Karen31 hope you enjoyed your Country Christmas special. I'm not into country music but I'm surrounded by it where I live. Everyone likes it so when in Rome....haha. I'm pleased for you about the house. Hope everything works out on the other end.

Zoe, I don't think you have to worry too much about earwigs getting in your ears any more than any other bug. From my extensive research (after they showed up as unwanted guests) I found that they are harmless to humans and seldom bite. I would imagine if they did get trapped in one's ear they might bite. One of the GG's mother had one bite her in the ear but that's probably a rare occurrence, unless it's a different kind of earwig. They like damp, warm places. Found 2 in my bathroom hamper tonight.

Marie, that bread sounds so good. When I was a kid my mother used to make a sweet bread with the mixed fruit for Christmas but it was just made in loaves. I'd love to have the recipe.

I'm up waiting for a load of clothes to finish washing so I can throw them in the dryer. Need some clean pants to wear tomorrow.

Throwing yawns at everyone. Good night.

I love your hair, Rosie. It's becoming on you.

Bobbi - I saw something online that looked like your bears but it said "blue polar bear" not green. It sold for $325. Scroll way down, almost at the bottom. http://www.glasshunter.com/figurines.htm

Maryea - I have gained, too, and I wanted to lose before my surgery. But I have been so stressed out about the surgery and I guess I'm stress eating. It was better when I had the first surgery because I went to the ER in pain and they said "Your're going up for surgery right now" before I had a chance to think about it. I'm not afraid of the surgery per se, but I have a lot of bad irritation on my stomach and I'm afraid he will cancel the surgery until it's healed. Pray for healing by next Friday!

Good evening GG's,

Well, two days down one more to go. The day went pretty well. The computer stuff wasn't too bad. Was able to figure out stuff. The surveyors never showed up on my floor, unless they came after I left. I am hoping that they saw enough and are done and will just skip our floor. The boss said that on the floors they did visit ~ they were "brutal". :(

I was doing battle with myself in my head tonight. The better choices won out. Yippee. I was feeling like I wanted to indulge in some no-no's. My knees were feeling pretty good and I told myself that it would be just plain stupid to eat some junk and mess up my progress with the knee pain. With out even thinking (earlier in the day) I had a couple bites of some cake someone had brought in. That turned out ok though ~ previously, I would have said to myself, that I had had those couple bites, so I had been bad, and I might just as well finish off the day being bad ~ but ~ yippee again ~ I didn't resort to my old habits. I haven't had too many successes in a row, but I will take each one. One better choice is one less bad one :D

Some exciting news ~ I am going to get some alone time this weekend. DH is going to Charlotte, North Carolina (he leaves tomorrow evening) to visit DD Jen and DGD Evie. Evie is 17 months. This is the first time DH will have seen her. Looking forward to the pictures that will come back from there. He takes a lot of pictures, and he probably annoys people doing it, but later on people are glad ~ because there are lots of pictures to enjoy. DD Sara will take him to the airport. I have to pick him up next Tuesday. Thankfully it will be in the evening and not at rush hour. Still, the drive makes me feel a little stressed. The interstate is not so frightening when you know what lane to be in, but I have not made this trip often enough to be sure of which lane to be in.

So, I am looking forward to doing some things I want to do. Want to get that Christmas scrub sewn. I am hoping that I can keep myself busy and not make this an excuse to eat mindlessly. Any deviation from the normal routine has in the past for me been an excuse to go crazy with the food. I think I am going to make a pot of chili and enjoy that. That shouldn't be too bad a thing.

Ok, guess I'd better get off ~ almost bed time. Sorry I ran out of time for personals tonight. No wonder we reach 500 posts ~ look at us ~ it is only December 1st and we are already up to 3 pages.

Hope you all rest well.

Take care :hug:

Rie ~ hope you can find out more about your dad today and that he is ok. Keep us posted. Thoughts and prayers for you and your dad.

Rie - I am sorry to hear that you Dad isn't doing well. How old is he? You probably said before, but I forgot. Hopefully, it won't be as bad as it sounds. They decided I needed my sleep study while I was in the hospital after my heart surgery. At that time, I was not in any condition to have it done, so I had oxygen in my house until I could go for the sleep study. As a precaution. Maybe that's what they did with your Dad. After the sleep study, they decided I needed a C-Pap and I didn't need the oxygen anymore. We will hope for the best, but I know it is really scary for you to have this going on and not being able to do anything about it. He probably needs to slow down. Maybe the doctor can convince him.

Good Morning GG's,

We finally got snow. Not a lot, just a light dusting on the ground and on the rooftops. Snow isn't a problem right now, it was the rain that came before it. It did a lot of flooding here. Not right in my area, but close. I'm so envious of you that have done Christmas shopping all ready. I have 4 gifts! that's it! I did take DGS shopping, just to look around and see what he was interested in. He's 12 and this is the first year he hasn't wanted all toys. I was shocked at the things he choose! Yellow and purple tennies. We finally found a pair of black with red stiching that we both liked. Whew, I could imagine taking those others home for dad to see.

Rie, Prayers for you and your dad. Lots of questions, but I guess you don't have many answers right now. Please keep us informed.

Gayle, I remember those inspections. Everyone on their toes. thankfully they don't last too long, or come around too often. Good for you for making good choices! Doesn't it make you feel good!

Carol Sue, Good luck with the surgery. Hope the rash heals and everything goes as planned.

Z, I have to go in and talk to management about retirement soon. I have a birthday coming up, and hopefully 1 more year to work. But, like you, if I have to work a few more months to make sure that I get maximum beenefits, that's what I will do. 200 a month is a lot, when you figurre you have a lot of years left.

Rosie, Love your hair do and your slim face. You look beautiful, daling.

Red, YEAH!! on the not smoking, and healthy eating too.

Karen, Congratulations on the new house. The lot looks beautiful. big. Is DH ready to get a riding mower? I have to say I admire you right now. I just cleaned the basement and pantry and tried to organzie some. Totally wore me out! Even thinking about moving make me want to crawl into bed and never get out.

Connie S, Welcome to the family.

Donna, I hope you're feeling better. I am not a good patient either. I hate being sick and i'm not pleasant. Just leave me alone. Vinnie? NOOOO! I still see you as Stephanie.

Lynn, Hi to you too. Hope you're not working too hard.

Marie, How is the stained glass project coming? Do you make them for gifts too?
add me to the list that doesn't like fruit cake. Maybe homemade. I've never had it.

Bobbi, I seldom ever make cookies. I eat them. Nothing like warm cookies, just out of the over, The smell is what gets me. You must have a lot of will power!

Freda

Zoe - Good for you for holding out til 66. I am just 3 months older than you. I originally was going to go at 62, but when I got there, I didn't feel I was ready. I was afraid I was going to go batty being home with DH all day. By the time I was 64 I had had enough. My health was bad and I was just dragging myself to work every day. I took my Social Security, but continued to work 2 days a week until I reached the $$ limit I was allowed to make and still collect SS then I quit. Now I am allowed to make as much as I want, but I am content being home and don't want to go back to work. 47 years was long enough. The worst part was I wasn't old enough yet for Medicare and I had to buy my own medical insurance in the interim. Having all these pre-existing conditions made it expensive. But I made it through. I guess you do what you gotta do.

Karen31 - Were there pictures of the house you want to buy? If so, I must have missed them. I saw the pictures of your house you're living in now.

Donna, Bobbi, Marie - Homemade fruitcake is a whole nother ball game from what you buy in the stores. Store-bought is actually a joke...something you give to people you hate. Ha Ha

Rie - I'm a little embarassed to say this, but BFF....I didn't think the middle F stood for female! LOL

Bobbi - Russian Tea Cakes and Tea Time Tassies are totally different things. The tassies are like little miniature pecan pies and Russian Tea Cakes are the ones that look like little snowballs, rolled in powdered sugar. I make them, and they are also called Walnut Butterballs.

I too love meatloaf. I use to make a meatloaf every Sunday and dh would take meatloaf sandwiches to work all week. He didn't like deli meat and the meatloaf was probably better for him. For some reason when I make it now, it falls apart when I cut it. What am I doing wrong?

Zoe - Lentil soup is my go-to fiber source. I would never eat it for 64 years, but tried it last year and found that I love it. I have several cans of Progresso in the pantry, but can't eat it right now because of my colostomy. And after surgery, I might have to stay away from it for a while.

Good morning GG's,

It is nice and sunny this morning. Maybe that will help.

I am not in a very nice mood. Sorry K3 ~ I am probably not doing very well with your holiday today ~ please forgive me ~ but by writing here ~ I am hopefully keeping my fingers out of food. I am really, really just wanting to stuff something in.

On the positive side, I escaped just in time last night. I heard from a coworker that the surveyors showed up last night after I left. In fact there were some unfamiliar men coming down the hall as I was leaving and I was all at once feeling relieved that I was leaving, but feeling badly for my coworkers who were still there.

My coworker told me of some of the things that they were not happy about. Our unit is small and space is constantly an issue. The hospital was built long before the computerized medicine carts. We are not to leave those in the hall when they are not in use. But there is no where to store them. The thing that they were not liking that affects my work is a patient over bed table that I rounded up and have parked beside the copy machine. This is in the hall ~ but it is kind of in a corner at the end of the hall ~ so not really in the way. I use the table when I am making copies. When we get an admission, I have to copy certain pages from the patient's chart to put in the new chart for the patient to be on our unit. Without this table there is absolutely no where to set the chart while working on it. There is a trash can (I have used in a pinch when someone ran off with my table) ~ but it is low and hurts the back to have to work from that.

These people I'm sure have their reasons for the things they don't like, but they are in some kind of dream land/perfect world. And we are not in a perfect world. I think they should be ready with suggestions for how we should do it instead ~ if they don't like the way we are doing it now. The trouble is that these people aren't nurses or even have a clue about what it is like to work like we do.

Even us ~ sometimes we do not know how something will work until we try it ~ and we have to keep trying different things until we find what works. Also, what works for one person ~ doesn't necessarily work the same for other people.

Ok, sorry ~ thank you for listening. Gotta go finish getting ready for work.

Hope you all have a good day.

Take care

Hi Everyone,

My students are quiet today - working on their assignments, so I will sneak in and do some personals. I miss you gals.

I am trying to lose the 3 lbs I gained around Thanksgiving. So far, I am doing well with keeping my calories low, and exercising, and recording on the Honesty thread. However, so far, I am not losing. However, I know I will if I keep up these behaviors.

Have a good day everyone & if I don't get back this weekend, hope you have a good one.

Lynn


Hi Karen, sorry to read about your cold. I am dreading my next mammogram. They have always REALLY hurt me. Now, the skin under my breasts has gotten VERY thin from the anti-cancer creams that I am using. It is basically sore all the time. I cannot imagine how it will feel getting stretched and pressed. I hope your results are good.

Hi Mary, I don't have much Christmas shopping to do. I now buy presents for just my DD and SIL and my sister. I send money to all my great-nieces and nephews and I got out to lunch or dinner with my friends. However, I did get my DD & SIL's present - 2 tickets to Jersey Boys and a night at a hotel in Phila.

Hi Red, when I was quitting smoking, I tried to think of my withdrawal feelings as "an alternate state of being." For some crazy reason, that helped me. Also, I have a mantra that I use during difficult times - "Worse things have happened to nicer people." That one helps me get through the tough times. Did you see the "Honesty" thread up in the Sticky Area? Might that be useful for you?

Hi Rosey, how do you keep from eating all the sweets? I stopped baking cookies when I got diabetes. I am NOT able to bake without a LOT of tasting. Not only does your new hairdo look great, you look REALLY young and pretty! GREAT photo!

Hi Isabella, I REALLY admire your work at Goodwill. You are a good person. About rutabaga - I believe that what you call rutabaga, we on the East coast of US call turnip. Not sure of this, but heard it somewhere.

Hi Rie, I HATE shopping also. It is actually getting worse. I could really use a fancy dress because I have 3 events to attend in December and some of the same folks will be at all 3. I went to Macy's and Lord & Taylor's yesterday - roamed around a little - left and decided I will make do with what I have at home. I was VERY dentist-phobic. It came from a dentist trying to pull a baby tooth when I was VERY young with no pain-killer. Then, when I was a teen-ager, my mother took me to a dentist who hypnotized me. Ever since, I was never again afraid of the dentist! I am sending "get well fast" thoughts to you for your Dad.

Hi Donna, What is wrong? Why so tired? Have you been ill? Feel better. Sorry, about the "bad boy" running out on you. WOW $3,000 is a BIG hit.

Hi Nancy, Sorry, I HATE fruitcakes and I never heard of boiled custard.

Hi Bobbi, Good luck with all that baking. Better you than me. I have ABSOLUTELY NO willpower when it comes to sweets that I bake.

Hi Connie S., CONGRATULATIONS on a GREAT weight loss. I always tell folks that diabetes II is the best disease I ever got. Since I was diagnosed, I lost 40 pounds and changed my life. It is now well-controlled with meds and exercise and eating right.

Hi Gayle, you need to borrow my male cat - Harry. He wakes me up at 4:30 every morning to get his breakfast - better than an alarm.

Hi Zoe, Glad to read you are getting over the bronchitis. I think the hard things in the fruitcake are citron.

Hi Marie, I am down under 8,000 points for my next medal. How close are you? One of my FAVORITE jobs in education was working in Adult Ed. However, I HATED all those gov't. reports. Good luck!

Hi Karen FL, about Christmas stuff - with my 2 crazy cats, I have only 1 decoration - a little wooden tree with 6 little wooden ornaments. If they knock it over - no damage. I help my DD decorate her B&B. I stopped decorating at home after my DH died. I have not had much Christmas spirit since then.

Hi Chickadee, I REALLY hope your migraine is gone and you are feeling better.

Hi Freda, I AM working too hard (for a retired old lady). Teaching 2 courses at a time is a BIG mistake. Also, add to that my LLS volunteer work, helping the college where I used to work to develop an alumni assoc., and doing stuff as a Board Member for the condo assoc. where I live. I have ABSOLUTELY taken on TOO MUCH WORK!

Hi Carol Sue, I had a similar situation - retiring before I was eligible for Medicare (I had to leave early to care for my DH who had a stroke in 2004). While he was alive, I was on his plan. When he died, I was 64 and had to pay $800/month for the coverage I had for free when he was alive. I was VERY happy when I hit 65.

Rie, sorry that you are so worried about your Dad. I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us updated when you can.

Gayle, sorry about your troubles at work. I swear some of these people just have too much time on their hands and decide to see what they can do to make it hard on everyone. I think before they make all these suggestions they should have to work a week or so in that position. Then they may come up with a better idea or leave things alone. "If it ain't broke don't fix it!" That is what my Dad always said.

OK, I wanted to pop in this morning for a quick hello. Donna, glad that I talked to you yesterday 'cause my voice is totally gone today.... Tim says it will be nice having a quiet day!! LOL!

Need to go and fix me some breakfast. I think oatmeal sounds good this morning.

Back later..

CK ~ I like that suggestion ~ work a week or so in the position, before they go making suggestions.