whoops gave you the wrong link. here it is; i hope

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...3&id=180500192

HIYA VAL ~ so nice that you dropped by again ... will definitely go look at your pictures. My PC has been giving me some grief the last few days and esp tonight. Every time I try to post, it does something weird, so I'll try to get this one in fast ...

Glad you had a great time at the Olympics; what an awesome experience that must have been for you, and all the memories you have now. I know, life goes on ... we are all trekking along. You have a busy life and a lot to deal with a full-time job and your house and apt; your family and dealing with MS health issues too -- you have a very full plate.

I spent my day today catching up on the laundry, still not done. It was another awesome day today ... just had to get out there and enjoy it. We have had over two weeks of straight sunshine here, probably as much as 3 weeks in row, that has to be some kind of record for here and the temps have been up into the 50's F for much of that time. Today was a bit cooler with some winds, but still warm again; perfect for hanging a few clothers outside (had to hang them on the deck rails as I don't have a line here).

I'm thinking of buying a deck clothesline; it fastens onto the side of the deck and you pull it out to hang your laundry, then push it back in when you are done. Our landlord was supposed to put one up for me; but never did, so I am taking action myself. I don't relish spending so much on hydro this summer to dry clothes; and it makes the house too hot also. It is portable, so I can take it with me when we move on.

Our SIL is moving at the end of April to a small house in the country; so they will finally have some peace and quiet; and with her DH having heart health issues, they both will benefit from that. I have been praying hard for this for them and glad for them. She is giving us her livingroom rug for our spare bedroom and that will help keep the floor warm in there.

Had a great OP eating day; I have been doing quite well this month ... no junkies this month. I picked up some roasted peanuts in a shell (no salt) and have a handful of them for a snack if I get hungry, they are healthy for us (lots of protein and good fats). I find that I don't overeat the non-salted ones like I did the salted ones; this is a great victory for me ... to find a healthy snack to replace the other stuff.

We hope to get down south in June this year (if all goes well with our car) for a long overdo holiday to see my sister's (NUMPSTER's) awesome new home/bed & breakfast place; it is so nice. It will be an adventure to us as we are going to go on the ferry from Manitoulin Island to Tobermory too; we always wanted to do that and they are going to meet us there. Some of our family was from Manitoulin Island, Barrie Island, and St. Joseph Island, so I have always wanted to see that area, and so does DH.

HOpe you have a wonderful weekend at your friend's party; congrats to her. I'm so glad to see you having so much fun with all your friends and travelling and enjoying life to the fullest. YOu are making marvellous memories for the future ... take good care of yourself and yes, indeedy, don't be a stranger now as we love hearing from you ... Rosebud

HI LADIES ~ the internet was acting up so badly late last night that I couldn't post, so (thank GOD) I saved all my posts and am just copying them in today ... when I got up this AM, it came back on ... glad that they got that all sorted out!

We have a lot of clouds today and had a tinsey, insey, bitsey amount of ***** that was barely detectable and that has now stopped. It was coller this AM (around 0 C so we had to put the heat back on). The sun is trying to peak through and may succeed; but we knew this awesome streak had to come to an end eventually. We took full advantage of it whilst it was here.

Hope you all have a very pleasant day!!! Rosebud

Hi Ladies,

Long time no post LOL! Hope everyone is fine and fighting the good fight.

Not been so good myself. Having a real bad patch with back and leg pain. Its nearly as bad as when I ended up in the wheelchair. I've had to go back on my sticks and "try" to rest as much as possible LOL. Its not even an option. The past week I've been so sore I've been crying in pain and for the first time in a while, I've been so sore I want to die. Don't worry, I'm not suicidal, that ended when I had my kids and is just not an option for me anymore, but I did try a number of times since being a teenager. But I hope it maybe gives an idea of what level I am at with it. I am sure there are lots of you out there in the same position.

Can barely walk a couple of steps with the sticks just now, which is also driving me nuts as there is so much needing done and that I want to do. But I just can't do anymore than that. I am also losing what little muscle there is in my left leg rapidly, so after the pain HOPEFULLY settles and calms down, I am looking at a balancing act of physio and exercises to build the muscles again and not set myself back into this level of pain again. It sucks.

My ladies night went great. Lots of people bought and loved my jewellery and I've even been commissioned to do a few specialist pieces for people. So I am well happy with that. Here are some links for pics of the stuff I made, please excuse the quality of the pics, my camera has a problem with white balance.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...lgarden009.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...lgarden008.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...lgarden006.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...lgarden004.jpg

Will need to order in more beads etc as I am running out before I start again. Will stop me from going insane in the brain with tha pain tho!

Garden is all finished now and is looking amazing. I need to get seeds planted for the front garden and the kids will help me planting bulbs etc. Just need some good dry weather again. Kids are away visiting bio daddy this weekend, missing them like mad and God knows what crap he will fill their heads with this time. Will spend most of next week sorting them back out. This week they are having a bake sale all week to raise funds to send a child to school in Africa. Been asked to bake cakes - lmao, oh dear. Will just need to buy some this time. Also been asked to hand in 2 recipes for a fundraising cookbook. Don't know if everyone else is the same, but when I do cook, there is no recipe!

Get some chicken, get some veg, throw in pot with stock, cook.

or

Pierce the lid several times and microwave for 8 minutes. Hey presto - Chicken Ding!

They want pics as well ROFL. Will give them one of son before Spaghetti and one after!

Well talking about Chicken Ding has put me in the mood for an Asda Chicken Curry and believe it or not, sitting here having a moan has also taken my mind off the pain for a little bit. Therapy it is.

Take care all and keep posting! It may seem a little thing, but reading the posts here keep me for one going. Rosebud keep up the good work and love to Niko.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

DEAR TIGZ ~ I'm sorry to hear that you have been having such a hard time with so much pain over the years and now too. I'm glad that you have battled thru that pain and are here to bring up your lovely children: they are your blessing to our world.

Today, I overdid it a bit too; we had to go up town to pick up some things and so I was feeling good and thought -- wow, I'll take a good stroll around and get some extra walking in. We ended up going back twice because we forgot some things; so I ended up walking around four place and now my feet and legs are throbbing, but hey, I used up some calories today for sure.

I will just rest and relax now for the rest of the weekend; and I hope you will do the same. I have to use canes too; when I really overdid it in the past, I too had to use 2 of them to help me be able to walk. When we moved here, I was so exhausted and in so much pain that I had to use 2 canes for a while even here at home and I had to rest a lot to let my body recover.

I love the pics of your jewelry -- and so happy for you that your selling party went so well. That is exactly the kind of stuff I was talking about; the girls here also make chokers (a kind of necklace like you do too), and I see you make earrings too. They also make stretchie bracelets and necklaces, plus long beaded necklaces, and I really like the silver bracelet with the different beads and charms on it. The butterfly necklace set is really pretty too.

Well, I just think they are all very nice and that must have taken you some time to do them all. Good thing that they are something that you can do whilst sitting down too. Have you ever thought of doing stretchie bead bands for glasses? The ones that you put on glasses to hold them around your neck like reading glasses, etc ...

Your good sense of humor will go a long way to help you deal with your pain and your limitaions; as does coming here and reading and visiting with others who really do understand how you feel. We also live with this every day of our lives. Many years ago, some of my pain was so bad that in a prayer I told GOD that couldn't imagine living with it for the next ten years.

Then, in my mind, I heard this comforting whisper ... "Don't even try to get through the next ten years -- you only have to get through the next second of the next minute of the next hour of this day ... and I will help you." And HE did ... That gave me such a new outlook on life and renewed my hope and helped me cope from that day forward; and before I knew it, the pain started to subside.

I found ways to deal with it; new ways to help myself heal by resting more often. DH was the one who suggested the canes; and that also was a huge turning point for me too, as I didn't realize how much they could help me. I also now use ski poles to help me walk in the winter time and on rougher, uneven ground like on grass; as they give me more balance and my arms help keep me upright and take the burden off my back (as do the canes).

I picked up some seed for the side gardens today: regular and garlic chives which are perennials and will grow here and at our lot perpetually. I also got some green beans and summer turnips, which are both easy to grow and good for us with lots of vitamins.

Now, you get lots of rest this weekend while the kiddies are at their Dad's place; and try not to worry about them so much. I will send up some prayers for them and for you for relief from your pain; and healing for your body and mind as well. Can't hurt and can only help, IMHO ...

One day my life will slow down - I have to believe that. I have an ever growing list of things that need done and just not enough hours in the day/days in the week to do them in. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to get so overweight whilst running about like a blue-ar$ed fly and barely having time to fart let alone eat. Then I remember, oh yeah, there's that thing with the pain and the not being able to move after all the running about.

I don't lack energy and I don't lack motivation. If I was not disabled, I would not be anywhere near this size and that just pee's me off. I sometimes feel it is the price I have to pay for the good things in my life and there are lots. My kids, my dogs, my SO, my home, my car, living in one of the most beautiful places in the world... list goes on. I must be due another catastrophe, things have been going too well.

Anyway, enough crap.

VAL - Any pics of Bode Miller?

ROSEBUD - Strangely enough, I've been asked to make some spectacle chains for a neighbour! And thank you for your kind words, prayers and :hugs: They mean a lot.

I'm going to go now and take my tensions and annoyances out on Ebay!

Cheers all, take care XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

HI LADIES ~ we had an absolutely gorgeous day with all day long, so we just had to go out for a drive to enjoy that. We were out for over 4 hours in total and that was fun. We went out to one of our favorite lakes to see if the ice was melting yet, and it is just starting to right now.

We also went looking at houses that were empty too; a few actually have people in them now. I just hate to see houses sitting empty for months or even years, when I know there are people who would love to live in them, if they would just be more reasonable and put the prices down a bit.

TIGZ ~ maybe you can get someone to help you for awhile; at least to get the essential things done until you are feeling better. Just do what you can in the meantime.

We had a lovely roast beef with lots of veggies for dinner tonight; got it on a great deal of only $2.00 lb which is a bargoon for here and it was nice and lean and yet still very tender too. I'm afraid I have to confess that I blooped today and caused a blip in my March NO JUNKIES challeng. DH picked up some chippies and I ate about 5-7 before I remembered, "Oops, what am I doing eating these things; I just ruined my own challenge ... " Oh well, I managed to put a halt to that and at least I didn't eat over a serving which I think is 10 of those little rascals.

I may have ask DH to ban his snacks from the car until we get home; he said he was hungry and opened them and started munching right in front of me. But actually, I am proud that I caught myself in time; in the past I know I would have eaten more than I should have. Sooo ... I will continue on til the end of March; I'm not giving up. My challenge now is NO JUNKIES for the rest of the month ...

We watched a movie when we got home: an old classic comedy while we waited for dinner too cook. Hope you all are having lovely weather like us, and are able to enjoy it; take good care ... Rosebud

HI FRIENDS ~ We were blessed with even more today too! It is cooler here right now, as the temps have dropped a bit, but all this glorious sunshine makes up for it. I actually like this time of year when it's sunny and there are no buggies ...

I just took it easy today, as I overdid it a bit the last few days and paid for it with sore legs and feet and fatigue. I did get one giant tote filled with all the decos from the tree, but that took me all day yesterday to get it done; and I was zonked by the evening ...

So, I put my legs up for awhile this afternoon and fell asleep ... Thank goodness I woke up just in time to put dinner on -- we were just having fish & baked fries (mine were sweet potato fries), with coleslaw, tomatoes, and baby cukes, so that didn't take too much time.

HI TO PURPLE ~ still am sending up prayers for you and your family, and your PC; we miss you and hope that you are OK!!!

HI TO RONNI ~ sending up lots of prayers for you and your family at this time of loss. I sent up pile of prayers for your Dad, LARS -- and I am so thankful for GOD's grace and mercy: that he went home peacefully and quickly ... to you all!!!

HI TIGZ ~ hope you are feeling much better today and having fun with your kiddies back home this week.

HI VALDINE ~ it was so nice to have you visit with us again recently; hope you are feeling well and that you get your meds all straightened out soon too ...


I just did our usual daily stuff today, but that gave me extra time to send up some prayers for all our friends here, who have special needs at this time. Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday tomorrow; and do take good care of yourselves ... Rosebud

http://osteoarthritisexercises.blogspot.com/

Okay ladies here is my blog for my osteo arthritis exercises I use in my interval training. Hope they are useful for other people with limited mobility also.

Rebecca

THANKS REBECCA ~ will definitely check those exercises out! I did overdo it this weekend and my poor right knee is now sore, so I have to watch that now. It would be nice to have some more injury friendly things to do ...

If you just type in the link, it will come up highlighted so that all we have to do is click on it and we go there, like this ....

http://osteoarthritisexercises.blogspot.com


I did do my normal Wednesday cleaning this AM as per usual (I always do my bathroom on this day), but I did put my legs up this afternoon. Our DLL came over today to fix our bedroom light; as DH can't see in there if the big light doesn't work. It had been acting up all winter; but turns out it was just the bulbs. DH only changed one and the LL changed another; but I do think there was some confusion there. Anyhoo, it is now working and that's all that matters really ...


TIGZ ~ Wowie -- sure sounds to me like you have recuperated enuff to do all that stuff; re-doing your house too. I did a bit of spring cleaning today, but just a bit; gonna spread it out over the next month so my back and legs don't pay ... you are certainly right that all this housecleaning is a good way to burn up some calories too. I do hope some sun comes your way soon too.


We woke up to cloudy weather but it cleared right up and the was here for the rest of the day; and that was perfect to sit on the deck with NIKO for a while this afternoon. I checked our forecast and it doesn't sound too good, but they may be wrong as we have had better weather than they predicted for the last 2 weeks; hope that continues for us ...

I do hope that you all have some nicer weather too though; we do have to share don't we? Take good care and have a great day tomorrow ... Rosebud

H E L L O . . .


ANYBODY OUT THERE?????????????????????????????

YES, THANKS for the exercise thread link, REBECCA ~ I did go take a look at the exercises -- and they look very interesting. That was so nice of you to do that and then share it with all of us here ...

I found what was left of my stretchie bands and as I was showing DH something, they snapped into little pieces about 6" long ... haha! So DH threw them in the garbage; I guess they only last for a year or so then the rubber in them breaks down. I am going to try to find some of those tube type that you mentioned in your site; plus some stretchie bands too, but it may take me a while.

We are planning a trip this year, so I will be taking a list of things with me that we need/want, including some books that I want to find as well. Thanks again, it is very appreciated ...

WELL, TIGZ ~ Did you get the sunshine I sent your way? I willed it to come there ... We have been having atrocious weather here ourselves but then, we have been very spoiled this month and so we really shouldn't complain too much, though DH wants to anyways ...

I hope that you are feeling much better; that you aren't overdoing it now! Sounds like you are trying to renovate or re-decorate your entire house all at once and you wonder why you are sore and tired too ... same, same, same!

Take care and be good!!! Yes, I said .... be good!

PURPLE DEAR ~ I sure hope that you are well; and that your PC isn't on the fritz again. This is the longest you have ever been away, so I hope that doesn't mean that you are sick or anything like that. I am sending up prayers for you diligently ...

HIYA VALDINE ~ don't be a stranger now ...


Well, old man winter paid us a visit last night and today: we got a steady stream of ***** all day long as well. It is quite light right now, but it is pushing towards 2" right now, but the temps held at 0 C all day. That's not too bad really ... could be worse!

We spent our morning sorting out the rest of the Christmas decos and filled up 5 totes in all (DH gave me one of his which I will repace later); that is a lot better than 20 odd shaped boxes. Now they stack up nice and neat and take up much less room. I am so impressed that I am going to pick up some more to put some other stuff in as well; as the smaller ones are on sale this week. We worked at that til about 2 pm then called it a day and now we are gonna relax for the rest of the weekend.

I do really hope and pray that you all are well, and that you all have a wonderful weekend too; do take good care of yourselves ... Rosebud