phyllser

Yep... 25" is correct. I still haven't touched the 5 prs I need to hem! Should borrow my neighbor's sewing machine and do it!! DIL will do thme for me if I take them with us, but it's going to be a busy few days and I shouldn't do that to her!! We drive up to SF area on Wed, get back Tues night after Christmas. A little worried about leaving the cat but neighbors will check on her and her litter box! Concrete work continues out front. Well, they're finished with the digging, everything is all framed in with 2x4s, sand they dug up will be hauled off today and cement poured tomorrow. It's going to be SO nice! Extending the patio all the way out to the street and across the front from lot line to lot line... and the neighbors are doing the same so it will go across all the way over to their lot line, actually. We can have one heck of a party, we decided!! LOL. And we won't be tracking in so much sand. Kids are at the gate at Vancouver BC and ready to board their flight!! Praise God! Yesterday morning it looked like it wasn't going to happen! They'll be off to Montreal in another 1/2 hour. Praying for safe travel... and that snow storm back east does not add further woes to this trip! And that the kids stay calm! Can picture Thomas running up and down the aisles. He doesn't sit still very well and it will be a LONG flight!!

I was going to call but when I checked to see if I had a phone number, I didn't. Apples PM'd it to me later, but by the time I saw it, too late to call. Yeah, they apparently don't know how tough you are!! LOL! Doesn't make sense that they gave you stronger pills. Don't think you're supposed to break those in half either, so... yes, better idea to ask for the lower strength so you have the option of 1 or 2! Glad you had a more comfortable night. I came very close to calling you last night but didn't want to wake you if you were finally getting some good sleep and it was already about 10 pm my time when Apples sent me your cell phone #.

Yeah, it was looking pretty grim for a while there! Then the BIL came through for them. Hope they made it up to Vancouver by now. Last time I talked to her they were in the car on the way. Border crossing in our part of the world can be up to 3 hrs wait! They have hotel reservations for tonight as flight leaves at 8 a.m. Man... forgot to look for those at Costco. And I finally remembered to get the Gorgonzola crackers from Trader Joe's today. We had steak today for the first time since you were here for dinner!! Nov. 13! I had a 3-4 oz filet. Earl just got back from hot tub/pool whining with a belly ache. Then he tells me he guesses his stomach isn't used to a 16 oz t-bone!! SIXTEEN OUNCES... and he ate the whole thing!

This is how the devil works: I decide I'm going to cut back on my wine. So guess what I get in the mail today??? Bottle of homemade Blackberry Wine from my cousin in Texas!! I am quitting Papaya though! I've been popping them like M & Ms and decided it has to stop. It helps when I feel stuck, but I take a couple... then I keep reaching for the bottle because they're sweet and they taste good. But they can be kind of corrosive.... I think they use them in meat tenderizer!! And after a few, I can feel them burning a little. So... it's got to stop. Earl is right! I can't have them around so I'm not buying anymore. Will have to get some Tums maybe.

My sister crochets dish cloths... but she never made any for me!! :smile2::frown::wink2: I used to sew A LOT... for myself, kids, DH. I used to make matching outfits for all 4 kids all the time.. Easter outfits, etc. and even made DH a sport jacket once. The more I think about it... sort of worried about Lori now. Just checked to see if I have her phone number but I don't. When I looked up those Rx online... sounds like she maybe be having allergic reaction, or at least mild side effects. Don't think Benadryl is a good idea at all... if she is allergic, don't want to mask symptoms... and there is a sedative effect with that, too and sounds like she's already getting too much! Wish Laura would chime in on this!!! Lori, are you still there??? Maybe should call your doc.

POND SCUM??? C'mon! I forgot all about it!! But thanks! So glad your girls are all going to be home for Christmas! That's great! We are so happy to be going up to our sons! Christmas with family will be a real treat! We've spent it alone too many years! And my sister and her whole family will be up there, too. So we're working on getting together with them and with Earl's brother & SIL. My sister is extremely manipulative and is already trying to control what time we go to church on Christmas eve. I said early, so she said 6:30 or 8pm! I said 8 is TOO LATE! DIL says early, too, because traffic will be a nightmare. Earlier is better. DS #2 still calling several times a week begging for money. I just keep telling him, "hang in there! You'll figure it out". No more enabling. He just spent 9 days in jail for trying to shoplift groceries from Walmart and tried to imply it was our fault... "you sent me money to help with the motel bill but we didn't have any money for food!" Okay.. so go to a food bank.. not to Walmart and steal food!! Give me a break. Is he 7 or 37???? DD #2 had a horrible day! Planned this 2 week Christmas trip to Quebec to SIL's sisters house for the last 6 months... His mom & step dad are already there, older sister coming in a day or two. So they get to the airport bright and early this morning to check in for their flight and get turned away because they didn't have passports for the three little ones!! She'd researched online and was convinced all they needed was enhanced IDs. So she made appts last summer and took them all in to DMV and got them enhanced IDs. She didn't see the small print that said you could get kids in to Canada with those by car or boat but need passports to FLY in! I called to see how their morning was going and she starts SOBBING and I could barely understand what was wrong! She just kept telling me how stupid she was and how she ruined her kids' Christmas!! I told her.. call Air Canada, ask to speak to a supervisor.. See they were willing and able to DRIVE up to Vancouver BC and fly from there to Quebec. That way they could get the kids across the border with the enhanced IDs. But SIL kept saying.. it's federal law, there's nothing we can do, etc.! They both get so hyper in a crisis that they can't think straight. Air Canada wanted another $1000 PER person--- $125 to change each ticket, and the rest was increased price for 24 hr fare plus flying out of Vancouver instead of Seattle! One hour later it was all resolved, however!! BIL of our SIL had enough air miles to fly them all out on Air Canada from Vancouver to Montreal in the morning and Air Canada agreed to give them vouchers to use at another time anywhere they fly. So they are now no doubt in Vancouver staying at a Holiday Inn Express! Hope they didn't have to wait too long to get across the border... I was thinking possible 3 hr wait!

Norco is another brand name for vicodin... hydrocodone with acetominophen. So I don't know what they're trying to tell you!! Maybe twice the strength that you had before??? I think you have a good idea... switch to one at a time. I took the oxycontin at night only, and just until they ran out because doc would not renew Rx for that once I got home from the hospital. Vicodin: Generic Name: acetaminophen and hydrocodone (a SEET a MIN oh fen and hye droe KOE done) Brand Names: Anexsia, Dolorex Forte, Hycet, Liquicet, Lorcet, Lortab, Maxidone, Norco, Polygesic, Stagesic, Vicodin, Xodol, Zamicet, Zydone HAIRBALL????? LOL So if they're 10 mg instead of 5 mg, and you take 2 instead of one... that's 4X as much as taking one of the others! YIKES! Yeah, I'd cut back! Especially if you take it WITH the oxycontin. They told me the oxycontin was MUCH stronger than the hydrocodone/vicodin. But I didn't think it did much for me so I wasn't upset when they wouldn't renew it. I would definitely get on a schedule closer to what you did after the 1st surgery, and I think I'd quit that oxycontin ASAP! Just looked it up online and itching and confusion are both side effects... hopefully if you cut back those will stop... but don't know if Benadryl is a good idea as it also has a sedative effect!

Congrats, Kiddo!! Enjoy!! Yep, I sure remember John!! So much enjoyed the music, and he is a pretty interesting guy! AND, he doesn't like Obama!!! LOL!! Earl's antics are never-ending!! Told the neighbor, Jim, it was all his fault because he started this cement thing!! I watched World News TWICE!! I LOVE Charlie Gibson!! Especially when he says, "I HOPE you had a GOOD day!!" I told Earl he was going to cry at the end, and so when Charlie got all choked up, so did Earl!! I will really miss him! And I will hate not hearing him say, "I HOPE you had a GOOD day!!" Who will say that to me now????? Oh, Gosh... I think I had too much wine again!! Earl forgot to tell me the neighbors invited us for a party. So after the Christmas potluck, we went to the neighbors' for a patio party!! I walked home from the clubhouse, BTW, to walk off some of what I ate!! So they were surprised to see me arrive on foot and Earl on the scooter!!! :smile2::biggrin: Our cinnamon roll was only about half the size of a cinnabon, so hopefully half the calories, too. Didn't even really enjoy it!! Now the Lady Godiva truffle, that's another story!! LOL! Crap! I can't get started on sweets again! This has got to stop! The cinnamon roll was NOT worth it, but as I said, the truffle is another story!! And tonight was a bust! Too much food... I had some ham, some scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, corn casserole, and a small piece of... oh, I HATE to say it, carrot cake. After my resolve to stay away from the dessert table.... carrot cake!! Crap! It wasn't worth it either. We decided that we will SKIP the chapel potluck on Sunday. Potlucks are the devil's work! I will have to walk, walk, walk this weekend! I cannot give in to any more temptations! I am WEAK!! Oh, but I gotta tell you a couple of things... if I can remember them. These are NSVs, since I've been bad this week and had a weight gain.. have to focus on positive things and resolve to do better so I can look forward to more of these! First, I discovered that I can put my socks on by putting my foot up on my opposite knee. HAH!! So what, you say!?? Do you know how long it's been since I could do that??? A LONG time! So that's been several weeks now. So, I'm sitting at book club the other day and I had this sudden urge to cross my legs! I had this voice in one ear saying, "You can't do that!!" and in the other ear.... "Oh, yes, you can!! Remember the socks????" The rest is history... I sat there for the rest of the meeting with my legs crossed! HAH!! Another victory! Janet, hope you can come and hang out with us Sunday. Program starts at 6pm, but I have to be there at 5 pm... but you can come over whenever. We will just be chillin' all afternoon. Not sure what we'll do about dinner. Before 5pm is too early... might have to eat "dinner" after church and keep it light in the afternoon. We'll figure it out.

How many calories for a cinnamon roll???? It was a Cinnabon wannabe.. but much smaller, thank God!! I'm not going to bitch! I am going to be so happy with all that cemented in! It's going to look better, and no sand to track in!! You've got to come and see it when it's done, Janet!! I just wonder what Wanda said to him!! HAHAHAHA!! She said Larry told him his wife was going to be pissed if he didn't do it!! Then she was all worried... I didn't make you feel like I was going to be mad if you didn't do it, did I??? Because now it's going to go straight across from their place to ours. And she really wanted to have them put a curb around our palm tree but it's on our lot and not hers! So now she's happy about that. They love to do landscaping... and they've sort of adopted our palm tree. have decorated it way up to th top with lights. Well, I have another challenge to face tonight... park's Christmas pot luck!! Ham, scalloped potatoes, veggies, salads, rolls and desserts! I will strive to stick to ham, veggies and some scalloped potatoes! Oh, and Earl just told me we were invited to a party the people behind us are having tonight so we'll probably go over there when we get back from the other shindig! Janet... choir is doing a Christmas cantata Sunday night.. 6pm. I know it's a busy time of year... but would love to have you come if you like. It's called "Hope Has Hands", written by a musician (PhilCross) who dos a lot of contemporary Christian music. it's upbeat and fun. And hopefully there won't be any FOOD there!!!

That is a REAL bummer!!! Follow Janet's advice!!! I can't believe you had to spend your birthday in the hospital. When you feel better I think you should demand a RERUN!! But not in the hospital this time!!

No kidding!! And guess what he did RIGHT after dinner???? He'd been drooling over this Gingerbread Cake/Cookie booth earlier and lamenting the fact that it wasn't opened yet. So he goes straight there when we get back outside. So I was just browsing around thinking... he's going to get himself a Gingerbread cookie for dessert. Next thing I know he's walking toward me with this big stupid grin on his face and a warm cinnamon roll, dripping with frosting, cut in half with a fork stuck in each half!! I NEVER would've eaten anything like that if he hadn't shoved it in my face! I didn't eat the entire half, but a good part of it! So then, later on, I decided I may as well get myself a Lady Godiva chocolate truffle!! About 4 small bites for $2.50!! And probably 50 calories a bite, at least! It was bad! Then he's on to my case about gaining a pound! Oh... and he did this really bizarre thing today. We noticed when we got home last night that the next door neighbors had pulled everything from in front of the 5th wheel.. lattice, Christmas decorations, potted plants. So I said, hope they don't have a family emergency because it looks like they may be getting ready to pull out! Saw them outside this morning working, working.. and said "WHAT are you doing??" So they told me they were adding concrete and got a fantastic price. Then the cement guys showed up and I asked them to give an estimate to see what it would take to do ours at the same time. Talked to Earl about it in the hot tub and he came unglued! Was mad at me for asking for an estimate without asking him. Said he would NEVER put that kind of money in to this RV space because we can't get any return on it. It's just a donation to the RV park if you do that.. not his exact words but that was the gist of it. So I get back from the pool/hot tub an hour later and guess what??? He's moved everything from the front of OUR RV and the neighbors say, "Looks like you're getting concrete!!" Still can't believe it!! They're pouring all the way across from their place to ours on Monday!! Here I was all set for about a 3 day pout, and he decides he wants the concrete! Who can figure out MEN????

Quick post!! I should be getting in to my suit by now. Bothers Earl if I'm even only 1 minute late to water aerobics!! LOL Yes... I am glad it's not 5#!! But .4 last week and 1 this week makes 1.4 and now Earl is watching everything I put in to my mouth including Papaya tabs last night... Shoulder started hurting big time so I took some Ibuprofen... Then i could taste it in my pouch... you know what I mean... and I reached for some papaya. OK... I take too many of them. I had a handful! So he chewed me out and said I need to take Tums instead, blah, blah, blah, big lecture about how he's WORRIED that there's something wrong with my stomach because I'm having this "problem" and I'm gaining weight. OMG!!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!

Joanne... our son had a radiation "plaque" on the back of his eye for 7 days back about 6 yrs or so ago when he was diagnosed with eye cancer. I was surprised that they didn't restrict his visitors... his kids were about 6-13 yrs old at the time. And DIL had us take them over to visit him about every day, as I remember. Glad to hear you are doing SO well! STEPS??? I'm still struggling with steps and doing step exercises EVERY day! Sorry for the band setback, but you'll do fine. I'm betting those pills and the water so close after your breakfast played a role in all of that! Hope you get to go home today! Night nurses are sometimes cranky!! They don't get enough quality sleep. But that one sure had a chip on her shoulder. I can't say enough about how great all the nurses were when I was in. Always had the names on the board, too. I think once I reminded them that they needed to be changed. Well, you folks were mighty busy while I was gone yesterday and I can't remember any more of the conversations. Laura... again, I'm so very sorry for all that you're going through with your Dad. I know we all wish we could give you a big hug!

Hi, Ladies! Weigh in was not good. I've been wavering between 199-200 for about a month now! Probably need to cut my wine down, #1, and I've been "hungry" the past few nights and had maybe 6 crackers and a little cheese... 35 cal wedge. Gotta make some changes. It was a fun day, though. Little Italian place we went to for lunch was nice... good food, and they had a lunch menu. Today's special... 1/2 order of lasagna... so that's what we both had... just a shallow little boat shaped bowl, not very much cheese or meat, less than 1/2 c noodles, excellent sauce. Had bowl of minestrone soup with it. Mission Inn was impressive. I'm loading some more photos besides the ones I sent to FB by mobile. Beautiful light display. We shopped at a bunch of the little shops and big antique mall. Dinner reservations they had open were either 4pm or 8:30pm! So we took the 4 pm. But it worked out perfect because we ate in the outdoor courtyard and it was light out when we were seated but dark by the time we were finished and the lights were fantastic. They were very slow, so it was 5pm before we had our entrees. We had "stuffed" mushroom appetizer... but it was a thin slice of a big portabella mushroom.... "stuffing" seemed to be ricotta cheese with some small spinach leaves on top. It was kind of strange because the whole thing was floating in a white wine sauce. It was good though... and I don' think the calories were bad. We both chose roasted chicken breast w/garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus spears. Chicken was very tender, not over cooked, so I didn't have any trouble getting it down. Didn't eat it all. Oh.... Did I mention I had a Cosmo??? Never mind what we had later while walking around looking at all the lights! A couple of sweet treats! OH NO!

Good Morning! I"m up now, too! TOPS this morning so I have only a short time to scan emails, maybe read the paper and get out of here. Wii says I'm up 1/2 lb but Earl has the RV slightly tipped and I think it's not weighing very accurately. Anyways, I haven't been in the BR yet. But, it's probably not going to be great. I may just be a turtle today....?? Think the place Earl's picked out in Banning is "Guy's". It's Italian so he's probably after pizza. I'll find something.

Morning routine, salad for lunch, volunteer in activities office. Then watched some Judge Judy, had 2 small glasses of wine and went out to the desert to watch Earl fly his plane. Neighbors came out, too. Pork loin out of the freezer for dinner. Cooked some weeks ago. Had a little steamed butternut squash with it, and a little applesauce. Watching TV. Writing cards. Tomorrow we're going to have lunch in Banning.. some place Earl found on the internet... on our way to Riverside to see the Christmas lights at Mission Inn.

Glad the "procedure" went well! Our SIL had to have TWO this past summer.. about 2 months apart, because he was not sufficiently cleaned out the first time! And he wouldn't take any anesthesia because he wanted to go to work afterwards! I'm pretty tough when it comes to pain, but I don't think I'd want to do that without a little light anesthesia! Joanne's quilts are PRO level! Have you seen any pictures of her quilts??? AMAZING!! Hope our Lori is doing well!! She had her first knee done AFTER mine!! Brave to be doing the other one so soon, but have to admit I'm a little jealous because I'd like to get the other one done and get it over with too!!

I'm sorry! I think that sounds like a bunch of crap!! Like Janet said... don't do anything until after Christmas... heck, even after the 1st of the year... then two things I would NOT do are move your comfy chair and do away with the sewing/quilting stuff!! They're making excuses for why the house didn't sell yet and it's just a combination of the economy and the time of year. I would NOT lower the price either! I sure agree with everything you said about Karla's situation!! As for Tracy, she thought it was sorta funny, but she was also freaking and concerned! I think it was good for her to see the challenges we face! You need to get a little more assertive with that doctor!! You need the meds to even you out right now... Holidays have their unique challenges in themselves and you have a lot of other things going on!!!

Thinking of Lori this morning... probably in surgery by now. Meredith... GREAT pictures! You look wonderful, and happy. Laura, so sorry about the news about your Dad. Very difficult and sad situation and I'm so sorry... hugs!!

Haven't cooked it yet, but I better do it tomorrow!! We didn't feel like cooking much of anything after a full day of activities. So we had beans and wienies... the 45 calorie ones.

OH....I did LOTS of floor nursing, and the answer to your question is YES!!! A couple of individuals come to mind instantly!!

I haven't had a colonoscopy since banding, but the last two I DID have, I didn't have to drink that stuff. I had to take pills and drink two small bottles of that stuff that comes in a green bottle. It was much more tolerable than the gallon of "Go Lightly"!! Heck, I couldn't drink a gallon of that stuff BEFORE banding! I got halfway through before it started gagging me!

Steph, So sorry for where you're at emotionally right now. My first thought, too, was that maybe you need antidepressant adjusted or changed. This can be a very difficult time of year. Very common to have problems with depression at Christmas time. Not that that will help you feel any better! But, hugs from me, too! You KNOW we CARE!! Karla, sorry about the "perfect house" disappointment! That's a real bummer! Nice house, too! Janet, glad to hear things went well with Karri. I had two people having surgery on my prayer list for today... Karri & Terrie!! LOL! Didn't get back from all my activities today until almost 3pm! Then we had to go to the post office to mail a package! So it's been a busy day! Made 3 prs of earrings today.. Christmas trees, and other dangly earrings to match the two bracelets I made a couple of weeks ago. When I got home, Earl had already crashed his new helicopter in the desert and broke one of the blades!! He was supposed to put it back in the box and let me wrap it up!! So I guess I can play with my iTouch some more tonight. I won't crash it or break it, though. He did resurrect my wireless mouse! Dried it all out, but he'd messed up the buttons trying to take it apart this morning, so then he had to fix that! Good thing he's handy with stuff like that!

I think Ruby is having PS, too, but don't know any details and can't remember how I found that out! :thumbup: Keeping Karri in my prayers this morning. She should be in surgery right now. And a neighbor of mine in WA who is having knee replacement this morning with same doc I had. We did Christmas shopping for each other yesterday afternoon, and I decided to let Earl pick out his own RC helicopter at the hobby shop. So then he wanted to play with it last night... charge the battery, sync it with the controller, etc. So he gave me my iTouch to charge it and play with it. I just sent my sister an email.... I need HELP!! Can't figure out how to sync it with my music, photos, contacts, etc. I did manage to get it signed on to our WiFi network, but only after a long and labored process of trying to figure out what our password is!! Neither of us could remember and I finally figured out how to go to my online site that gives all the info about our network and there it was!! A long and complicated password that neither of us would EVER remember!!! Today will be a busy day... water aerobics, beading class, book club... all back to back!! Leaving in about 30 minutes and probably won't be back until at least 2:30 pm! Oh, Earl dropped my wireless mouse into my hot cup of coffee first thing this morning. Don't ask how that hapened! It's complicated! So now he's trying to dry it out, but we think it's probably dead! So I'm back to the touch pad! For now.

Hi, Just chatted with Linda a little... filled her in on Candice's retirement, Karri & Ruby's surgery. She is very busy... last week of the semester, working on new curriculum, family challenges. Don't think I told you this funny story.... Old couple live across the street.. friends of ours, about 85 & 75 and he has alzheimer's.. not bad, but tells the same stories, asks the same questions, over and over. He's a funny old guy, and little... skinny, short. So last week he's in Costco with his wife..they both push grocery carts because they don't walk too well. So, wife looks up to see him standing there with his pants around his ankles and looking puzzled... like he can't quite figure out what's wrong but knows something is!! Hmmmm... I can't walk! So she catches up with him.. he says, "can you help me with this"?? And they proceed to pull the pants back up. So she's had everyone in stitches with this story all week. Today I had this bright idea... he's Jewish.. So we went to Walmart and I bought a Happy Hanukkah card and a pair of suspenders. I Put them in a gift bag and took them over to him.. Told him "Happy Hanukkah, Max!" and "I heard you had a little incident at Costco last week!! So his wife is falling out of her chair laughing as he pulls the suspenders out of the bag. And, Max... you would've thought I gave him a million bucks! He was tickled pink and wanted me to help him put them on. It was a kick!! IN THE PANTS!! LOL!