Best/Worse/What did I learn today?chat with friends old&new

Thought I would move us over

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1344028/

Bet young ones are getting excited, 3 more sleeps

Hmmm maybe older ones excited as well

Just spoke with Sharon, neighbor brought back generator and a couple who came to pick up the pup brought Chinese food so I feel better about that

Generator only strong enough to keep one room wrm so she said at least Jim and mom will be looked after...she will cover herself with blankets and should be ok

Rita is trying to book hotel, moved to tomorrow IF planes aren't grounded

Sure praying our Dianne and Debbie are ok

Me I lay on the couch worrying about everyone

Betty - I hope that Sharon & family will get their heat. It would be a double shame if the City didn't get this fixed for Christmas. Too many are homeless - at least they have each other and a home......

Sure hope Sharon called someone and told them her situation.

We lost power during night...but back on. Carrie & Andy are without, and haven't heard from Jeanna & Joe. Andy is going to farm to pick up generator.

We have ice for sure. Posted pics on FB for those who want to look Here are a couple.
Had some trees down, thought an explosion were so loud crack. We are doing OK though
and DH is home til Thursday. Glad he is right now.

Glad you're ok.

Happy I'm not dealing with snow and ice as my friends are.... Hope you all come through it okay.

(HUGS)
Mary

Morning all

Waiting for weather report and status of hydro at asharon,s

If roads are clear I will venture out about 7:30 or so

Be careful driving.

Spoke with Sharon, roads are ok but no heat in the house..
Neighbor brought his generator last night but it gave out at 12:30am
Has gas, checked the fuses etc but couldn't find out why..neighbor will come over to check it once he gets up

I checked online at Canadian tire for heaters that connect to propane tanks, I will call barrie store to see if they have one

Not sure when I was thinking of travelling with my small trailer if I bought one of those butane cooking stoves, if I did its in back shed and I'm not sure I'd be able to dig out in front of the shed to look..have to wait for daybreak

Sharon will call case worker, maybe he could go to hospice till power comes on,that way mom could stay as well and they would have heat

She will call me once she speaks to a representative

Doesn't help that mom's house is out of power as is my rother Mike's

To come here, well just too far from doctor's/hospital

Dare I say 'good' morning ..
Yeowza, just incredible the pickle folks are in ..
Lorna's folks are going to be without power until at least Wednesday!
They have moved stuff from their freezer and put it outside.
They're 83 and 83 and this is a tough job for them, but, they keep saying they've seen worse in their lives and, they'll be OK

Betty, if you watch the Weather Channel (likely the most popular channel on the TV thises days) they say NOT to travel. The temps have risen, that's seductive, because, they are to really DROP during the day causing flash freezing.
PLEASE be careful !!!

DH and myself are out and early to get the fixins for tonights dinner, meat and cheese tray and veggie tray and I have made dips in hollowed out bread.
Not a big deal, just a family thing ..

Must travel

Toodles

~M~

Please be careful Betty and use your very best judgment as to driving. The reports coming from your area are not good.....

Norm is headed to Freeport Maine this morning and we are in the freezing rain area now. It will be a long, long day and I have asked him to call me often. I hate when I know he is driving in really bad weather.

We will be going to our daughter's for Christmas Eve and then stay home here on Christmas Day. I am pushing the doctors orders by going out but it is Christmas and I'm determined to see all the kids.... Norm says he can keep me warm enough for the few times I'm out in the actual weather and it is supposed to be clear with no more precipitation. I mean - really - how much damage can I do going from warm house to warm car and warm car to warm house???
Hopefully there won't be any wind either.....

Off to finish up here...Have a great day everyone.

Enjoy everyone

Just leaving, Sharon doesn't even have bread

Will stop at Canadian tire and see what camping type supplies they might have
Not venturing to back shed and shovelling..almost knee high

Will buy new , hopefully they will have something


Made roast beef dinner last night, potatoes, carrots so am bringing it with me
Hoping I can find something to heat it up


Gab when I can

Gong is a must even though I'd prefer to stay home
Will be coming home late afternoon and returning tomorrow

Safe travels Betty!

Betty please be ever so careful. Be on the lookout for black ice if the roads have been cleared.

Barb if you do go out, be sure to have a scarf over your mouth the breath through so air is warmed a bit.

Sure wish I could find a way to bring all of you suffering such bad weather down here.....we could just be warm and watch the rain on the lake. We aren't having anything that comes close to what you are experiencing but they said we had our high at 1 am. Temps are steadily going down from the 80s of yesterday.

Adding my thoughts and prayers to each of you....please, please be safe and stay warm. I am worried about Dianne not having heard or seen her post in a while. Of course, I could have missed the post.

Betty, please,please call and explain situation with Jim.....Hospice Houses are/can be quite nice and atleast they will have hot food and be warm.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you, especially those who are dealing with snow and ice. We were blessed to have been spared any hurricanes or tropical storms this year and are now enjoying our pleasant winter weather.

Tony and I went to town. I took tangerines and lemons to my friend Saul. We got fresh orange juice and supplies to prepare for a garage sale in early january (boxes, plastic for protection from dust, etc). I usually feel much more energetic after surviving another Christmas so I will be clearing out a lot of stuff - I hope. Came home to find six sparrows flying around in my kitchen. Don't know if they were looking for a slightly warmer spot or cooked rice but they all flew outside when I came in. They will stay if the dogs are here but avoid me.

I'm wrapping the last of the presents for Tony's family. He usually gets Christmas Eve off but will come tomorrow to help me get my new-to-me car (!!!) ready for Santa's rounds on Christmas. I'm going to pick it up this afternoon. It's a 1994 Chevrolet Suburban. Red incolor - perfect for Santa.

Stopped at the meat store and got bones for the dogs. And liver. So they will have a great Christmas.

My back ache has pretty much passed. I think it was one of those things where a slight cold just settled in my back and gave me a sore couple of days. I'm used to various different pains and am used to coping but a back ache is unusal for me. In fact, Tony's had some back problems so he will ask me for help at times. Because I'm "very strong."

Betty, I have a small burner that attaches to a small propane tank. Very useful for our frewuent times without electricity. I also have a propane heater which attaches to a larger propane tank. It's only supposed to be used outside but I use it inside with a door open and do not leave it on when I'm sleeping. Here in the substropics it's all I need for heat in the winter so it's not very expensive. (It's my bills for a/c in the summer that are killers.)

I miss Dianne, too and hope she is OK.

hugs to everyone, katie

I guess Betty is on her way, bless her and folks like her, there's lots of you on this site.
I so hope she makes it there nd back safely.
Lorna's parents power DID come back on, but, it goes out often too .. so they are huddling and cuddlung, such a sweet couple, totally devoted to one another.

Barb, Karen's suggestion re the scarf is so right ! I hope you make out well on Christmas Eve.

DH and i completed the Christmas gift and grocery shopping, I still have to iron my apron that goes over my Mrs Santa dress .. maybe I'll do it after the fam leaves tonight .. kinda excited about tomorrow, just SO hope my hip plays NICE NICE ...

My fridge is stuffed to the roof !!! I kinda say a little prayer of thanks that we have so much stuff, so many don't! ..

T minus 1 hour before the onslaught of kids and grown ups .. best get at'er

Toodles

~M~

Forgot to add a pic of DS Murray from last evening at their neighbours home.
Gracie (the little girl) was in awe of him ..
He LOVES his Santa job..
Fingers crossed tomorrow qill go well for us ^_^

~M~

One year we had a neighbor come down. Now mind you all knew him as well as we did. We snuck him into the basement and dressed him as Santa complete with rouged cheeks and granny glasses. Got everyone gathered in the living room and soon Santa arrived with a huge bag of goodies.Funny part was, except for my aunt and I who dressed him, nobody knew who he was. Smarty kids immediately checked all the adults and all were present and accounted for so they were amazed too.

Afterwards he asked if he could wear the rig home for his kids, His youngest opened the door and said Hi Daddy.

Good Santa story #2....My grandfather was Santa in a large department store so of course we had to take our kids for a visit. All went well until our youngest DD age 3 at the time, climbed on his lap and said "You're my granddad because you are wearing his ring". Who'd have thought one so little could be so observant.

Oh those little ones can be too smart!

LOL .. KIDDIES can be so observant.
Murray said Gracie kept looking at him, and said, 'I always thought Santa had BROWN eyes' LoL
Murray has ice blue eyes.

As always, the fam is late .. and, so it goes, happily it's a meat tray with buns, veggies and dip and pumpernickle loaf with dip, which I have TESTED several times LoL

Hugs all round

~M~

You must make sure the quality stays consistant M.

Won't chat long, just got home, fought a blizzard half of the way

Tense/tense/tense
Hot water in the bath then to bed

Went in and kissed Jim hello when I arrived and went in and kissed him goodby when I left..nay time I saw him, he slept all day

No hydro for Sharon, everyone has hydro all around her but because she in on a rural route and only a few houses she'll be one of the last to get hydro

Originally the recording for her area had said 10pm tonight, just as I left she got an update, hoping for Christmas day or boxing day..she broke down and cried.

Man down the road has been coming every 3 hrs or so with his generator, enough to warm Jim's room and keep oxygen going then takes it home for his family

Sharon and I went out, comp,eye ice rink throughout her yard, was difficult getting down the encline but we did, started to gather tree branches, some with larger stalks on the ground were so brittle that we managed to get the fireplace gong..she never uses it, bet she wishes she had got wood in this fall

When the young neighbor saw the footprints he brought some wood to last till 10 tonight but now she won't have enough for all night

I got there earlupy because she needed to shop for food and Christmas gifts..nurse was coming so she waited, then an assessment nurse for breathing was to come for 1pm and didn't get there till 2:30 then the neighbor was to bring generator back so she waited so she could hook up oxygen then they were to deliver cylinders of oxygen that run when no power

When I left she was heartbroken...so tried to get Jim to agree to go to hospice at least while no hydro but he wouldn't hear about it, said he'd just put more covers on.

No power to cook, although she was thankful for the cooking stove that runs on butane cylinders I bought this mornimg..at least she can warm up soup, make hot drinks..I had cooked a roast beef dinner last night and in no time we had supper hot and ready to serve..won't help her with Christmas dinner

I took the turkey home, will cook it tomorrow, will do all the fixings including a ham. Which I will pick up in the morning and head back down..might mean cold turkey dinner but at least turkey will be cooked

I'm chilled so in hot water I go

I think I would break down and cry too, if I were Sharon..... what a horrible thing for her - Jim refusing hospice (yeah, I know - he's build of strong stuff, but still...... no power to cook?!?!
How lovely of you to cook a turkey for them. Sharon's blessed to have you as a sister.
What's she doing about her dogs? Are they in kennels?
No power/heat until Christmas Day or Boxing Day? how awful!

Marilyn - enjoy your fam time :-)

Sending you prayers for strength Betty and for Sharon as well. My prayers are also here for Jim and for your mother. I'm so glad you stayed home rather than go to FL right now. I really think you would have had nothing but regrets if you were not here to help through this. Making sure they have cooked food to eat is a big help I'm sure.

I have extra oxygen here for emergencies too. We never know when we will need it as power can go on and off in a instant. It really gets scary at times to know you depend on it on live. I am fortunate in that I could probably last quite a while without it but who wants to chance it????
I called the doctor yesterday regarding going to my daughter's tonight. He told me to make sure I had layers on and my face wrapped and that I had extra 02 with me. He said I would probably breathe very heavy after going in and out but that I should recover quickly. He also told me to make sure there was plenty of gas in the car before we started out. He told me he is sure I will be okay. Even when the high temp for tonight is 9* with a wind chill below zero.

In any case, I'm wishing a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY DEAR FRIENDS HERE....

Hello everyone ..

Betty, I am overwhelmed .. I KNOW there is help out there. Does your sister live in a 'Township' ..? If she does, I am more than positive she would get assistance from them, or, be told where to call to get it.
This is just not right ..
It's wonderful that you have bailed her out with food etc, but, it is so treacherous to be out on the roads, never mind in the bush looking for wood .. the hydro company keeps warning about trees falling (crashing) down from the weight of the ice ..
How is your Mom doing ? Sounds as though Jim is trying to be stoic through it all .. gosh .. makes me feel so helpless.

We are at a BALMY (not) -35F this morning .. I am about to pull my ironing board out, try and FIND my iron .. and press Mrs Claus apron .. was actually thinking of doing it on the kitchen table .. the ironing board is stuffed away back in the furnace room .. so .. I'll put down a thick towel and do the 5 minute job I have been 'going to do' for a month !!
Have to set my hait and put on some sprakly eye makeup my DGD brought me .. we laughed and chatted and opened gifts last evening .. I swore I was gonna make'em wait til the 25th LoL, they'll be back then for supper though .. just this dang COLD weather, but, I'll take it over ICE !!!!!!

Barb, I wish you well on your day, but, I think ALL will go well for you ^_^

Best get a bustle on


Toodles

~M~

Barb sounds like your Dr. has given you all the precautions, go and have a great time.

Brrrrrrr Mrs. Claus. we are at -4 and I thought that was cold. You too have a wonderful time.

To all we are hitting the road to down state in a couple of hours, Christmas with our kids, grand and greats, then on to TN for New Years. Heard a wild rumor that the weather is pretty balmy down there, gonna love it.

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year.

Like M, I can't believe under the circumstances there isn't more help available for Sharon. I do realize things are different in other places but there still has to be something someone can do. So wishing there was more I could do to help but saying prayers and sending love is about it for now. You are never very far from my thoughts.

Barb, go for it!!! I do hope this will be a fantastic evening with your family. I spent all day yesterday with my GDs (totally unplanned...just happened) and I must say the little blue cloud hanging over my head moved further away. Kids and come out with some of the most surprising statements as my youngest GD did yesterday. She was giving me a hug and told me she knew I was "missing my mommy and Pepum) and she was too! " Oh but what that did for me!!! :-). She never met your "Pepum" but only has seen pictures and heard stories so that was extra special.

Karen, travel safely please.

Sending all here a huge hug and my very best wishes for tomorrow and the coming New Year.

Woke up thinking about my friends here and my new Santamobile.

Tony will come in very late and help get the suburbn ready for Santa. Then he'll take the family gifts and - I hope - go home.

Betty, does Jim know the situation for Sharon and you? He has always seemed to be so considerate he might not understand what is happening for the rest of you. If he doesn't understand, could he be given enough pain killer to knock him out to the extent that he can be taken to hospice with protesting? Sounds terrible, but you are in a dangerous situation. If no one else helps, maybe the police? Perhaps one advantage here in Mexico is that we know that we are on our own after a disaster such as a hurricane and try to prepare accordingly. Any emergency assistance is a gift.

I will tell you a Christmas story which I hope I haven't told here before. The first year Tony worked for me he started in the fall so we still did not know each other vey well by Christmas. Normally workers come to work on Christmas Eve, have a visit with the boss and get their Christmas bonus and then leave. Since Christmas Eve is also a day of parties and celebrations A few days before I told Tony that he could have the whole day of Christmas Eve off. He hemmed and hawed a bit and then quietly said, 'Id rather have Christmas Day off." I couldn't help it - I laughed out loud and said, "Tony, of course you get Christmas Day off." OMG!!! The memory still makes me smile. And it says a lot about Tony - he is careful not to assume things.

I'm going to watch Ellen and wrap the last presents for Tonys's daughter.

I will tell you that my mind is so fuzzy that I counted the money for the car wrong twice and would have counted it wrong a third time but had enough sense to ask neighbor DAna to help me and she corrected my mistake. It feels like the first time I have bought a car on my own. It's parked outside the house now, looking very red and Christmassy.

It is very chilly here (for here) but the weather is clear and beautiful. Wish I could send some of it to all of you.

Barb, stay safe and warm on your travels. The rest of you, too.

Susan, remember God is watching over you.

hugs all around, katie

morning all
been to town and back, Sharon's turkey in the oven, done the turnip and cranberries, just about to make pies.

Melanie dropped in but for a few minutes, she looked as though she'd been crying for days, asked her what the problem was, said she had been bed since Saturday night with the flu..has to do a few things and going home to bed..

she cancelled her supper with her mom and dad as they are leaving for 3 months to Florida on boxing day (day after Christmas) and mom not being a well person doesn't want to catch the flu..understandable

I told her I'd do supper tomorrow, of course got the 'no you won't' ..will drop in on my way home, hopefully she will be in bed and I'll get Greg or the boys to get the turkey/ham/meat pies I sent over and cook the meal here..

thanks for all your well wishes, guess if it were for but a few hospice people there would be plenty of help but when you have over 300,000 in similar circumstances everyone has to do what they can to help their own.

Jim is the kindest, most considerate man I've ever met, right now he knows it's his last Christmas and is frightened of what is to come over the next few weeks, so wants to be home with family so family it will be. Last night he asked Sharon what to expect seeing as she donates 3 days a week at hospice, mom went into fits them speaking of this, said it was bad enough it was happening but didn't want to go through the steps..

do agree somewhat, something maybe Sharon and Jim could have talked about in the bedroom without mom

kitties aren't too concerned with what is going on..they are enjoying the sunshine coming into the rooms..frigid temps like you "M"

Barb, so glad you got the o.k. to spend Christmas with your family..am sure as long as you listen to all of the steps the doctor gave you will be fine..

Karen, safe travels and yes, do hope you have the best of Christmas

Katie, you are up and excited about delivering santa pressies to the community..so proud of you

"M" can't wait to see photo's of Mrs. Clause


sending some to Rita and Darlene..they called early this a.m.

some photo's of my winter wonderland.. 'tis pretty though!'

Sending a big Merry Christmas to all.

Sending thoughts, prayers and hugs....with all of you.

My Christmas gift walked in the door about Noon yesterday....and wrapped his Mom is big big
hugs.

Picture not good...as he had driven 36 hours straight....but its my son.
I just can't stop hugging and holding him.

Awww Deb. I'm so very happy for you!!!!! This will be a wonderful Christmas for you now.....

Katie so glad to hear you got a new sleigh for delivering Santa's gifts. I know your going to make a bunch of kids very happy.
Betty you are see ugh a godsend traveling and cooking when your in pain yourself. Please don't overdo it.
Karen have fun with the family and drive carefully please.

Merry Christmas everyone.

OMG Debbie, how exciting is that, perhaps that is why the gals all kept away, nobody wanting to spoil your special Christmas gift..I'm so happy for you..this ought to get you out of your Christmas slump..how long will he stay..sure hope it's forever

thanks LindaKay, will rest once the festive season is over.

I always work half the year to make sure all will have the best Christmas ever but some things are out of ones control

Mel dropped in, no to my cooking..as well Kyle's girlfriend will be dropping in, drats, means somehow I have to find a gift.

waited the last few hours, pies don't seem to be making themselves so guess I best get at it..won't be one of ever ykind..Mel has apple and blueberry so I'm making lemon merangue and coconut cream..under the circumstances it will have to do

wow, trecked in that ice-covered snow to the back shed, was so sure I bought another butane stove but must have sent it over to Greg's when they went campling...did find a glass block with drilled hole in it..will do it up and give it to Sharon's neighbor, small thing for all the help he's given her but it's the thought that counts right?

Betty, he will only be here a week...but that is OK. Is more than we could have had.

Be careful out there. We have snow all night, but thankfully ice is gone.

Well Debbie it's the best Christmas ever!!

Know you are smilling from ear to ear, all is well in your world..as it should be

Sending "positive energy" out to those who need warmth and power - the Lord's power be with you
:-)
I know it's frightening for your Mom, Betty, but she needs to realize that it's JIM who's going through this.... yes, she'll be left without him "after the fact"........
Debbie - that's wonderful! ah, to spend Christmas with your son :-)

Everyone that's dealing with this ice storm - PLEASE be careful with your footing, driving, health!

May you have a blessed Christmas, which carries throughout the whole year 2014, and then comes back next Christmas!!