I'm here to help...

[IndioGirl55 32]

You two are making me want to hit the road and meet you!!

LOL

It's great meeting other LBTs! Janet and I are looking forward to meeting Eva this weekend. Earl will not be excited about more shopping!! He'll get over it!

OMW you have me laughing this morning !!!! Ya he will - he will bitch and moan but get over it ;0) ...

Janet, I understand about the smoking. I started again after quitting for 4 yrs. Got pissed off at boyfriend & had the first one because I was going to teach him a thing or two, he hated my smoking. Bribed me to quit by agreeing to pay for Lasix surgery on my eyes if I quit for 6 months first. Well got rid of him and still smoking.

Laura K

LauraK - Glad to hear I am not the only smoker :0) - So you are single too?? Quit for 4 yrs omw. The longest I quit was for maybe 3 months but was sneaking from and exbf..

Well it is what it is - I will quit one of these days :0)

Well, it's 1:00 AM and I'm still awake and in pain.. It had me crying a while ago... Poor DH just stands over me trying to think of something to do for me.. Took my new pill at 9:30.... Not what I was hoping for in a new routine.... Just got out of a hot bath and smeared some analgesic cream on my shoulder... It's tingling now and it feels so good.. can feel the pain hiding underneath, but it still feels good to experience a different feeling.... I'm going to try to lay down again and see if I can relax now... I may go try the guest bedroom so as not to wake DH... Hope the rest of you are sleeping like babies..... Night night..... Julie

Hugs Julie - You need to talk to the doc on Friday - you can't go on like this

Phyll...fire up that RV right after Eva heads back and head to South Dakota! It would get you there just about at the right time. :redface: More shopping? Sounds like fun.

We have a great Outlet Mall about 3 hours from here. Hardly ever hit it in the winter due to the bitterly cold weather. But, in the summer, I could spend all day just wandering in and out of stores. There's a little bit of everything. DH and I love the Kitchen Aid and Bose....usually hit those first.

You girls have a wonderful time. Janet have any tiling jobs lined up for Eva?????

Apples - No tiling jobs - not enough time ;0) On the job issue - I don't think you want to be driving those roads in the winter - That's to dangerous..

Well I got up early to go to the gym but ended up coloring my hair - I go tonite so it will be ok..

Off to the shower to wash this stuff out of my hair and get ready for work..

TTYL J

[Apples2 19]

OMW you have me laughing this morning !!!! Ya he will - he will bitch and moan but get over it ;0) ...

LauraK - Glad to hear I am not the only smoker :0) - So you are single too?? Quit for 4 yrs omw. The longest I quit was for maybe 3 months but was sneaking from and exbf..

Well it is what it is - I will quit one of these days :0)

Hugs Julie - You need to talk to the doc on Friday - you can't go on like this

Apples - No tiling jobs - not enough time ;0) On the job issue - I don't think you want to be driving those roads in the winter - That's to dangerous..

Well I got up early to go to the gym but ended up coloring my hair - I go tonite so it will be ok..

Off to the shower to wash this stuff out of my hair and get ready for work..

TTYL J

Janet...I got the dye job and highlights and cut on Monday. Always makes me feel ten years younger. I cannot dye mine myself. I have white hair underneath it all and it is very course. It turns out splotchy if I do it. When I was young, I had almost black hair. I have lightened it up in the last ten years or so to soft brown with just a bit lighter highlights. My hair grows extremely fast (a little over an inch in a month) so it gets a little spendy. But, got rid of the skunk stripe. :redface:

[ocotillo 0]

Morning ladies....just reading Apples and Great's comments on being 28 and still going out with friends. At 28, I didn't have kids or a husband and spent every weekend socializing. It was rare when we didn't have something to do. I think once your kids get married, have kids, all that changes (as it did for you) and they settle down and take care of their responsibilities. Now I've partied enough in my youth, that I'm up for going out now and then, but not like I used to......no where near like I used to in my 20's and 30's. I did own a house at that time and I started college at 27 (working full time also). I never had anything repossessed, but did struggle financially. Eventually they grow up...sort of....I did....sort of.

I'm running late again so more later.

Eva

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Morning.......I did go to bed, but jumped into mine with DH... Fell asleep shortly thereafter and slept until 7:30... That was a relief.... Pain is more bearable today, hiding just underneathe the surface.... Yes, I plan to talk to my GP on Friday... The PT I get is just gentle stretching and then ultrasound to break up the Calcium crystals in the tendons... They say those are the culprits that cause the pain... But, I sure do need something to change..

After the fiasco yesterday with Mimi and my mother, DD told Mom she could have Mimi today, so I get a day off.... I don't mind having her at all... We have worked out a system so that she knows not to ask me to pick her up or carry her.. She climbs up on me and sits or walks with me... We get along pretty well most days.. I don't believe she is causing any of my discomfort.. They say I need to be normal in my activities... anyway I have a day to myself with no trips to Bismarck until Friday.... What to do.....??? Just catch up with the house I think..... maybe a load or two of laundry...

Apples, I'm sorry you are so blue.... You've been going on high since the day "mom" died and now things are slowing down and the reality hits... Gonna take a while.. You're right to get out... Wallowing in those feelings does make them worse.. I know this from experience..... Those men of yours are so lucky to have you around for them.... And left over scalloped potates are yummy anyway!!!!! I, too, color my own hair. I'm just too cheap to pay all the money they charge to get it done at the shop.. If I let mine go I would be mostly white now, too... My mother has been pure white for many years, and her mother was that way too... Idon't care to go there, so color I must..... Your have a good day now....

Hope everyone is busy with something fun and exciting.. Enjoy your day... TTYL....... Julie

[IndioGirl55 32]

Janet...I got the dye job and highlights and cut on Monday. Always makes me feel ten years younger. I cannot dye mine myself. I have white hair underneath it all and it is very course. It turns out splotchy if I do it. When I was young, I had almost black hair. I have lightened it up in the last ten years or so to soft brown with just a bit lighter highlights. My hair grows extremely fast (a little over an inch in a month) so it gets a little spendy. But, got rid of the skunk stripe. :redface:

I use to have it done but my girl never got it the right color (seems like hairdressers like beige blond and I like golden blond) I had appt after my bro died last yr - couldn't make it so went back to coloring myself - I have TONS of white too but since I am blond it doesn't show as much - I would love to see what it would look like w/o color - but am to chicken to let it grow out ;0).. Mine doesn't grow as fast as your maybe 1/2 inch.. Saving $35 a month ;0)... well a box of dye cost $8-9 ;0).. I have been coloring my own hair since high school - I am a natural light brown w/blond highlights that's how I became a blond - summer at the beach :0)

Morning ladies....just reading Apples and Great's comments on being 28 and still going out with friends. At 28, I didn't have kids or a husband and spent every weekend socializing. It was rare when we didn't have something to do. I think once your kids get married, have kids, all that changes (as it did for you) and they settle down and take care of their responsibilities. Now I've partied enough in my youth, that I'm up for going out now and then, but not like I used to......no where near like I used to in my 20's and 30's. I did own a house at that time and I started college at 27 (working full time also). I never had anything repossessed, but did struggle financially. Eventually they grow up...sort of....I did....sort of.

I'm running late again so more later.

Eva

Eva - We have alot in common there - in between bfs - I was a partier !!! Hell at 32 I was still out ther and having after hour parties til 5 in the morn !!!! But I got up and went to work (well motst days ;0)

Like you I did my share during my youth and still love to go out every now and then - but not every weekend and no after hour parties til 5 in the morn :0) !!!

[Apples2 19]

I LOVE a good party. My body has never processed alcohol the way it does for most. All our friends partake and so does DH. More than one makes me slur and walk crooked. After LB tried but was much worse so had to give it up. Not like it crimped my style. I'm still the first at a party and the last to leave. Even when my son has his "after parties" in his shop in town. I'm there. Love to socialize.

[IndioGirl55 32]

I LOVE a good party. My body has never processed alcohol the way it does for most. All our friends partake and so does DH. More than one makes me slur and walk crooked. After LB tried but was much worse so had to give it up. Not like it crimped my style. I'm still the first at a party and the last to leave. Even when my son has his "after parties" in his shop in town. I'm there. Love to socialize.

Apples - LOL I walk crooked & slur sometime and think I am just doing great - you know how inebriated pple are lol :0)

How can you stand to be around them - but we always need that 1 person sober who doesn't let us get into too much trouble and to drive now a days :0)...

[Apples2 19]

Apples - LOL I walk crooked & slur sometime and think I am just doing great - you know how inebriated pple are lol :0)

How can you stand to be around them - but we always need that 1 person sober who doesn't let us get into too much trouble and to drive now a days :0)...

It really doesn't bother me...my friends love me...I do the DD all the time. I don't judge others that partake (as long as there's not getting in the vehicle). My body just does not like booze and reacts in a negative way. I think it majorly affects my central nervous system. A "normal" person should be able to handle 2 drinks without too extreme of side affects. 1/2 beer just about does me in. It wasn't quite as bad when I was heavy but my 98lb friend could have 5-6 drinks and I was still on my first and litterally be walking tilted and tripping on my way to the restroom. I sometimes wonder if it is due to the vertigo which I have had since early teens. :redface:

[Great2BThin 5]

Good afternoon. Well I had my knee doc appt this morning and I am gonna do the other knee! AM I crazy?? I am set for surgery on Dec 16th unless they get a sooner cancellation. It will be nice to have them both done and behind me. Seeing as how I met my out of pocket maximums for my insurance with the last knee this one will be paid 100% hence my decision to get it done before the end of the year. I'm not real crazy about it being the week before Christmas but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. The 15th is DHs bday so it will be the day after. I am a little afraid to tell my boss that I am coming back to work for 2 weeks and taking off another 6, then back for 4 weeks and taking off 10 days for vacation. I like my job but understand if he wants to replace me. I wouldn't be heartbroken. I figure whatever happens is for the best.

Apples, so sorry to hear you are feeing the grief so hard right now. Wish there was something I could say or do to make you feel better. You are the biggest cheerleader for everyone here when they are down. You've just suffered a major loss, think they busyness kept your grief bottled in until now when you are alone it just is bubbling out.

Sounds like you are able to drink as much as me. LOL

Eva, thanks for the pep talk about my daughter. I do see glimpses of her settling down some. She's come along way. My son, well think he still has a few wild oats to sow. LOL

Janet, you will quit the smoking when you are ready. Just like losing weight, no one is going to make you do it and you won't be successful until you are good and ready. We'll be here for you either way, just as you are for us. What I like about this thread is we are all able to accept each other where we are. We don't get into debates about politics, religion, etc. we may all be on totally opposite sides off all that, but what brought us together is our surgeries, our need for support and friendship and it has remained that. Since this is your thread, I thank you for that.

I am white under my dark brown as well. I get the skunk stripe if I wait too long. I now go to a salon again to get my hair colored as I found a cheap gal to do it. But when I lived in CA and on the east coast it was too costly and I did it myself. Just went to Sally's and bought the color and developer myself and DH would check the back for me and make sure I didn't miss any spots.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Apples I just saw your post from this morning - we posted at the exact same time 5:41 a.m :0)

Hugs on the sadness... I guess it's easy for me to say I would love to be home - but I guess it would get kinda lonely with no one home - even though GS and I don't talk - he's in the house and I guess that's enough to know I am not alone..

Yep it usually takes a few weeks for my grief to hit me - I remember with my parents it was about 3 months after their death that I holed up in my bedroom - watching TV - reading books and eating...

I guess you just need to plan an outing for yourself - call a gf and go to lunch..

Great - I totally agree I will quit smoking when I am ready just like weight loss :0)

No you aren't crazy - you should get it done before the end of the year and then you have to come up with whole new deductibles & copays !!! and by the 25th you should be feeling pretty good I think and a great excuse not to have to cook :0)

[Great2BThin 5]

I like your line of thinking, Janet, not having to cook! Better yet, get out of clean up duty. LOL And if the gathering at my family gets too intense I have a perfect excuse to leave. LOL

[phyllser 3]

I like your line of thinking, Janet, not having to cook! Better yet, get out of clean up duty. LOL And if the gathering at my family gets too intense I have a perfect excuse to leave. LOL

I think your decision to have the other knee done before the end of the year is a wise one. I am going to talk to my surgeon in Feb, when I go home for a few days, about doing my other knee. I asked him repeatedly to do both at once but he wouldn't.

[Great2BThin 5]

I think your decision to have the other knee done before the end of the year is a wise one. I am going to talk to my surgeon in Feb, when I go home for a few days, about doing my other knee. I asked him repeatedly to do both at once but he wouldn't.

I asked mine repeatedly to do both too and he said no. He very very rarely will do both knees at the same time, he says the risks are too high and recovery too difficult. And the fact that I was a bariatric patient made it even more so. But now that I am 6 weeks out it sure would be nice if the worst was behind me. He also told me though that the 2nd knee recovery is almost always easier than the first. First of all, you know what to expect and second, it's not as bad as the first knee. He said the worse the shape the knee is before surgery the more difficult the recovery. This knee is no where near as bad as the other but I didn't want it to get that bad either. I am praying they get an earlier cancellation though as now that I have decided, I don't want to wait 4 more weeks.

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

hair coloring. I also have a lot of light grey. I use a glaze by John Frieda that I put in my hair as a leave-in conditioner called Sheer Blonde. Its the honey to caramel shade. Its meant to brighten natural blondes and bottle blondes between colorings but I tried it to see if it would color the grey and it does. It puts just enough gold in my silver to make it varied shades of blonde. I never have roots and I have some darker brown hairs woven through and underneath it. The overall effect is quite natural. And no chemicals. It takes a few weeks for the hair to absorb and build up the color.

Apples I'm sorry for your loss. You need the downtime to grieve but I'm glad you're taking breaks and making yourself get out and do things.

I'm practically race-walking now and I suspect I'm covering close to four miles in an hour. Still walking outside as soon as I get home from work. I'm going to hate having to switch to my treadmill or go to the community center to walk on their track.

Finally dropped a pound. Can't wait to go to my sister's house in Tennessee for Thanksgiving. For the first time in years I'm actually taking a personal day. I'm not making the Thanksgiving turkey. I just have to teach my daughter how to do it since she's having everyone over in my absence.

Julie, I'm wondering if there's a pain med you could take before PT that would prevent the severe aftereffects.

TTYL

CHeri

[Apples2 19]

Good Evening everyone...things are better and thanks to everyone for your encouragement. It's not such a bad thing to cry and feel the feelings but I just knew I could not be alone again all day and repeat yesterday. Sooooooooooo...I finished up my books, went to the bank and then took off for the lake and just walked around. Was so peaceful up there. We are used to being there when all the leaves are on the trees. Seemed so bare. But it was a nice trip there and back. Even found time to stop at a consignment shop. And, when feeling a little low, buy four purses. They were $8 each. All new looking. In fact not even a spot on the inside and looked like they had never been used. A black cloth DKNY, a brown leather Nine West, a kind of woven Anne Klien, and a tan and taupe Liz Claiborne. "Mom" would have approved and if she were alive today most likely would have been with me and bought many more than I did.

I really am dealing with things just need to not spend as much time alone as I have been. I appreciate being able to unload with you guys.

Good goin' on the knee decision, Lori. You won't be sorry to have them both behind you. And, an added bonus to get in on this year's deductible and out of pocket. At least you will know what to expect.

Well, gotta go surfing the net...I can't remember if I told you guys I lost a diamond Bracelet on Friday while I was trying on coats. Anyway, someone got an expensive treat if they picked it up. It was insured and no deductible. Not going to replace the bracelet. They make me too nervous and rings seem to stay on fingers. Going to just check out some styles and go to my fav jeweler to see what she can do.

Great job on the walking and the pound dropped, Cheri. You will be at goal b/4 you know it. Yep, it sucks to walk indoors but I am looking at that soon also.

You all have a great evening. Again, you guys are great and thanks for the support.