ocotillo

Morning from the frozen southwest. The lowest I saw it last night was 25 degrees. I'm sure some of my plants are going to be mush, but I did set up lights and covers for a lot of them. I have quite a few plants....not as many as I used to but still I have indoor plants and outdoor plants in pots. A lot of them are frost sensitive....not sure how well they will survive a hard freeze even with protection. Brrrr. It's still only 31 degrees out. Yes, I am a wimp. Went shopping yesterday and bought a new MP3 player...it's so tiny and all it does is music, no video or anything else. It can do radio but you have to add a radio card. My old MP3 isn't recognized by the computer anymore and I really like to take my stories with me while I work. I also bought some outdoor fabric to redo my cushions on the front porch chairs. Every one of them is ripped and I don't like what is commercially available as replacement cushions. They won't be fancy, but they should work. Then I went to the sushi bar for lunch. That is always nice and relaxing. So yesterday I didn't get much done but shopping. Of course I'd be up for a trip to Chicago. Right now I have nothing on my schedule except a trip to NC or OH at the end of September. Cheri...you are too funny. It's almost nice to see someone post stuff that is "taboo". I have to monitor myself so I don't blurt out inappropriate things. My DH has no problems in "that category". He will take me any way he can get me as long as he can. It keeps him happy. I'm almost at the point I don't care either way, but I do like the intimacy. My arthritis is acting up. My fingers and hands are sore, my back and hips are sore, and my right hand keeps going numb. I started with the ibuprofen yesterday and think I may have to stay on it for a bit to stay moving. It's still low dose so I'm hoping I won't have to go on the high dose stuff again. I'm also very stuffy today. Hope it's just allergies because I don't want to be sick. We are going to a pajama party tonight at my friends house. She lives half a mile away so no problem with driving. I made posole for it both vegetarian and regular so people have something to absorb the alcohol. She is also providing many beds for people to sleep over. Happy New Year's Eve. I'll try and check in later as I don't have much planned for today either. Wow. Eva

Sandy, that's really nice of your neighbor and husband. I usually don't want my DH to cook....ugh...unless it's something on the grill and even then I usually have to prep it. You are a lucky woman to have a man that cooks. Cheri, Happy Birthday! I don't think I can top what Janet posted. Hope your day is wonderful! I really like the idea of a retirement villa. I think they have wonderful services and help in the areas that are needed and you can take advantage of which ones you want. I hope your parents will see the sense in this because I believe they are very practical even if they are a little pricey. I'll take the 10 points on the IQ test over the hair. Oh, I'd love to take you out for lunch for your B-day....sorry we aren't closer. Linda...that would be very funny if we all ended up in the same retirement community. There are many many really nice ones in the desert here. Just a suggestion. Meredith...so glad you found your dog nephew. It is hard to believe he survived out in the cold, but dogs have been doing that for centuries. I believe they are tougher than we think. Hope you start feeling better soon. Laura, school starts next week, right? Even when you think you are going to get me time you know you'll be busy doing other stuff. I don't think you know how to "take time off" either. So good to hear you had a nice visit with your parents and they did look happy. Hope your sister figures it out, but some people never do and it doesn't help if your parents are criticizing. You can't live her life and she does have to make her own choices. Maybe she needs a job. Tina, your partner has lost faith in you it seems. The only way to fix that is to follow through with the lap band and do what you say you are going to do. It will not be easy and in the end, it may turn out that she is not the right person for you....or it may be the beginning of a new and more fulfilling relationship for the both of you. Only time will tell and that is one of the hardest things about this journey. Hang in there, you can do it. Melissa, don't let the weight gain keep you from doing what you want to do. Now the traveling might be a different issue, but if you are spending the night there, go for it. Bring something to read in case you are bored and do leave early. You need to enjoy yourself however you choose to do it. Janet, there are a lot of people that don't get the food addiction thing. Good thing you like your trainer and you can have those discussions with him. Not only do they help you with your workouts, they will help him expand his view and enable him to help future clients. Yep, it's cold. It was very windy last night and I didn't sleep well but it was only 50 degrees. Now it's 39 degrees and it's already rained but the wind has stopped. Hello to everyone else I've missed. I'm going shopping today. Need to get some stuff for the posole and I'm going to look for a new MP3 player. The computer doesn't see my old one anymore. I'm also going to look for some sunbella fabric. All the cushions on the front porch chairs have rotted away and I don't really like the replacement pads I've found. Besides that I'm not doing much today....so there....it's going to be a down day for me. Talk at you all later.

Lori, on the black lab bath question...my dog has never had a bath. It's weird, but we've never soaped her down and rinsed her off. She's been brushed and rubbed with damp cloths, but no bath. If I had to bathe her in the winter...it would be like what you did, in the shower and deal with the hair. Keeping my fingers crossed for your DD. Jessica...congratulations on onederland. I am so proud of you and all you have accomplished this year. Tina, as for myself, I put myself on auto pilot for surgery. I was a self pay and went to Mexico and just did what I had to do. Yes, I did question if what I was doing was the right thing and I was nervous and anxious, but it all worked out. I had to lose a mere 13lbs before surgery and did, but just barely. It was to my benefit because my stomach had shrunk so much I really wasn't hungry and did well on liquids for three weeks. Linda....your junking up the thread was so funny....word by word. Sorry about your shoulders. I have trouble with them too from time to time, but it passes. I figure there is wear and tear on all those joints and they just have to let me know they aren't happy. I'm at the point that I know I need exercise, but I'm not going to hurt myself at it. It sets me back too far. Cheri, it's sort of hard for me to read about your issues with your parents. I had a lot of conflicting emotions when my parents were failing and it was hard. You have all my empathy as you go through this. Sounds like you are planning a very nice visit with your Mom however. Our parents rarely want to give up their independence. Arlene, good for you staying on that choo choo. Having your mom so far away isn't fun either. It's the same thing as I wrote to Cheri...our parents don't want to give up their independence. I'm not sure I'd want to either, but I'm going to try and stay flexible as I get older. Janet, it is a good day for Soup. We get so few of these. It's only 55 right now and windy. I am making soup and red chili sauce. I just boiled the chilies and will be putting them through the food mill when they cool a little. I did one bunch my sister gave me (grown in the Phoenix area) and three bags of Hatch chilies, mild, medium, and hot. I mixed them all together so this will be a very interesting batch. I tell you this because you'll understand about chilies. My fingers were "warm" after I stemmed and seeded them so I timed my shower afterwards to help wash off some of the burn. Apples, what did I hear about the walk-in closet? There's an exercise room at the clubhouse where you'll be staying and plenty of places to walk. Sounds like you are getting the end of the year stuff done. Don't get too stressed, it's not worth it. I've taken down the Christmas lights and set up some other ones in the plants that I don't want to freeze. I have these kalanchoe that are getting ready to bloom and they do not freeze well, so I run a few christmas lights through them and cover them with sheets to keep them from freezing. My arugula is almost ready to pick too. Amazing that I'm actually getting some results from my little garden. I was looking at my raised bed and planning on what I'll plant there. So I'm going to have DH cut down the rest of the oleander trunks with the chain saw. They are too much work for the bow saw. I might trim a few more other ones today, but it is cold and windy out and I'm not looking forward to that right now. I don't want to trim the front bushes until after the freeze...it won't kill the plants but they look like crap afterwards. I guess I'll go work on some other projects. BBL Eva

Jodi....snowed in...wow...haven't experienced that since 1978. Enjoy your few days off, when you are working they are precious few. Meredith, sorry you are sick. Seems to be going around and since everyone is out visiting this time of year, I'm sure it gets spread around more. Take care of yourself. Chopped down some more oleanders and will have to take it easy with the sawing because it hurts my back. Got a few trunks sawed off, but there are quite a few more. May ask DH to use the chain saw on them. He likes that. I also registered my new Kindle and bought my first book. However, I don't know how long I'll sit and read....started bringing in the Christmas boxes. BBL

Morning ladies, Peaches, thanks for the poem....it was very nice. How exciting to go to Europe. I want to go during off season too. I was thinking October some year. I don't think I could get away with going without DH however. He likes to travel too and usually wants to come. Yep, sometimes those men are frustrating. Melissa...yep, ask for a back brace. Those lifting issues are weird, it doesn't take much to tweak things especially if something is already going on that you don't know about. I have a herniated disk between L4 and L5 which is very very very common and it didn't take much to put me flat on stomach (on my back was too painful). It does get better however, but you need to be very aware of not just lifting but turning too. LauraK, it is nice to have a house to yourself isn't it? Love having company (especially family) but also like to get back to my own routines. Are you off this week? Janet, it's cold and supposed to rain tomorrow. You might get it tonight too. I thought we lived in the hot old desert....LOL....I'm waiting for it to warm up to at least 55 before I go work on my oleander project and laundry. Phyl, I bet you are tired. Look at how much stuff you've done. Sounds like you are having a great visit with your family however. It's raining up in your world now too isn't it? So today's project is more tree chopping, laundry, and I might bring the Christmas boxes in the house so I can load them up tomorrow. Weather forecast says 80% chance of rain tomorrow which means I won't be outside working and will be the perfect opportunity to put away the Christmas stuff. Our family tradition was to leave the stuff up until right after New Years, but I might as well take advantage of the weather. I'll probably leave the lights up outside until Sunday or Monday next week. I like those a lot too. I made broth out of the bones yesterday and will be making Soup the next couple of days. Today's will be potato and ham...I'm cooling the ham broth off to skim the fat, then will use the leftover mashed potatoes (not very much fat in them and not much of them left) and tomorrow I'll make turkey/chicken and green chili soup with the turkey broth. I really can't eat the turkey without some moisture and the soup should help with that. I'm also going to make red chili tomorrow. It involves removing and deseeding dried red chilies and I have 3 packages of them plus a string my sister made, then boiling them with a lot of garlic. When they are all softened and cooled a little, I put them through the food mill to make the sauce. You guys know what enchilada sauce is? Its primary ingredient is red chili, that is basically what I will be making then freezing what I don't use for the posole. I did not eat any flour products yesterday which is a big step in weaning myself off of the bad carbs. Besides potatoes, I will not eat any flour products today either. I am determined to stick to this for the week. Need to post my resolve so I can see it in writing. Okay, off to projects, it is warming up a bit. Eva

Got part of the oleanders cut down, some stuff organized, froze left-overs, and I'm making broth with left over bones. Apples, it does feel good to get things organized and cleaned. I'm hoping I'll get a couple of drawers cleaned out this week too. Just wanted to stop by and say hi. food is going very well today. Yipee. Eva

Tina, although this is a scary time for you...it's also a time of great excitement. You will be starting a journey to a new you and you can do this. Being self reliant is a freeing thing and you will slowly build strength and self-confidence. Do what you have to do for you.... Julie, glad to see you posting again. Having a play area for the girls sounds like a good idea. Have fun with the birthday party. Cheri, I rarely get bored anymore. I have enough projects and other things to work on that keep me occupied. It's one of the things I have found amazing as I have gotten older. When I was much younger, I would get bored and didn't know what to do with myself but now, I don't have enough time in the day to do what I want. Janet, I agree with you....it's cold. It's not even 50 here yet and the high is supposed to be in the low 60's. We are wimps compared to the rest of the country aren't we. I'm doing laundry today...caught up on three days worth of email, will start cutting down oleanders because the bulky trash pickup starts next week, and need to put away Christmas stuff and organize a closet. Oh, and I'm freezing and putting away leftovers. This is my plan for the week. I guess I'll have to do the yard work over the next two days because it looks like it might rain here....might rain. Spent yesterday cleaning up after the party and we had company for a lot of the day. After everyone left, I was tired and didn't do anything. We had a great Christmas and I'm grateful for my friends and family...including all of you. I'm back on the choo choo too. Proteins and veggies and fruit is my plan for the next three days. No more white flour and sugar until New Year's Eve. My friend is having a party and I know I won't be totally carb free, but I'm going to behave myself until then and be modest with any carbs I eat then. I'm making posole (pork and hominy soup) for New Years and a vegetarian version. Besides the hominy, it is fairly carb friendly. Okay, I'm off to do something. My before NY's resolution is to check in daily, if not more often. We'll see where that goes. Be good....later, Eva

CHRISTMAS DAY EVENING Almost everyone has left except those spending the night...my SS and brother. A good party and a mess to clean up tomorrow. There's nothing that won't wait. I'm tired.............so tomorrow will be clean up the house and do nothing else. Monday is another day with another project. Good evening everyone...Merry Christmas once again. Eva

Taking a bit of a break from dinner prep to wish everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! EVA

Lori, Hugs and prayers to your daughter and to you!

Yes, in the midst of preparations too! Yeah, it's Christmas Eve and all the grocery shopping is done, most of the cleaning is done (just need the last minute vacuuming and bathroom cleanup tomorrow) and some of the cooking prep is done. I'm really trying hard not to be so stressed and tired tomorrow. It will be different for me if everything is together and cleaned early. I finally got enough sleep and feel rested. It's been several days where I'm just tired for most of the day. I went to sleep rather early for me and got up at a reasonable hour and feel good. Wow. Lori, it sure does help to have a workout partner. I thought I would go down and walk with someone I used to work with, but I need seem to get to it. It would be very nice to walk with someone here, but I haven't found anyone in the neighborhood that will commit to it. Cheri...I think I'm going to do your all Protein thing after Christmas. Your advise and information is quite interesting. I want to say I'm also glad you are on the thread. A long time ago you mentioned you didn't have many friends and had a hard time dealing with people. Over the last year, your posts have changed and I think you are learning about being and accepting friends. It's very nice to have you as a friend. Hey Phil, glad you made it home. Enjoy your family! Tina, sounds like you've come a long way in getting your life together. The lap-band is work, but it is a wonderful tool and it really does help if you are willing to use it as a tool. Welcome to the group! Joyce, glad to hear there's no damage to that knee besides the soft tissue issue. Water aerobics would work, just find a different class where you aren't jumping so much or do your own modified version of it. Julie, I'm so glad to hear you are getting a little relief...it's about time. Janet, thanks for the card....it is so you and I loved it. It's a card I will keep as an example to use for future card making. So if you were closer, you could come spend Christmas here. Laura, hugs to you and your family. I'm glad to hear your Dad has found some peace and you will be there for your Mom. That will be the toughest part of all this in the end. Have a joyous Christmas and enjoy your family. Don't worry (of course that is easier said than done) you can't do anything about anything except how you yourself act. Love them and let them know you love them, it is the highest honor. Arlene, I'll email the beef Jerky recipe I make...it's very dry and not sweet, but I like it. It also gives you a lot to chew on for quite a while. I can't believe you have a 22lb turkey to cook.....OMG. I hope you like left overs or are feeding a small army. Apples, really glad to hear everything is alright with DH for now. Don't worry about the negative side of posting, it's part of why we are here....there are good days (or weeks) and bad days (or weeks) for all of us. There is a lot of stuff to do here....hiking, shopping, touristy thing...you won't have any problem keeping yourself busy. I'm sure I'm going to like Tanker, just hope he like me. The thing I wish for the world would be for everyone to treat everyone else with love and/or respect. Jodi, best wishes to you and your family. Glad Dassi liked the cards.....it is fun to get the. E-cards just aren't the same. Don't worry about sending out cards....it's not for everyone and there are no expectations here. Have a wonderful year end and post when you can. It is a very busy time of year. Linda, I love to cook and host dinners or whatever, but I'm not good at "serving" and don't want to be good at it. What I love is getting a bunch of people together and "lurking". I love to listen to their conversations and thoroughly enjoy watching them enjoy themselves....just don't ask me for a beverage or appetizer....you need to get your own....they are out there on the counter. Wow, that is interesting about the compression socks....let us know how that works for you. Greetings Chris...hope you and the family are doing well. Jessica....have a wonderful Christmas and good luck...onederland will be here before you know it! Greetings to everyone else I've missed. I'm still catching up on posts....only two more pages to go. LOL

Hello everyone! I seem to have a little time today. I got all the gifts wrapped and under the tree and did most of the shopping today. Even dropped off stuff at Jeff's Mom's house. I'll start going over there next week and start cleaning and setting it up for the renters. The new paint job looks great....boring, but looks good. Great, thanks for the potato recipe. DH wants garlic mashed potatoes for Christmas dinner and this recipe sounds just perfect. I might skip the cream cheese, but otherwise, the crockpot idea is great. It will save a lot of last minute stuff and I'll be able to keep those pesky potatoes warm. I'm so glad your entertaining went well. I've sort of given up on trying to live up to what I think other people expect at these dinners. I do what I do and they can eat and enjoy if they want. If they have other expectations, oh well....so sad....too bad. I am a terrible hostess. I don't offer people drinks and Snacks, etc. I have everything out and available and let them get their own stuff. I wold love to have a hostess with the mostess when I entertain, but since I don't...once again...oh well. Arlene, you are so funny....Santa.....I want a better metabolism too. Congratulations on 41 years. That is so nice and you still like your husband too. Julie, your tree question from days ago....we have an artificial tree because by the the time the trees get here and Christmas gets here, the cut trees are so dry they loose all their needles. So my tree has colored lights on it already and some years I just put red silk poinsettias all over it and other years I use my weird collection of ornaments. This year I'm using both. No color coordination for me. This is the first year I've used all the weird ornaments. People have given me stuff for years and it's all gone in a box. Well, was I surprised to see how much stuff there was. As for packages...I do a little of both, slap a bow and go and some fancy stuff. Some years it's been a lot of gift bags. This year is another combo year. Joyce, sorry to hear about your knee. Linda...so you are having appetizers on Eva? Cool...LOL. I do cheese balls too....I like doing cheese balls because they rarely end up being ball shaped. I made a birthday cake out of flavored cream cheese one year, a bunny rabbit, of course Easter eggs are easy. I'm doing flavored cream cheese appetizers for Christmas this year. Yes, I usually host Christmas Dinner for 12-18 people. Most of us don't have family in town, so we all get together for a lot of the holidays. I'm doing a traditional dinner this year, ham, turkey, dressing, cranberries, green Beans, etc. Kelly, I just heard about all the rain you've been having on national radio. I think some of it might be heading my way...I hope so. We can use a little rain here. Sorry you aren't able to walk in it, but I bed you'll find you do better after the break. Oh...it just started sprinkling here...yeah! Melissa, sounds like the new job is going pretty well. I hope you are happy there even if the work is hard. Sandy, glad to read you got a little break from Dad duty. Hope he heals and starts back on the road to independence...at least as much as he can manage. That was very nice of your trainer to give you a certificate of accomplishment. Cheri, sounds like your tree is very festive and traditional. I too love the lights around the house. I only have one string of the big bulbs around the porch, but they look so happy. I like the tree lit up too. DH likes it to rotate. I'm not so fond of that, but am indulging him this year. I set the tree in a different place and there's room for it to turn. My niece is a principal for a high school in Ohio. She just did a major remodel at her high school and one of the things the class rooms got for their grant money was interactive white boards. All of the teachers say they love them. Just a thought. Meredith...so sorry to hear about the dog. Sometimes they know what going to happen I think. Sorry you are sick. Hope it runs it's course quickly. Chris, glad to hear your Dad is recovering. About the flashing...oh well, as long as he doesn't do it around the kids. We are all adults here. Yep, it is cool that you don't eat everything in sight anymore. I still don't and even though I'm not actively losing, I still don't eat everything in site. It's wonderful. LauraK...glad your daughter is coming home for the holiday. Sorry you are feeling poorly too. Something about holidays and getting colds or flu. Maybe it's the stress. Okay....I'll post more later. Need to get something cleaned. Eva

Finally........I made about 90 cards this year and sent out a few store bought ones too. I am finally done with the cards and can get back to a more normal life. I haven't even checked my email in days. I'm going to apologize again for not keeping up with everyone and all the posts, but I was determined to make up for my lack of enthusiasm over the past couple of years and really wanted to get the cards made. Now, I just need to clean up the mess and get my presents wrapped and under the tree. I just put the tree up yesterday after I cleaned the dining area. My "dinning room" is one of the unfinished rooms in the house and everything gets piled up in there over the year and it never gets cleaned. It took me three days of sorting, moving, and cleaning to get that room usable again (sort of like Cheri's basement, I think). I'm daydreaming of how it will look when it finally gets remodeled and that probably won't happen next year, but maybe the following year. I still have a bunch of stuff to do before Christmas, but I feel more in control. I'm really hoping next year will be better because I will have everything caught up (yeah...right). As I sit down to take a break, I'll try and catch up on the posts and comment. The best to all of you and I'll try and BBL, Eva

Hello everyone, Just got through reading the posts, but can't remember anything. Great, you'll do just fine with your dinner. Most people will be completely thrilled by your dinner and those that aren't (and I can't imagine why they wouldn't be) don't matter. This isn't your family, it's acquaintances and friends and they will not treat you like your family does. Relax and enjoy your evening. Apples, I bet Tanker is going to love his new toy. Glimmer looks like a lab and has that wonderful lab personality, but she doesn't like Water much. She didn't get that part of the lab genetics or the ball chasing. Julie, glad you are feeling better...hope it continues. Melissa, your job may be physically hard, but in a couple of months, your body will be thanking you. When I was working as an air pressure tech (working in manholes and doing very hard manual labor like moving manhole lids and stuff) my muscles were rock hard and I could do amazing things. Not so much now, but it was nice then. Now I can't remember anything else.... I've been so busy I can't believe I'm retired. Had my annual well woman exam today (you know....poke, poke, prod...all that stuff) and my blood work results were in already. My blood work looks great and I'm pleased. The doctor is pleased with it too. The only thing I need to do is get my daily exercise in which isn't happening again. It's not like I'm sitting and not doing anything, I'm just not doing a regular anything. Yes Janet, I will make a serious effort to get my exercise program started again. My hips and other joints have been bothering me enough that I've had to take ibuprofen almost daily. Maybe it's the weather. After the doctor appointment my friend from work texted and asked if we could meet today after she got off. She was leaving early so I suggested lunch. Well she didn't get off until after 1pm so it was a late lunch which was very nice. She told me how busy they were at work and how everyone is frustrated. I don't miss it at all. So we are going to try and see a movie after Christmas because she'll be off until New Years. Fun. Had a nice visit with my cousin and her husband. Their daughter is living in the area now so maybe I'll be a little more connected with that part of my family. Now I have to get busy and clean the dining room and get the tree set up. I still have presents to wrap and cards to make...need about 20 more. Always something. I'm not bored . Hope everyone has a nice weekend. Eva

Hey everyone. I'm still around just involved with too much stuff as usual. We've set up the new TV and moved the old stand and refigured the living room, now I just need to clean it. Also got a call from my cousin that I haven't seen in decades. She's in town, so I'm going visiting tomorrow. I'll catch up again one of these days. Take care and talk to you later. Eva

Linda, it's good to see you back. Glad your computer got fixed. Mine's only 2 years old too and sometimes it slows way down too, but it usually turns out to be some automatic update going on. Take care of yourself before and after the party...this is when you are more susceptible to catching a cold. I have a raw shrimp shell allergy too. If they are cooked, no problem, but raw shrimp shells make me break out and itch too. Janet, I just looked at your pictures. You do look amazing and it looks like you all had a pretty good time. Brooke almost looks like I did at her age. It's going to be tough to break those bad habits already. You are a brave woman to do the para sailing. Meredith, wow going for the PA, that's a lot of work, but well worth it. Good for you. Arlene, give it a little time and the WW should kick in. I don't do well without Protein in the morning. oatmeal does not hold me for as long as an egg does. I eat the oatmeal, but end up having a protein snack mid-morning when I do. Of course now, I don't eat Breakfast until 9 or 10 am and lunch is about 2. I really prefer eating this way, but it doesn't jive with the rest of the world. Hugs and best wishes to your friend maybe she'll wake up and take the anti-depressants. Your Soup sounds really good. I may have to make some this weekend. Laura, hope you get off the steroids soon. I know those things make you feel bad. My sister is on them every now and then and they really make her cranky and make her gain weight. Not a great thing. Great, so now you are going to know SLC inside and out. I think getting lost is a great way to figure out where you are going. Did you have a good visit with your daughter? Apples, what kind of boots? Sounds like you had fun. Julie, glad to hear from you. Are the girls getting along better? How's your DD doing? Congrats on the SIL getting a job closer to home with benefits. That's so important these days. Cheri, see now you are aware of relying on carbs for comfort. That is a step in the right direction. Do you have a long drive to get to your school? I love the little kids Christmas programs, they are so cute. Chris, sorry the WL has slowed down, but it usually does after a while. Just keep doing the right thing and it will come off, even if it is slow. I was banded in Mexico and went back to get my fills (Tijuana) so it's not easy to go every month. They are a little more aggressive with their fills and I think I'm at a good level. I just eat crap and don't pay attention like I should. The band is working, I'm not. Remember the band is a tool, you still need to make the right choices. Kelly, good for you and keeping up the walking. My old dog loves to go for walks too but she is all tuckered out when we get home. The address request is for Christmas Card exchange. Well I've been manically making cards. I'm getting close. I still need to stamp the inside message and the hallmark, then figure out who's getting what card. I can do the letters and addresses at night and get the cards out next week. I'll have to work on cleaning and organizing next week. Bought the dog a new bed for Christmas today. It's a big round pillow, hope she likes it. We found a TV at costco....flat screen HD, etc. We may go back and get it tonight or tomorrow. Those things go fast usually. It's one of the things DH and I have been saving for. I can hardly see my old 27" TV anymore....have to wear my glasses. Hope everyone has a great day! Eva

Morning everyone, Laura, I'm glad to hear your parents are going to spend Christmas with you. That will be so nice. I haven't done any shopping for DH yet and need to get that done. Just can't decide what to get him. We are buying a new TV for each other this year as our "gift" but there still needs to be a few stocking stuffers. Great, wow a burger for $1. That is a bargain. Having your daughter around for the next few days will be nice. You have been able to see your kids pretty often since you moved. You going shopping? If you get really bored you can come here and help me decorate. Melissa, wow you found a job already. That's great! NPR had an article about how it's easier to get a job if you have a job. For some reason some companies don't want to employ the unemployed. It sure doesn't make sense. Hope the new job works out for you. I sure understand about the insurance. I just went through that panic when they told me I was COBRA eligible for 18 months and then wouldn't have insurance. Had to kick and scream and send emails. It's finally fixed and I do have retiree benefits. It's one of the reasons I retired early...to insure I had those benefits because I think the new company (which will buy my old company early next year) will do away with those benefits. So Joyce, what are you doing sharing your cold with everyone at Water aerobics? Is it a cold or just allergies? Hope you feel better. I'm doing laundry and going to start cleaning house again today. I really need to keep going with my cards because I didn't work on them yesterday hardly at all. I also need to clean up the doggie do because DH doesn't do it. I've had a callus on the bottom of my foot for a while now. I had a lady try and remove it while having a pedicure and have had a little trouble with it ever since. When I was at the doctor's on Monday I had him look at it. Diagnosis....arthritis in my toe joint. As the joint deforms, it's causing my foot to create a callus. Great....not. He said to remove the callus with salicidic acid, so after my walk today, I'm going to work on getting the callus off. You know, it's one thing after another. Getting older isn't for wimps. Okay, off to dog dodo duty....LOL Talk to you later. Eva

It seems to me all the web sites are trying to imitate FaceBook or MySpace. I'm not sure I like these changes either. Bah humbug.

Laura, I'm sooooo sorry I missed you. Believe me it was not for lack of affection. I'm really sorry to hear about the allergy....maybe it is the soap, I know a few people with those issues. I'm also sorry to hear about your Dad. I wish them peace and love in the coming months. I know you are busy too especially with Nelson and work. By the way....I'm sending you something for Nelson.....just a little something I found when I was on my trip. I probably won't get it in the mail until next week, so hopefully it will get there by Christmas. Yes, I agree, 50 degrees is cold. LauraK, I don't think the virus is on your machine. Both of my sisters and a couple of other people picked up the same email virus and nothing showed up in their computer. I'm just deleting your emails for now. The spam will continue to come for quite a while, then it must give up. At least you are getting out and doing the yoga a couple of times a week. Julie, so how is it you've ended up with both girls? It will keep you occupied and should be a lot of fun especially around Christmas. I'm not going to bake a lot this year either...there is always too much junk around and I certainly don't need it. Take care of yourself lady. Cheri, hugs to you today. Are you going to Europe next year? That will be cool. Chicago should have the scanning technology....if it's up and working. I would have loved to be at your concert....that sort of music always makes me cry. I rarely wear eye makeup to any sort of Christmas music performance because I end up crying. Jessica, great score. Maybe you are just tired is why your eyes are blurring, hopefully it will pass quickly and you'll do great on your finals. Janet, I made pot pie the other day and used my little ramekins...I made pie dough just for the tops and cut it so it just fit over the top. I also thickened it with tapioca instead of roux...I think it is less calories...you just have to get used to seeing the tapioca. It tastes really good either way. I actually packed the left overs for DH today to take for lunch (this is the 2nd time I've packed him a lunch since I've retired....LOL) I'm not a very good house wife. Jodi, sorry you are feeling a little down. Hopefully it will pass quickly and you'll be back to your normal self soon. Sounds like Dassi had a very good holiday. The ghee idea was very touching and I'm sure she appreciated it a lot. Apples, I know it's been in the 70's lately, but that isn't normal....usually. It's usually in the high 60's. I'm hoping that we don't have 6 weeks of rain and cold while you are here, but if we do, at least the sun usually shines at least once during the day. When we were driving home from Ohio we got to experience that cold snap. It was 17 degrees in Kansas one morning. Even when it was warmer...in the 30's, the wind was so cold. I guess I just don't miss living and working in that weather. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. I thought it was a well woman appointment, but no...just a follow up and now I have to go back next week for the poking and prodding. Yuck. Been working on my cards and have almost 1/2 of them done. Maybe JULIE will send out another update on everyone's addresses so we can exchange Christmas cards (or just holiday cards for Jodi) again this year. I certainly enjoyed that last year. I have been running errands every day...including taking my 401K rollover check to the new money manager so it can be deposited in my IRA account. I also did banking, post office, Wal-Mart, and some other stuff. My the time flies when you are out and about. It takes up hours and hours. So back to cards. Have a great day ladies. Eva

Morning ladies and gent, I've been scanning many posts and please forgive me for missing stuff. As you know, it's almost impossible to catch up after a lengthy absence. Cheri, I'm so sorry about the loss of the children. It's so tragic and I always wonder why things like this happen. I will agree with you about the frosting and cake thing. I eat the cake too, but really do like the frosting the best....especially the whipped cream frosting. I'm not a big cake eater however...cake and donuts are not my favorite but give me a good cookie any day. Marilyn, hope your doggies relative has recovered. I agree, some people don't understand how an animal can be so important to us. They are missing a wonderful aspect of life. So you get to decorate your new house do you? What fun!! Jodi, this time of year has got to be very hectic for you. Enjoy your holidays! It's interesting to see how you are not obsessing about the cooking this year....great progress. Janet, welcome back. So you scuba? Are you certified? DH asked me if I wanted to go over New Years to San Carlos, but I need to take a couple of refresher courses before I go again. And yes, I am certified....or maybe certifiable is a better description. Wireless mouse and keyboard....that's what I use. Love them. AND you can get a USB hub to increase the number of USB ports you have. They are easy...just plug them in. Glad you had a good time on your trip! Phyl, so did you get a new golf cart? Cool. Zoey will love going anywhere you do. It took about 6 weeks for the people at the Sheraton and my bank to clear an erroneous charge from my CC too. They are sure quick to take your money but don't want to return it even when it's their fault. Great, I sure agree about the airport security. I'm glad to see your post about it because I wondered how you handled all that with as much as you fly. It annoys me to no end especially with the pat downs. I believe the TSA is completely out of control and they have NO sense of humor. All the recent security issues have been from foreign airports not domestic, yet we have the strictest security. And yes, I've flown internationally recently, so have experienced both. Glad you had fun shopping in MPLS and didn't get too stuck there. Linda, where are you from in OHIO? The state is so diversified....my bother and niece are in the southeast part of the state. My niece is a high school principal and showed us around her school while were were there. Makes me almost wish I was a high school student again. She has some awesome programs available for the kids in her county. Sounds like you need a new computer at home....maybe Santa will get you one for Christmas. Kelly, drunk and QVC? Dangerous....although the Dean Martin thing isn't so bad. It's funny, 20 years ago I wouldn't have give old Deano a second thought, but that era of music has started to appeal to me. I guess I can appreciate a wider range of music now. I agree with living somewhere where you can see the snow now and then, but don't have to live in it. Yuck! Chris, remember no laundry folded or not is worth the healthy of your spine. I used to be a telephone installer/repair person. I would have to carry a very heavy fiberglass ladder (28 ft) to do my work. I learned very early on, if it's going to fall, let it because trying to catch it can mess up your body worse than anything that will happen to the ladder. It was a great lesson and one I practice today. I have a herniated disk in the back and do nothing to jeopardize it anymore. Take care of yourself young man. Sandy, a triathlon? Wow, I'm impressed and good for you. I like to swim...I just don't like getting out of the pool and being wet. How weird is that? My DH has done an outdoor triathlon but he doesn't run so well...he looks pretty funny running, but he sure can bike and swim. Jessica, congrats on the running and good luck new weekend. Sounds like life is going well for you and I'm very glad to hear it. Your Dad is younger than me...I hope he finds his way to better health for himself and for you and your son. Arlene, so sorry to hear about your friend. Prayers and healing thoughts to her and her family. How was the house tour? Glad the additional exercise has helped with the FB. It's going to warm up again...running in the 70's here so I bet you get some of that your way. Joyce, sorry I didn't get to see you when I flew though KC. I stopped by my god-mothers and then we ended up in Abilene that night. I had several hard days of driving and had to get home. Next time I hope to have more time to visit. Melissa, what is this about someone going through your purse? That is offensive. I don't even want my DH going through my purse unless I ask him to. LauraK....how are you doing. You post on other people stuff but say little about yourself. What's up with you? Apples, I don't want to be in your cold country for long. It was 17 degrees one morning when we headed out and I thought about you. I can't imagine standing outside for hours watching races...but then again, it wasn't my son racing either. So do you do your baking then freeze it for Christmas? Or do you start giving it away already? Julie, are you around? What's up with you? I have a doctor's appointment today (yuck) and have to run some errands. I've been working on my Christmas cards pretty much non-stop since I got home. I need to make around 40 more, so I need to keep busy and get those done. I'll try and be better about checking in. DH set up my big computer again and I can see the script again. Yeah!! Talk to you all later....and have a great day. EVa

Hi ladies and gent, I haven't read everything, but wanted you to know I'm back home....drove in a little after 11pm last night and I'm trying to catch up stuff. I'll sit down and read and catch up in the next couple of days. DH has changed my computers and I'm typing on a little laptop and not thrilled about it. It would be good for traveling but not as my primary computer. Talk to you all soon. Eva

Evening ladies, Am ensconced in my room in Athens, OH and am by myself for the first time in a week. My sister has her own room. DH will be here tomorrow and I'm looking forward to seeing him. The new forum will take a little getting used to. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and doesn't work too hard! Happy Turkey DAY!! Eva

Evening ladies...sorry I've been scarce again.....getting ready for this trip. My sister and her DH are here and it's keeping me busy. I'll be sort of checking in the next couple of weeks, but it will be hit and miss unless I have a good internet connection and time....and you never know that may happen. Hope all is well with you guys because I haven't had time to read the posts. Sis and I will be leaving tomorrow...DH has to stay home and take care of the "family". Talk to you all later. Eva

Morning ladies, I have a bunch of errands to do today...but I've already sorted my t-shirt and jeans closet. I moved summer shirts out and long-sleeved shirts in. It's finally cool enough to justify the long sleeve weather. I'm also trying to pack for the trip. So far it looks like the weather is going to be fine...meaning no snow. Tried to install the new Office 2007 I got and it's messed up and won't install so I need to deal with that and deal with my insurance. Always something. Will try and check in again later. Eva

You are not a failure....you may have gained some weight back, but you did not gain all of it back and you still weigh less that when you started. I'm so sorry about your troubles with conception, I understand it's a great loss but the universe (God) never gives you more than you can handle...you can choose to handle it or not...the choice is yours. You are too filled if you are PBing everyday and have such heartburn. Go get a slight unfill. There are people on this thread that have experienced exactly what you are feeling with the fill and they will all tell you to get an unfill, then start over after you heal. All you are doing now is damaging your stomach and that won't do you any good in the long run. It's tough, but you can do it. Hang in there and go see your doctor (band doctor) or someone about the fill. I think that will help a lot. Eva