Best/Wirse/What did I Learn today? & Santa Warren Exchange

We tried so hard not to make a sound. And we just knew all was going to be okay too. Great docs.......

The TH knew they had to be good M. lol They are better behaved than some kids. I'd take them everywhere if I could. Glad the surgery is over. Hope you get a chance to recharge M.

Out this morning with my 'borrowed son' He is such a good kid. We went to Perth for a change rather than Kingston. I hadn't been that way for a number of years. We did a bit of grocery shopping, hit up a Canadian Tire for 'stuff' and we found a Pet Valu. TH is happy they have their favourite kibble and their liver snaps.

Had a call from the Vatican last week. Yes that Vatican. I had a regular customer in Ottawa who is posted to the Vatican. He has family in Ottawa and comes home for Christmas. He was hoping he could convince me to do 3 custom pieces for him. Nope, no way. I did agree to design the 3 pieces but he would have to find a SG artisan to complete them.

Need to stoke the wood stove.
BBL
Dianne

Glad all went well for Gord. Now you can take a breather. It will do neither of you any good to worry for the next 6 weeks. Sometimes you have to live in the moment and let tomorrow unfold on it's own.
A lovely lady at the nursing home, Miss Margaret, celebrated her 100th birthday a few weeks ago. We were talking about changes in the world that she was witness to, and life lessons....she said that the most important lesson was that there is so very little in our lives that we actually have control over, that the best thing we can do is breathe and welcome the sunrise and the opportunity to find or share a bit of joy or beauty. (((HUGS)))

So glad you will be back with us Dianne. I have this new laptop and every now and then it reminds me that it is running on Windows 10...and IT is in charge.. grumble-gripe...lol

Marilynne - so glad the surgery is over, and that Gord's doing well with pain meds etc.
I was happy to be there with the rest of our gang, supporting you and Gord :-)

Checking in as well, still in Jammies dragging my no sew blanking, knew the doc and nurses would take me as an over grown kid, escaping from my room and pay me no mind.. I was quiet as can be as well!

Gord is so lucky to have a nurse as a wife, he will get the best of care over the next few days..is he napping? Best you go for a nap as well.

Jean, always nice to speak to our elders, such wisdom..sure can learn a lot.

Turned sold, although my thermostat reads 70 I'm freezing, feeling every bone in my body. Took spaghetti sauce out for early supper as the gals are coming tonight, Drats I hate the thought of getting off the couch and get dressed..if it were just the regular gang I'd not get dressed but few are bringing friends so it's brush my hair and get spiffier up

Still can grab a couple hours rest though.

BRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr .. 41F this morning .. and, we are now in the 20s with a BIG wind prevalent ..

Sue ... I'm happy Friday is your last day .. way too difficult to work with idiots like that .. Will you work at that Orchard next year ?
I also meant to comment on your latent feelings re Jessica's passing .. grieving is just such a personalized deal with each one of us .. Christmas is a very powerful 'sadness trigger' for me ..I miss my Mom .. to me, she WAS Christmas .. I cherish those memories ..

Betty .. Lorna and I put together a reindeer this afternoon, and, went out to place it by the other 2 .. I lasted 8 minutes .. and was frozen to the bone .. ..
Will likely have a shower ( #2 today), only thing that will warm me up ..

Just wanted to check in ..
May BBL

~M~

PS .. Jean .. that was a smart Centenarian!

it's only 25F here.. real brrrrrrrrrrr

Just woke up, went back and read the posts, just don't want to get up and at it.

Dianne what an honour being asked, from a friend at the Vatican no less..now what design were they looking for? Can imagine it would be mega work. I've never been to Perth, were you and adoptive son get to have lunch out. What is the difference travelling to Perth vs Kingston?

I too have same difficulties with load, not sure what I touch that makes post go into cyber space, annoying isn't it

Well no more procrastinating, must get dressed, must brush hair, must make my way downstairs and finish tidying. 😢

Speaking of centenarians, aline was saying her dad decided he wouldn't spend Christmas in Florida as he always done, not feeling quite up to it..holy smackers at 102 it's not a wonder..I always chipuckle when Aline says he is losing ground, repeating himself, not doing the things he always enjoyed...helllooo

Temp has dropped drastically here in the last 2 hours. I had all the doors open and many of the windows to get some air in here. The wood stove throws off such a heat but now I have closed the doors.

Jean you were so blessed to spend some time with that lovely lady at the NH. MY MIL who thought very highly of herself would not mingle with the other residents in her NH. She thought they were beneath her. She would get very cross when Warren and I would stop to visit with some of the residents. Some were the parents of Warren's childhood friends and they were all delighted to see each other. You are a wonderful DIL Jean.

M I so understand about Christmas being a trigger for you missing your mom. For me not only is it Christmas but our anniversary and my BD all in the same week. I can still see Warren's smile the morning he got his very first Christmas stocking. My family was shocked he was a grown man and had never had a stocking. I think we all got a bigger kick out of watching him than anything else.My 2 nephews still mention it every year.

OK this is a question for all of you who live state side. Do you have turkey at both Thanksgiving and Christmas ? I've always wondered what happened as they are so close together.

Betty that spaghetti sauce sounds good.Hope you all have a great time .... I know you will. I think I have some frozen meat pies in the freezer.... at the moment that appeals to me.

Still can't access my email so will take the laptop back into Chad in the am. He'll probably be able to get it up and running. I called Bell but the service rep wasn't much help.

Sun is out, rain has stopped so the boys and I are out for a play.

Dianne


This message was edited Nov 19, 2015 5:28 PM

i have prime rib at christmas

Yummy

Had bath, got dressed, took 2 Tylenol 3's, got craft room ready, now going to eat..feel alive

with Roger dying on New Years and step father 2 christmas's ago it's hard but I know both would kick me in the behind if they thought I'd not continue with it being my most favourite time. Gave a store full (well almost) of Christmas decorations the year Roger died, didn't celebrate for several years as the memory of spending Christmas watching him die at 47 was too hard to bear, took about 4 years before I felt I was losing a part of me, I Sooo loved Christmas

Each year I buy a special tree ornament and the kids and I put it on the tree in his memory.

Dianne, if Bell gives poor service you ought to deal with Rogers. Grrrr
Hope you get email working or you will be answering emails for weeks.

Best I go eat, 7. Pm isn't far away and some gals come early

Betty I understand how Christmas was tough for you the first several years........ I lost my dad just before Christmas, and it was really a time I shut down rather than give Christmas the love it deserved for a wonderful time of the year.

This year is going to be "iffy" but I have hope that we will be in our home for Christmas. This place does not feel like home, so if we're not in the mobile, we won't be "home" for Christmas. It is what it is. We're "sucking it up" and getting on with life, for now.

That is all you can do Susan, here is hoping you will be. How's the knitting going?

This message was edited Nov 19, 2015 10:09 PM

Susan if you are not in your home for Christmas then you and Bob can have your own Christmas once you are......I'm praying you are though

For years Warren and I had to celebrate Thanksgiving after the actual day because we were at a show. Felt like Thanksgiving to us.Some years we didn't get home from our last Christmas show until Dec 24. We would then celebrate Christmas on our anniversary Dec. 28.We were just too tired to even enjoy the day if we did try to celebrate on Dec 25.
D

We always used to have turkey for both when my grandmother was here. Then my parents moved up north so we all went up for New Years and mom made prime rib.
Now we have turkey on Sat. following at my Dd#1s. She grows her own. DD#2 does Christmas and she makes pre rib plus a huge pan og lasagne. Our Christmas is always delayed to following Sat. too. Just easier to get all of us together

I'm in the 3rd (and last) ball of wool for a prayer shawl. I think I'll have it done by tomorrow night, and certainly ready for me to take to church on Sunday.

We do not have our Christmas decorations here - they're in our sheds at the mobile and we will NOT be going there to get them.
This place is tiny and over-crowded, and cold. Even our guests last night kept their coats on.
I do not feel like this is even our temporary home. It's not home.
I am doing my best to count our blessings, but this is actually harder than it sounds from across the other side of the computer screen. Grace has got a cleaver and is pounding/cutting meat with it - LOUDLY!! The stairs at the side of the house (outside) are dangerously sloped, and there is no proper lighting - we have to use a flashlight to see the steps.
Robert's not very good at clearing them either - they were very slippery yesterday.
I HOPE we're out of here the weekend after this........

We always switch, if we have turkey for thanksgiving, we will have a ham for Christmas.

"M", I am glad to hear surgery went well today.

Dianne,we can tick another box. My MIL refused to spend time in the common room because she had "nothing in common with those ignorant old ladies." Hard to be polite when speaking with clenched teeth, but mentioned that at 86, there were a number of women younger than her and that she was insulting retired nurses, school teachers, legal secretaries and a group of women that offered nothing but kind acceptance to her. Turned her chair around and brought her back to her room and had the CNA help me put her back in her bed. None of the residents there ever stop in to say hello to her.

As for Thanksgiving, it is always Turkey or at MIL's it was Turduckhen...the turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with chicken...gross overkill to me. Growing up, we had Turkey for T'giving. For Christmas it was a smoked ham and depending on the group, a goose or duck and Venison roast.

We always had rabbit for New Years Day dinner. I haven't had rabbit in years. The local lady who raised meat rabbits passed about 10 years ago and no one continued her business.

Just before dark there were 22 turkeys strutting down the lane. They make me laugh. Several people feed them so they don't stray farther than about a 2 mile radius. Usually they come to visit early in the morning.

My mom was 1 of 13 living children and they always got together for Christmas Day dinner. For years I thought everybody had 40 - 50 people for Christmas dinner. There was always a huge disagreement between my aunts and uncles - these Welsh really can tangle verbally. Half the time we kids couldn't understand as some of them still spoke Welsh.

M hope Gord is still pain free. How are you hanging in? Hope you get a good night's sleep tonight.

Karen I was very happy to read you felt well enough to travel to the QOV presentation.

Betty this priest is very good looking and very well dressed. Nice Italian fitted leather coat, fabulous shoes and he always wears a shirt that needs cuff links.All the other exhibitors around me used to come to 'visit' me when he was there. I didn't tell them for years he was a priest - boy were they surprised.

My cell is Rogers and they call and text almost daily offering some new deal. I will never use Bell cellular again. They gave out my home phone # to someone who supposedly bought my cell at a garage sale. He put money on it thru his VISA and then couldn't access the phone he had bought. Of course he couldn't it was my number.He wanted me to send him the $100 he had put on the phone. Ya right. I ended up being investigated by Bell Cell Security because 2 different people had put money on my cell. Man I was steaming by the time all was said and done. My cell then was pay as you go and I went.

Perth is about an hours drive from Verona. We went the back way through Westport on the way up and then to # 7 highway thru Sharbot Lake on the way back.

Hope the sand man finds you all tonight. If he does stop by please send him on to me.
Dianne

M yes holidays are hard. Glad Gords surgery went ok, sending big hugs.
Dianne that cell phone story what a nightmare.
I will not work at Apple orchard next year I will be busy with school.
Heading to NC for the holidays , Toms family is there. My kids will go with there dad . I have a doggie sitter all set up ,sure hope he doesn't cancel on me. I'm stressed about it lolol. I canceled my back up plan so I could get my deposit back but am rethinking my decision. Yikes.

House is quiet, everyone went home with finished projects, all happy lol
Wind is just a howling but no snow, I'm ok with that!

Sad life for her Jean, she has missed so much..not a wonder they just pass her by..grandma would say all the people in the home were old, meanwhile she was 98 and like lumpy one of the eldest, oh how she loved everyone.

Sue, with the kids going with your ex when will you celebrate with them? Are there any local kennels?

Dianne, guess Rogers and bell are much the same, would be so much better if we had choices like USA, so many different providers to pick from

Dianne we were the same at Christmas, you never thought of going anywhere except grandma's as did all the other families..Santa would come Christmas Eve and give out gifts..those were the day

ahh, if only to be young again and go to grandma's. but instead it's to the gym i go

Morning all

Kathy think those are the best memories ever aren't they..think tat's why we put so much effort in continuing traditions for our children/grandchildren.

"m" how did Gord fare through the night?

Well the snow did not arrive last night but is on its way they say

Today I'll play, have to run into town this aft but will take it easy as I've family over tomorrow for craft day, doing snowman block..need extra energy lol. Now I'd weather is bad might just have to change day, all aren't fond of driving in a blizzard, few coming from the city

Coffee time

Supposed to have snow here tonight. All sorts of dire warnings on the radio about the coming storm. They're usually wrong anyway, and it's the weekend, so no where that I need to be. My main concern is that my son is borrowing my van because his car is being dropped off at the shop tonight for repairs, and he needs to get to work tomorrow. My van handles a lot differently than his car, and if we do get the snow like they predict, well, hopefully he's careful.
Had a vet trip earlier this week. Sissy had an impacted anal gland that ruptured. She's doing better, but she's not happy with the treatment. The antibiotics she's fine with, I can poke the pill into the center of a hotdog, but the hot compresses and ointment, she's not happy about, and I was told to add 1/4 can of canned pumpkin to her food to add fiber, well, pumpkin is not on her list of things she'll eat! I've never had a dog with impacted anal glands before, I thought that was a small dog problem!
Planning on putting up the Christmas tree this weekend, and getting all the decorations out. If we do get the snow, it will make it seem all the more festive!

Deb

Kathy, you're up early.

Sorry to hear about your dog. That doesn't sound like fun at all.

Mornin :-)
Wind blew all night, and, continues .. light skiff of snow that the dogs are more than happy to roll in !

Was up at 2am with Gord to get the correct meds for him .. he has had virtually NO pain !
Kind of incredible ..
Monday when physio starts, that may change.

Jean .. have seen that 'elder dynamic' many times, and, sad to say, your M in L likely will not soften ..
Sad for her, but, it's what she wants.

Sue .. hoping all turns out well for you re the dog sitting, and, Thanksgiving too ..

Betty .. the weatherLIARS over speculated on our storm .. asI mentioned, we had just a skiff as opposed to 2-3 inches of it ..

MIGHT take a boogie into the city .. all depends on whether I feel Gord is OK on his own ..
I really do need, and, WANT to get my Santa Warren gift purchased and sent ..

Best get my hiney in gear

~M~

Sue - I hope your Thanksgiving is good - kids' dad and all

Marilyn - happy to hear that Gord's still virtually pain free! That IS good news

Jean - while not quite as militant sounding as your mom, my mom feels she has nothing in common with some of the residents. Her biggest complaint is about the food. It's not especially made with her in mind..... like when she lived with my brother, the chef.... oh well, I told her

Countdown to the hearing - 1 week today. Residential Tenancy said that it's the Hearing Officer's decision as to whether to hear both at the same time. I hope they dismiss Marcel & Carolyn's...... the Officer won't be seeing the paperwork ahead of time

Odd kind of day, snowing little pellets then sun comes out, then touch of blizzard and sun comes out, good news, not staying on the ground..need to go to town, just making my list and checking it twice, don't want to be travelling tomorrow if it's a full fledged storm.

"m" likely Gord has been in so much pain hat the operation pain is very minimal in comparison.good luck on getting your Santa Warren box together..

Deb, is your son used to driving in bad weather? You will be worried all the time he is on the road..glad with the storms being predicted that you are not on the road transporting furries.sissy feeling better? Good luck on your decorating..bet you are all busy with Thansgiving plans ?

Barb, didn't ask about your son's visit, bet you enjoyed yourselves..will he come for Christmas
with family?

Susan, good luck

Presentation last night went very well, good to have a small visit with family especially oldest DS. The hours he works, I don't get to see him very often.

We come home up I-75 as far as Higgens Lake and then head across the state on back roads. It was very cold, snowy and windy. Suddenly we past a man by the side of the road, He was not hitching but he had a backpack and a piece of luggage. Hubby said should we stop and I said yes we cannot just leave him there, quite late and almost no traffic. He said his name was Bruce and he was trying to get to Ann Arbor. He was decently dressed, clean and well groomed. We told him that even on the Xway there wasn't much traffic and he asked about a bus station. I told him we do have one in Traverse and we could take him there. Bus station was closed and we do not have a single 24 hour place in town so we asked him if he wanted to come home with us for the night.We gave him a snack and drink and he wanted then to go to bed. This morning he had breakfast, showered and hubby took him back to bus station.
Foolish of us? maybe but even had he been shabbier than he was, it would have been inhumane to leave him in the middle of nowhere so late and so cold. I hope he gets to where he is headed OK.

Well .. still all GOOD on the pain front with Gord, altho, I am doing a 'slow boil'
Have had the dogs out s few times (BRrrrrrrr) .. and am finding things he had not put away for winter .. we rec'd 2 very spiffy doo rain barrels from a friend, and, I literally had to chase one down as the wind blew it down the driveway .. had to find them a spot .. wouldn't fit in Fibber McGee's garage .. so .. I laid them down in Lorna's trailer under the Evergreens ..
Then I noticed a few other small things, won't say anything, didn't kill me to put them away, but, I thought a lot LoL

Susan .. best of luck nest week .. fingers crossed for you ..

LK how's the hip? Know that I know the pain .. feel bad :-(

Baked with Barb today :-) LOVE the countertop pastry scraper offer LoL .. made a few dozen dog treats as they are turning their noses up at store bought ones ..

Oh jeeze Deb .. poor Sissy .. what a predicament .. I can't even imagine .. wishing you all the best with the treatments ..

Won't be going to town today .. just staying put .. lots to keep me busy .. would be nice if the wind would bug off ..

BBL

~M~

HUGE hugs Karen .. that was just an awesome thing to do !!!!!!!!!!

~M~

Sissy avoids me if she thinks it's medicine time, but she is doing much better. Thanks for asking.

My son is used to winter driving, he's just used to a smaller car, not a van. If there are winds, it's just like a big empty box on wheels, and gets pushed around a lot.

Glad to hear that Gord's pain isn't bad. You'll have to tell me about your rain barrels. My city is offering them free to residents, so I ordered 4, one for each downspout on the house. Not sure what I'll do, once they arrive, or how to set them up. I hope there's some sort of instructions. They're saying 12 weeks for delivery, so I guess it will be a spring project. Glad you were able to chase yours down before it blew too far.

Very nice of you to offer hospitality to your traveller, Karen. Hopefully he gets on to his destination safely.

Kudos to you and your hubby Karen, you are proof that there are still caring people who believe in the goodness of mankind..Roger and I brought stray humans home and always got the proverbial "you are asking for trouble" but trouble never came..that man will always remember your kindness and it will be played forward I'm sure..glad you are home resting and that the presentation went well..long trip for you in bad weather.

"m" likely Gord was expecting winter so soon. Lol
guess with everything going on health wise he just isn't up to it.
Just think, if you get and keep the snow that is coming you won't see the things that should have been put away.

Putting off going to town as its bowing big time and cold but I need materials/food for tomorrow so it's a must, besides, thinking of chinese

Karen - you always hear about "paying it forward" and I imagine that this fellow will do that, due to your kindness, and even if he doesn't (or thinks he isn't) - he will be a better person for someone helping him as you did. He'll do something, big or small, for someone down the line.
Good for you!!

Betty - I keep see weather warnings for your area - but it's not as cold as here. You have 39F and we're 19F........ brrrrrr too cold to snow much, I guess, but I also think that the snow is here to stay. I thought you had a lot of stuff in your freezer to eat, and yet you're going out for groceries?

Glad to hear that Sissy's taking her meds (even with avoidance) and is doing better.

Marilynne - you're right - we do lots of stuff that our hubbys miss doing lol

Actually it's for workshop supplies Susan, groceries are just extra's, not necessary but seeing I'm out..like to pick up about $50. Each week till Christmas that I will use Christmas Day that way it's not as bad on the pocketbook Christmas.


Yep, lots of food in the freezer, in fact made soup and put 3 containers as well as leftover spaghetti a d sauce in the freezer just today..wouldn't have to cook till Christmas but I like some treats

Not snowing so off I go

This message was edited Nov 20, 2015 2:57 PM

I understand what you mean, Betty
We order a "Christmas Hamper" that we pay for through the year (from a company called Santa's Choice) and we'll receive delivery of it on Dec 8th. It will come here, but if we're moved back to our mobile, we can swing by here and pick it up. It's one reason why I'm glad we can trust our landlords not to steal from us the way our tenants did........ and do.
That's why everywhere we have our current address listed, even here.

A good thing to have Susan..

Town was Sooo busy, got everything I wanted done, done
Well had to revamp my thinking..out of 3 $$ stores, no scarves other than grey or black, nope wouldn't do, started fretting and thinking o/t, just made it to the fabric shop, they had fleece perfect color design, wow $19.99 meter (39") so in the morning I'll cut and make end slits and all will be well in my world..except if we get a blizzard. Lol

Will have supper then to bed, early morning

hooray, hooray, hooray!!
We just got an email from our Property Manager at the Mobile Park, with a statement that we needed to back us up for our Eviction Notice of our tenants (they were to be out on Nov 15th).
It says exactly what we need - that the tenants called them to remove stuff from the backyard, and the tenants told the PM about the gas leak and he called us, but that the TENANTS had not made us aware of it. hooray, hooray - it's great!! THIS is one of the reasons they were to be OUT. They broke a substantial tenancy act agreement!!!!! I'm SO pleased.