to leave and has to try to pull together outfits for them and get Mabel’s hair together. We could only find a red sweatshirt for her with leggings. She was the only girl without a pretty dress, and she misbehaved just very badly throughout the entire performance -the only kid who did. I am tired of the permissive “gentle” parenting up there, where the kids need to “express” themselves, and aren’t given guidance on how they are expected to behave. I am tired of D1 bossing me, and son-IL being short with me.
One could argue that Grandma could be buying the kids Christmas outfits, but, since stains are never pretreated up there, and so the clothes are ruined in a heartbeat; I learned early on not to bother with buying clothes for those kids, that are going to be ruined within one wear.
So I need to back off of bothering with them. Once a month will be enough from now on.

[Lavande]

Good evening all!

Stayed busy all day with finishing up some projects, stopping at an Amish greenhouse to pick up greens to take to the families cemeteries tomorrow & made one of those throw everything in the Instant Pot dinners that cooked in 5 min, Lol. Not exactly gourmet but filling & tasty. Just started raining which is fine as we will have a dry sunny day tomorrow for our travels.
Mick, thinking of you & Julie & hoping her Dad gets settled soon.

Slo, I sometimes wish I could smack some sense into my grown up kids. I know they know better but….
I always made sure they were dressed appropriately for school functions, that was my job as a mother, right? Every generation has their own style I suppose but I truly do not understand the permissiveness of today’s young parents. It’s going to come back & hit them hard at some point. You know what? I’d stayed away from my daughter too if she behaved toward me that way. Let her wonder & figure it out on her own. We all know that children need to have good examples & be taught how to behave decently in public.

Hello to Cyn, Pie, PQ & everyone.
Have a good night all!

Lav

[porqoui]

MAE ALL...what a cold, miserable day. Dark with heavy fog crystals most of the day and with the wind-chill it was -27C/-16F. Good thing I'm not smoking, don't think I'd survive popping out for a smoke. LOL It's going down to -20C/-4F (without wind-chill) overnight but the high tomorrow will be a balmy -7C/20F heatwave. LOL It was a very quiet day, had a booking starting at 2:30pm so that kept me awake.

Slo...so sorry about the Christmas concert, what a circus. I don't understand the permissive “gentle” parenting either. You can see it in most of our out of school care kids. I'm glad I raised my kids in the "sensible" era. You are so right in not bothering with that family.

Lav...hope you sorted out your design and machine troubles, nothing's ever simple. Well except maybe the Instant Pot supper. I'll take filling and tasty over gourmet anytime. Hope you get your dry sunny day tomorrow for your travels.

Mick...sorry to hear you and Julie continue to deal with the hospital fiascos. Sending positive vibes that things get sorted soon.

Waves to the rest of the gang. Have a good night all...PPQP

[Slo]

Oh, I had such a nice day today with Young Daughter! We went swimming together. She has to, to keep up with her college swim team swimming while on break. And I did the best I could to paddle around with my broken body, for a half hour. Then hit the whirlpool! tub! We lunched together, and shopped, and had tea & dessert in a coffee shop, and shopped some more! I effortlessly got a bunch of Christmas presents, with her good opinions and fine help!

My knee and foot held out pretty well! I think my therapies are helping! My doctor says that, with these intensive treatments, nerves can heal at a rate of one inch per month. Well that’s something anyways, although slow.

Mick, I wonder if FIL is getting close to the end of his life? He seems to have a lot of hospitalizations lately. I hope he isn’t suffering too much.

PQ, you really do understand what I’m saying, then, if you see this behavior in all the kids at the centre.
The booking came at a fortuitous time in the dregs of the afternoon, for keeping you alert through to the end of the day.

It snowed today! But sunny! Sending it your way for tomorrow’s travels, Lav.

[Lavande]

Good evening kids,

We made a successful roundtrip today, rain free which was nice. There’s SO much traffic now up where we used to live, glad we decided to move 21 1/2 years ago. I wold really be miserable dealing with all that on a daily basis. Stopped for lunch at a greek diner too .
My birthday is at such a busy time of they year, I always wanted to start celebrating half birthdays in June but never did haha!

PQ, I feel guilty having above freezing weather for a few days but I know the cold will be back soon enough. glad you quit smoking too, geez.
Do you have an Instant pot? I can post some of my favorite one pot meals if you like. It’s a great kitchen tool when you’re busy taking care of everything else.

Slo, glad you had a nice day with your daughter doing your fav things!
after I had my emergency craniotomy 24 years ago I lost the ability to smell or taste anything. Food just gagged me, ugh. It took nearly a year for all that to return while the severed nerves were repairing themselves. time will tell for you as well.

Hello to Cyn, Pie, Ted. everyone. thinking of all of you
Have a nice night all.

Lav

[Slo]

Morning!

Young Daughter is finishing up two different antibiotics for walking pneumonia, and is still coughing up a lung, but getting better. She had been sick for 5 weeks at college. Based on what Lav had said about walking pneumonia going around, I had suggested to her on the phone that she may have that. She had wondered that herself out loud to a roommate friend, who had made fun of her for that idea and poo-poo’d it. I could confirm for her that that was a real and likely possibility, and indeed it was walking pneumonia. Now she just has to deal with the antibiotic sequelae (diarrhea, yeast infection), but is on the mend!

I am realizing now that I missed your birthday, Lav, but happy belated! It sounds like a nice day connecting with your past at the cemetery and at your old hometown. Has your old hometown built a bunch of new subdivisions and apartment complexes? I love Greek food.
I didn’t realize that your head injury had involved a craniotomy! But it makes sense.

We have quite the blanket of snow out there! And the plows are out.

PQ, I suppose you are exhausted and sometimes out of sorts as you go through this challenging quit process. It is just part of the process, as you know, and just have to be gentle with yourself as you ride out the bumpy times.

The emotional releasing sessions that I am doing with the wires attached to my head and the music in the earphones and the glasses with the embedded flashing lights, really are working! I just blubber and snot uncontrollably for that half hour as the memories come up.

Young Daughter & I are babysitting Huxley today for about 4 hours. I am thankful to have help with the little whirling dervish!