Hi Dagmar, sorry to hear that they're leaking water into your basement, but what on earth is an evestrough?
Saef, do you ever take vacations without your mom? When I have adult-child caregivers come to my office with their parent, I stress the importance of taking time away from caregiving, not just for necessities like errands, but also for relaxation. When you don't do anything enjoyable to "give back" to yourself, it's a recipe for caregiver burnout and depression.
Alice, I'm so sorry to hear about Pepper. I too wish him a speedy recovery.
'Eavestrough' - a great word! We call them gutters. And, Dagmar, some of ours are leaking too but just on the heads of anyone who passes by. In fact, as it's a nice day I should get out there and see if I can sort out the problem.
No more driving around for a few days which is very good news for me. I'm going to spend some time in the garden which will be restorative for me. I'll also do at least five minutes focused exercise, as per Alice's recommendation.
Food should be OK. I might get the six mince pies out of the freezer and plan to eat one. Six is a very abstemious amount, let me assure you.
Any views on Precision Nutrition here? I remember Pat (aka WaterRat, librarian from somewhere in Canada) did it.
Thank you Birchie. I couldn't think of an alternate term for eavestrough. Turns out the troughs are fine but we have to replace our flat roof. We knew this was coming but can't get it done 'til spring with warmer temps. Something is funky about the siding too but that's way beyond my repair budget.
I'm so glad DH is working again. So much less worry when something breaks.
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and happy holidays to everyone who celebrates something else.
Yes, I do take vacations without my mother, but not Christmas. Yesterday, as I'd thought, she was bored and restless while I was trying to "work" at my desk. (I did get a couple things done.) I stuffed a pork loin and roasted it, but she prefers a pork butt with lots of garlic, and she doesn't like cumin. We did head out to Untermyer Park to see the illuminations tonight, which was a good moment in an otherwise dreary day.
I am late this morning for my planned round of activities. I do need to get to the grocery store again. (We're running out of butter, of all things. She likes that on her vegetables and her inevitable potato at dinner.) Of course, I want to hit the gym for a break before the afternoon round of distractions begins.
Just popping on to say an early Merry Christmas to everyone! Friday's eating - great, yesterday - not so great but only a few hundred over plan, today - great so far.
Pepper Update: I picked him up Friday afternoon because the staff said he was okay to come home and had eaten. Well, since then he hasn't eaten. I tried all his favorites - nothing. I think he ate two tiny Temptations treats which he really loves. Today no eating at all, but some drinking. I hope he makes it until Wednesday when the vet's office opens again. I'm managing to get the liquid antibiotic down, but the Cerenia anti-nausea pill is a no-go. He won't eat it in food, and when I dissolved it in 1cc of water/fish oil and squirted it in his mouth, he started drooling big time for about 10 minutes! He's not throwing up so I won't try that any more. At least he's sleeping comfortably on his favorite blanket in his favorite spot on the bed. I am watching him so that he doesn't try to jump off by himself. My New Year's wish is going to be for no animal crises during the holidays next year.
Sunday morning at 161, again from partaking of miso-glazed salmon.
We went up to Cold Spring to see a historic federal house decorated for Christmas and to have lunch in that atmospheric little 19th century village. Back in my town, we went to the Christmas pageant, which has been going on yearly since 1915.
I had an Oh Yeah! One protein bar tonight in the flavor called birthday cake. My mother was incredulous that this glazed sprinkled thing was a protein bar. Well, it's Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve went really well. Everyone had a good time. Today will be quiet, with us shovelling out from under 20 cm of snow, putting the house back together, and hosting DH's friend for "holiday leftovers".
I was too busy to overeat until after the guests left. I had a couple of vodka and tonics and then took a serious run at the desserts table. Today I'm back on plan with regular food and will be until the final holiday host for us next Saturday.
DH is now serious about losing weight so all goodies that are left will go into the compost and the booze will go back to the store or into the storage locker for next year.
Merry Christmas to all you wonderful folk. May you find a way to make it through the day without falling into the vast amount of holiday foods that are abundant.
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Originally Posted by BillBlueEyes
Merry Christmas to all you wonderful folk. May you find a way to make it through the day without falling into the vast amount of holiday foods that are abundant.
Yesterday was brown and gray, but now in the dawn, it's snowing gently and prettily, which is what is appropriate.
I'll be at the gym soon. We'll open presents. We'll go to the latest mass that the local church offers. There's prime rib on the menu. And maybe a movie this afternoon, though I'm not sure of how my mother will receive "Call Me By Your Name." I like that director's work and I do want to see this.
I spent the first hours of the day (4 am) chasing our senile old dog through the dark forest in the rain. Sometimes he gets confused in the dark and jets off as if he has somewhere to be. Yesterday was mostly sleet and rain here; we did get a window for a brief hike. I've tried to stay out of the holiday food that I've made for DH, but I ate a few too many candied nuts and a couple of cookies while trapped indoors. On the plus side, I reorganized the rooms we hadn't gotten to since the move. I've now touched literally everything I/we own, including every piece of paper. The silver lining of moving yet again.
This morning we're headed out for a mtb ride - atheist holiday plan Plus it's NOT RAINING.
Alice, good luck with Pepper. Cerenia does make them drool if they taste it, but you might give it another try if no improvement in appetite, since nausea can be more than just vomiting. I'm sure you've tried a variety of things - stage 1 baby food in a meat flavor sometimes helps. Warm anything you try to feed so the smell is enhanced.
Saef, I'm surprised and a bit envious that your gym is open today. The campus gym is closed for days.
Boxing Day, and I'm at 161.3, due to prime rib for Christmas dinner and treating to myself to some ripe hachiya persimmons. That prime rib caused a fight because I cooked it in such a way that it's quite rare in the middle, and that upset my mother.
JZJ, this is NY, and we have a substantial population that doesn't celebrate Christmas. I've never done a head count but many of my neighbors are Reform Jews or of Jewish descent but not necessarily practicing except for major holidays. (Like me with my Catholicism -- more a cultural tradition than a sustaining meaningful belief.) There were eight people who came into the gym while I was there around 8 AM yesterday. I'm told (and have observed) there's a tradition of movie-going and dim sum or other Chinese food on Christmas Day, so it would make sense to also get in a workout that morning.
It's painfully cold outside and this is the day we're supposed to go to the Botanical Gardens to see the train show. First, of course, I need to get to the gym which has reopened at its usual 5 AM weekday time.
Wicked cold out there this morning. Trix and I managed 35 minutes but her paws started aching so I brought her back. Going to get much colder tomorrow so I'll really limit her exercise. She's game but her paws aren't and she refuses boots. Rips 'em right off!
I am going out to City Hall on the coldest day of this snap - tomorrow - to renew my dogwalking permit. I will call to make sure they are open. Was going to go to the art gallery afterwards but we'll see. It's a bit of a hike but longer to wait for transit to take me there.
Whew! What a weekend! Saturday, I made three batches of cookies and shredded two whole chickens for Sunday's get together. Then I, without the help of my children, put up all the Christmas decorations--including a tree. We bungee'd it to our sliding glass door handle so if any of the cats tried to knock it over it wouldn't fall. This is the first time I've had a tree up in seven years! And amazingly, none of the cats (or dogs) showed much interest in the tree. The cats did think it was fun to hide in the nooks and crannies made underneath the tree with the various presents.
Sunday I made enchiladas and all the fixings for the dinner get together. I had 15 or 16 people all together. It was a smash!
Sunday, brunch at my in-law's, back home for a brief rest and then opened presents late in the afternoon and then off to my SIL's for a clam chowder dinner that was just right after all the other food this weekend.
Tonight a friend is coming to town and may stay over. I'm hoping my DD not only washed and dried the sheets and towels, but that she made up the guest bed, too. We'll see when I get home. But she did just text me and tell me that she'll help take down the tree next weekend when she returns for our annual New Year's Day birthday dinner. I guess her way of saying she's sorry she wasn't around to help put it up.
And a bit of good news from my very unemployed son-in-law--Sam's Club offered him his old job back WITH a raise! He starts tomorrow (which means he might not be able to come for NYE).
Wow did we have a beautiful snowstorm yesterday; over 7 inches all told. I love being inside my house when it rains or snows and sitting in the kitchen to watch- very cozy. The bonus yesterday was that our birdfeeder was super busy all day; I guess birds need extra food to stay warm when frozen water is landing on them all day. When the snow was heavy, they would hazily appear out of the whiteness as they got close to the feeder, as though they were teleporting in. I sat and watched on and off while eating meals and sipping coffee. The snow finally let up around 5 pm, and we ventured out to our local Indian restaurant, which does a fabulous buffet for both Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
My oldest DS has been home from college since the 23rd, and the 3 boys have been playing communal video games incessantly. We are Jewish, so the 25th was just a quiet day for us (even moreso because of the snowstorm), and they took full advantage. I swear, they can play for 10 hours and not get bored. Meanwhile, I've managed to do some nearly-unheard of relaxing things: besides watching the birdfeeder, I read an entire book over the last 4 days, read the Sunday edition of the NYT, and played a 90 minute board game with the entire family.
I only work 2 days this week, tomorrow and Thursday. Friday DH and I are flying to Baltimore to spend 2 days with some college-era friends who are throwing a party for their 25th anniversary. There may be some people there I haven't seen in 30 years. Not sure if I'm looking forward to that, or dreading it.
to all who celebrate and happy holidays 
to everyone who celebrates something else.
Plus it's NOT RAINING.
