Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

I think it's time for a page-turn, so it's my duty to provide a TOPP - or two.

Complaining about a problem without proposing a solution is called whining.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

Hello my friends,

Back with almost decent internet again. Hope you are all well.
There are so many Army trucks and equipment being transported up to the to Northern Territory obviously the threat of war is being taken seriously.
Will catch up on reading what has been happening in your world.
Luv and Hugs.

WELL DRATS, We do not have a new bus driver. I thought my sources were reliable, but nope. So many rumors going around now, but we will still have the bus going. One of our staff, who is already doing more than she can do correctly, will now take 2 days a week out of her time to do her regular jobs to drive.

SUZY, is this one of the firsts? Don's first birthday since he died? First or not, I know anniversaries of any kind are hard. Huge hugs, dear, and yes, it is OK to observe the day in any way you choose, from totally ignoring it, staying in bed and pulling covers over your head, or having family together for cake and ice cream (although this one might be hard for the littles to understand). It is your choice, whatever helps you .

DORA, cute. I am often wondering what I am here after too hehehe.

Julie, thanks for the link, I hope to read this, because I am dyslexic and have a grandson who has just completed a masters degree who cannot read, dyslexia THAT severe!

SUZY, could you use dry shampoo? Perhaps cover your face with a towel so no over spray gets on the wound, have one of the girls spray it on for you, then brush and brush hair to remove dirt and residue of the spray. Not as good as a real shampoo, but a vast improvement over nothing at all. I use it between shampoos, especially when one side of my hair, around face, gets sweaty at night.

June, sending hugs and am happy to hear the procedure went well. Hope you enjoy Ann's visit. You are a remarkable woman, continuing to do all that you do. Makes me tired just reading all you do. I hope you enjoy every minute.

posting before I turn the page, hugs to each of you, with extras.

Good to see Broni here again. Hope you can now make a habit of dropping in.

Well, you could never guess what is parked right at our front entrance. It arrived today, no word how long it will be here. We have a high end porta potty unit, 3 seperate rooms, one male, one female, and one for either/or. NICE ones, rommy, pretty inside, not those things you see at concerts or sports events. A movie is being shot across the street from our apartment building. Movie is set in the 20's or 30's forward. We have some nice older houses and apartments from that era, that were rehabed true to the era, that are being used for inside shots. We also have 2 or 3 vintage cars parked across the street. An entire block is blocked off from traffic, where the big trucks that brought in all the light and sound equipment are parked in the road. The name of the movie is 'Bigger' and one of our handicapped residents went out asking questions, actually talked to the director of the movie. I am wondering what will happen when a fire truck has to respond to a medical emergency, and has no place to park. The potties are in the loading zone where the handicapped public buses and the fire truck park. Might be interesting before they are gone.

Saw both my doctors. I thought I posted after the first visit, but do not see it. Electro cardiologest wants me on the latest and greatest blood thinner. I am thinking it is not going to happen, even if insurance will pay, the co pay will be over $60. I am already on one rate and rythym med that is $60. Not sure how many 60's I can come up with every month. I also have to have an 'at home' sleep study, but have not heard anything about that yet. Company will mail some equipment to me, I will have to hook it up and they will somehow monitor. Not sure how well that will go. Wonder when the first do it yourself surgery kit will be used?

I am probably forgetting something, but have sat as long as I can tolerate. time for some recliner and a good book time. More hugs if you want one.

So nice to see you here, Broni! Hooray for an internet connection! Hmm, I'm not too sure I like the idea of many Army trucks and equipment being transported up to the to Northern Territory. The possibilities are mind-blowing. Take care, Broni! Enjoy your travels!

MizT, I guess the idea of having a permanent bus driver was too good to be true. It's nice that someone has apparently stepped up to help out, but tough on that person to have additional duties added to an already busy work load.

Suzy, I hope your recovery goes exceptionally well! Please take care of yourself! Sending warm {{{HUGS}}} and lots of positive thoughts as you remember Don in a special way!

June, I hope you and Anne have a wonderful visit! Enjoy!

MizT, just a bit of excitement happening there! Your thoughts are valid - what if an emergency vehicle needs to get there quickly?Crossing fingers that the filming gets done quickly and without upsetting the routine for all the residents!

Thinking of you, Heidi, and hoping your ear doesn't get worse over the weekend. I hope this doctor appointment will finally find the source of he recurring infection so that it can be completely healed!

Sending an ample supply of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, prayers, , and positive thoughts for everyone!

The bleeding has let up from the ear. The fluid oozing from it steadily is just a thick yellow now. My appointment with the ENT is in 47.5 hours.

Julie, there were no trucks, porta potties, actors, crew or blocked roads today. One resident said the movie makers cleared out about 1:30 am. I do not know if they will return first of week or not, but so far, no first responders needed to get here.

I was eating a piece of Dove Chocolate, inside wrapper said 'hit snooze again'. I am so thankful I do not have to rise every morning to an alarm. I spent many years getting up at 5 am or before, no time to hit snooze again. I had a 45 minuet commute, park and walk to my floor, had to sign in by 6:45. Left me less than an hour to shower and shampoo, have breakfast, and get myself dressed and youngest daughter up, her hair brushed before I was out the door. yep, no time to hit snooze button even once. I was IN the shower before the alarm stopped ringing.

I am being offered new flooring for my apartment. floor coverings are changed every 10 years. I can choose wood grained laminate or carpet, or half and half. I think I would like to keep carpet in bedroom, laminate on other floors. I have to remove everything off the floor of 3 closets, and pack away anything that could break. I can leave things on shelves of linen closet and the walk in storage closet. But since I have double hanging in my closet, I have to remove the clothing on bottom rod. those can go to the shower curtain rod, it is heavy and screwed into the wall with 3 screws each end, I think it will hold them all. I also have a 24 inch wide book case in the walk in, most everything in it will have to be packed up. I hope they give me 3 days notice of my date, at least. I started clearing out some things today. No wonder I am achey tonight.

It is 6 pm, and almost dark. Days getting so very short! It is too late for a nap, and too early to go to bed, but I am sleepy and about to break the rules and climb in bed a while.

Hugs to each of you, with extras. Next time I get here will comment on posts that are here.

See Tricia. See Tricia try to post like on FB. Silly Tricia.

Hi, Everyone!

Heidi, I'm guessing that the thick yellow discharge is better than blood. Hoping the ENT appointment will determine cause and solution! Also hoping the next day and a half goes quickly for you!

MizT, what a pleasant surprise that so much could be cleared away from the movie shoot so quickly (and hopefully quietly, since it happened in the very early morning). If only the elves who did that could make themselves available for when you need to clear out so much from your apartment to get the new flooring! Do they actually expect residents to do all of that work on short notice?That's an awful lot of work, even if you have some helpers!

MizT, I totally understand trying to post as if on FB when here. I want to press the like button or make corrections/edit when I spot an misspelled word, etc., but NOPE, it doesn't work.

Thinking of everyone and sending good and positive thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and

I do it too! In fact I’ve almost reported comments as abusive looking for the like button!

I met a friend for coffee yesterday. She told me her cruise leaves on 13 November. I laughed and said no fair! You’re going on a cruise when I’m getting a colonoscopy! The contrast was funny!

Yes, Suzi, a cruise would be much better than a colonoscopy! Well, the test itself is not so bad, if given the anesthesia, but the prep and the waiting around at the clinic for your turn are. Perhaps you can imagine palm trees, water, sunshine and tropical breezes while they have you 'under' for the test. That is how I distract myself from the unpleasantness of medical invasive tests.

One more day, Heidi. Hope you get some relief from the infection in your ear tomorrow.

Julie, my apartment is on the back side of building, a nice view overlooking the parking lot. Well, I can at least see who is going out for the day, and when staff have left to pick up lunches (they leave a 2 shelved cart near entrance to load the insulated bags of food on their return). So I did not hear anything from movie folks any time they were here.

Julie, it amuses me at times what old people find to complain about. It seems the porta potties were the big complaint. It was an a trailer, the 3 unit facilities. nice set of stairs going up to each, the doors facing our front sidewalk. A clear view from our game room, where there are puzzles being put together, card games often played, and the birds, finches. hence the room's name, the bird room. Residents were actually going to the windows, peeking through the blinds, checking out facilities, hoping to see a movie star who needed them. They had electricity, running water, were kept spotless clean, inside and out. And our residents complained about them being in our view. As my nephew is fond of saying, a first world problem.

Bronie, seeing the trucks, personnel and equipment being made ready must have had an element of fear, just a bit at least. And before the internet, I would never have heard about this. Glad you have better internet service now, good to see you drop in here. Stop by again soon, we have missed you.

I need to go check outside flowers. Will only water anything really dry, as tonight and tomorrow we have 100% chance of rain, up to 2 inches tomorrow. Friday I had one potted plant, Vinca also called periwinkle here, that was so drooped from lack of water it looked dead, it must have not got enough the last watering, I did not think it would survive. Soil was so dry just watering did no good, water ran down insides of pot and right out. I found a plastic bucket, filled it with water and set pot into it. let it soak up from bottom for about 8 hours. Poked holes into the soil so water could run into soil and watered heavily from top. OK, it had perked up a bit in 8 hours when I took it out but I thought surely I would loose it. another 36 hours, it looks as if it had been happy all along. I love plants!

out to garden before it gets HOT again today. Forecast of 80 degrees, the last temp that high forecast for next 10 days. In about 5 days out, forecast for light frost in low lying areas. not here, to much heat absorbing asphalt, concrete and brick of roads, sidewalks and tall building

, to much heat absorbing asphalt, concrete and brick of roads, sidewalks and tall buildings that absorb and give back heat. My sis will bring me her fuchsia plant, it will frost in her low lying valley and she cannot take plants inside, allergies. I hope I can overwinter it same as I did one of mine last winter, IF it is not stolen again!

Hugs to each. later.

It IS amusing what people will complain about. I cannot imagine ANYONE in Puerto Rico complaining about a clean facility like that being in their sight!

Suzy, we'll be keeping you in our thoughts leading up to and including Nov. 13. Will this be your first colonoscopy? I like MizT's suggestion for visualizing a pleasant location and activity!

MizT, you're right about the complainers. Your nephew's comment about it being a first world problem is so true.

MizT, hooray for saving the vinca/periwinkle! What a great idea to set the pot in a pail of water. I hope your sister's fuchsia plant will do well over the winter. Will you bring it inside to prevent theft?

Heidi, your point of view is so correct. I imagine the people in Puerto Rico would be absolutely THRILLED to have those porta-potties! I hope your ENT appointment goes well tomorrow and your ear will soon be completely cleared up!

Thinking of everyone and sending healing energy, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and prayers! Good Night from here.

Heidi, have you been yet?

This will be the third year in a row I will be having the dreaded colonoscopy. If they don’t find polyps this time I should get a break next year. 🤞

Broni, I hope the preparations are unnecessary in the end! Scary to think what a few narcissistic people can bring down on us. And so wrong that it won’t be them at risk.

MizT, my next door neighbour would get along well with your complainers. I stay away from her as much as I can.

The stitches and sticking plaster on my face are driving me mad! I made an appt today to get a nurse to help me remove the plaster on Friday. The stitches are dissolving. It’s kind of messy so I’m scared I’ll pull it open.m

I leave in just over an hour for the ENT appointment. My fingers are crossed that we'll find a solution, but I think it will only be temporary. I have so much scar tissue in the ear canal that it will never be able to drain normally.

I got back from the ENT, and we had a power failure within 5 minutes of me walking in the door. Just got the power back.
Had a lovely visit with my ENT. They're such nice people there. I have a raging infection, so they had to remove the blocked tube in my ear and suction out as much infection as they could. They're putting me on Cipro, both drops and pills. 💊 Cipro is the only antibiotic that works on my ear. I go back in 3 weeks for a check-up, and if it's healed enough, they'll put another tube in for drainage and pressure. I have so much scar tissue in the eustacian tube that it cannot function properly, so I need to have a tube in. That scar tissue is also the reason that I will continue to have these infections.

Hi, Everyone!

Suzy, perhaps 3 years in a row for a colonoscopy should be a limit. At least you are following doctor's orders and keeping tabs on any potential problems!

Here's hoping your nurse appointment on Friday will help you remove the sticking plaster carefully and safely and not disturb the healing that has been taking place, Suzy!

Heidi, it's great that you have a good working relationship with the professionals at the ENT office! Here's hoping the Cipro does what it's supposed to do and clears up the infection! I didn't realize that scar tissue could lead to further infections. I hope you will soon be feeling better.

Thinking of everyone, as I'm trying to head to bed earlier. Sending , {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, healing energy, and prayers for everyone!

Greetings friends,

Heidi, I am glad you have medication for the ear infection. I hope it works quickly to clear it up, this time. Do you think it would help if you had set follow up appointments, have them look at it often, to perhaps catch an infection when it is starting, not when it is a rip roaring infection? They could be sure your tube in ear is functioning as it should, also. That is what I would want if it were me. Did ENT do exam by candle light? Know you are glad power is back on.

Suzy, I am sending hopes and wishes that the nurse appointment goes well, and the plaster comes off easily without pulling out stitches. Let us know how it goes, we care. About the colonoscopy, after my first, when I saw my PCP and he saw what they found and removed, he told me, you know, 'you have changed your life with that test. If you had not had it, in a couple of years, you would have had colon cancer. Now, was it worth it?' Decided, yep, totally worth it, but still think there should be an easier prep and the tables one lies on for the follow up barium enema I always need after colonoscopy were not such torture, but yes, less than cancer.

How very nice to have a remote for TV that works first time, every time I click a button. the only thing I find a problem with is the mute button is not functioning. I will phone Provider when I have time, see if there is a secret to getting it to work. I have messed around with an out of date remote, whee pushing a button had varrying resuts every time.

Two young men from a local college fraternity came to help with small tasks I could not get done. they hung 2 small pictures for me, got the remote up and working, and put a large non working space bag stored up on shelf I had cleaned off for it. big help!

Xon't know what is going on, but I am having several mild side effects, hope they can ckler those for me,.

Sleepy attack coming on fast and hard, time to sign off and hope for the bet, Hugs for each of them an d the necessary treatment will be minimal,

To brf noe fore i fall out of my chair, hug hugs to rach o f you forever, hugs,

Hi, Sudokuaholics!!

Just stopping by before heading to bed. I see MizT also stopped by. Seems like a good suggestion from MizT to Heidi. Consider having follow-up appointments with the ENT to keep track of the tube and any infections that could be starting.

Excellent share from MizT regarding her first colonoscopy and findings. When you look at it that way, it's a minor inconvenience.

I hope your nurse appointment goes well, Suzy.

What a great service project for the college fraternity members - to help with small tasks that are difficult for seniors o accomplish. Having a working TV remote will be great.

Sending lots of healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, prayers, and for everyone!

That was fun, MizT!!! I love watching someone fall asleep while typing.

I have a follow up appointment in 3 weeks. I used to have regular check-ups every 6 months but they decided that I know my body so well that I should just call them when something starts going wrong. This itme, it went wrong fast. My last appointment with them was 6 months ago when they treated me for an infection, drained the ear and put in the new tube. I've never had a new infection set in this quickly before. Usually it's 1 1/2 to 2 years between bad infections. Unfortunately, there's no hope of breaking this cycle... not with all the scar tissue preventing the ear canal from draining or equalizing pressure in my head.

Good luck with the colonoscopy, Suzy. I hope they find nothing to worry about. THAT would make it worthwhile, too.

Wow, I was falling asleep at the keyboard last night. Oh well, I knew what I was saying hehehe. And I did just stand up and fall over into bed, my computer desk is so close to bed that I use one end of it for bedside table.

Today I was looking forward to the Wicked Haute Dog's food truck visiting here at EP, they never made it. First, they called to say they would be late, but when they never arrived, staff member told us there had been a major accident on freeway, near us, that tied up traffic for over an hour and that could have prevented them getting here. Sure did want that slaw dog.

Went dumpster diving today, hunting clean boxes that have been tossed away. found two, plus a plastic tote minus the lid, just needs washing on one corner. That will do for all the things and stuff, from motor oil, plant fertilizer, hedge trimmers, tool box, etc. that is on the book case inside the walk in closet. Nothing breakable there, but they could not move it with all the stuff on it. I also started cleaning out my minivan. I have had 2 bags of mulch and 4 of cow manure, composted, in there since spring. Got half of them to back patio. Other halllf I will move out tomorrow, then I can store some of the boxes in there so I am not living in boxes for 2 weeks. Date is set for November 7, A Thursday. On Wednesday Cleaning lady will be here and instead of cleaning that day, can help me move boxes and unplug electronics. NO WAY I can get back up if I did make it down under desk to unplug. Sister invited me to come out to spend the day with her, her hubby will even let me use his recliner for the day. One of staff will lock up apartment for me in case they do not finish in one day, I can spend night with sister.

We will use the mulch once the lantana has to be trimmed. It dies back in winter, and good time to redo the weed barrier. I really need to get the landscape people to trim it back now, it is diseased. Looks like a virus, mildew looking that we had last year at end of year. IF it is what I suspect, nothing to do but cut it back to keep it from spreading to other plants, bag it, then wash tool blades in alcohol, to keep from spreading.

My sister brought me a fuchsia plant today, it will get cold her place tonight. Not so healthy looking, needs some work, but last year, I kept one of mine over winter, it did great in the lobby of building 2. Remember, it was one of the plants that were taken by people unknown last spring when I put it back outside. Hope this one stays and puts out more blooms. Only 2 blooms on it now.

Heidi, reason I suggested follow up appointments, I think you waited a few days to even call for appointment, then more days to get available one to see doc. I know how hard it is to decide, yep, doc is necessary. We like to think it will get better/go away, cause we just do not believe it is as serious as it is. I am doing the same thing here, now, that is what I was talking about as I fell asleep, and still I did not

Greetings, Friends!

I hope MizT was able to get a rejuvenating sleep!

Suzy, thinking of you. I hope the prep is easy and goes well. When my sister had her first colonoscopy, all she had to do was take a pill. Hubby and I never had it quite so easy. Will also be thinking of you (tomorrow?) during your appointment to get the plaster removed.

Heidi, I hope your ear is completely healed in the 3 weeks. Does your ENT think this frequency is the new normal? Certainly NOT what we would wish for you!

We got a flat tire on the way to my music classes today, so I missed chamber music. Actually got there about 10 minutes before it ended, but by the time we could get to the first floor (where there was no parking) from the second floor (found ONE parking spot), there was only 10 minutes left. By the time I could take out and tune my cello, we would have essentially been out of time. The biggest problem is that our car doesn't have a spare tire. There's a small air pump that gets plugged into the car. It puts a liquid into the tire that will seal the puncture, then pumps until it reaches 36 psi.That takes some time for a pump the size of a paper back book. Hubby dropped me off at the music school, then went to get the tire fixed. They showed him the hole (not just a simple puncture) that went through several 'belts' of the tire. The tire was repaired, but they said not to rely on it for any distance, and we're going to see my sister this weekend. SO, our 1-year-old tire must be replaced (over $250). Luckily the tire repair was completed by the end of 2-hour orchestra & on time to take me to another campus for my lesson.

I'm hoping to get to bed soon-ish. We hope to get the replacement tire tomorrow, then on Friday, hubby needs to go for a CT scan in the hope of finding out what is causing pain.

Thinking of all of our Sudokuaholic friends and sending positive thoughts, healing energy, , {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and prayers for each of you!

Ran a bit over, drats. Here is the remainder.


and still I did not phone doc office today. Tomorrow is his last day this week, really need to call tomorrow. I just wonder what doc will think, me not able to take another medication. I did tell them I could not take beta blockers, and this is a newer one I had not tried before, but too many things I am feeling are listed as side effects, some listed under the 'call doc immediately if . .'

OK, I am out of here before I do the same as last night. Huge hugs to each of you.

I spent the day with Dana and the kids. Tahli and Daniel stayed with me while Issy had speech therapy. Nick is kind of a space and sci fi freak, so Issy shocked the therapists by talking about earthlings. Tahli and Daniel inhaled a doughnut and a hot chocolate, way faster than usual so we had time to fill. I then drove them to the Uni for Tahli’s early intervention class. At the end she had that biggest meltdown she has ever had because she wasn’t done playing with the waffle blocks. Nothing calmed her, which is unusual. Very unusual. When she had finally got to just sobbing, I did the wrong thing and convinced her to take one of the options her mother gave her by offering her a $2 coin to spend on a treat. I’ll have to apologise to Dana for that one. It worked, but sets a precedent that might come back to hurt Dana.

19 hours until I get the bandage off! 20 hours until I can wash my hair!

Revolting bandage gone! The scar isn’t pretty right now, but it will get better. At least the itch is gone! I have red marks from the adhesive, but it could be worse.

OOOPS! It's later than I thought. I need to be off to bed.

Sending healing energy, prayers, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and

Funny story. I was shopping with Alie the other day and an older man was talking to her, I didn’t hear the conversation, but did hear “yanks”. I walked over and said, are you really running down Americans to an American? Alie was annoyed at me, “he didn’t really say anything that bad”, but I bet he thinks twice about saying anything about Americans again! He apologised at least 4 times when we ran into him around the shop. We pointed out we hate Trump too.

I ended up spending two days in hospital. I reacted to the radiation. I shook for over and hour and then started vomiting. The nausea lasted for two days so they kept me on the grip. It was yesterday before I could face any food again and then I could come home. Slept a lot yesterday and muscle sore around the stomach area (dry reaching) but otherwise OK. Professor was very pleased and said the treatment should work for 6 months.
We had a lovely lot of much needed rain. Pleased that I do not have to water the garden.

Anne from Albany stayed with me for a few days early in the week. It was great to meet her and we had dinner with a few other Sudoku members on Tuesday night.

Today was a lovely day for an outing, and a ride around the park. good thing, cause that was my route in my power chair to my doctor's office. I had a sudden and moderate spell of shortness of breath. I called his office, left a message, then got in my recliner to await return phone call. I was invited to come on down (Fridays they do not have patient appointments, but are in office doing paperwork and such) but stop by for an X ray before going back to see doc. Took far longer to wait for the X ray than to make the drive down, did the drive in about 15 minuets. I get almost to Building one of the St Vincent complex, (where I usually go in to finish trip through connected buildings, much shorter and safer) but on wrong side of street, very near where an exit from parking and handicap ramp and cross walk entrance to doorway of building one are across from each other, where I usually cross the street. OOOPS, my sidewalk is blocked with cones and orange tape, for no visible reason. Look for options, the next closest place on hospital side where the curb was cut for traffic, had a car PARKED in it.

OK, out into the street way early praying for no traffic , but a delivery truck was parked in the center, turn lane, so no traffic in that lane. Car coming toward me stopped at the cross walk I usually used, and held up oncoming traffic till I got up the street and across in front of her. There are some nice people in the world, and besides, it is law to stop for pedestrians in cross walk I was almost to

Anyhow, X ray was clear, no reason for short of breath, heart and pulse rate were fine. When I suggested it was perhaps the newest medication, he told me all the reasons it should Not have done this, but decided to 'experiment' and take me off the medication. 'take it easy this weekend pamper yourself, and drink 2 extra glasses of liquid a day. Keep a record of BP and Pulse for 2 weeks, and keep your appointment with electro cardiologist on Wednesday. Casll me if you have any further problems'. OK can do. Have been reading and watching TV, had my lunch I had ordered for today, and putting up with fumes of pinesol from across the hall, Connie's old apartment is being cleaned for a new resident. Think I shall go downstairs, perhaps outside, to get away from those fumes. I did ask the housekeeping lady to please keep connie's door closed, and odor has got better. I strongly dislike pine sol, and she used a while quart bottle to mop floors and wash counters, YUCK.
Thanks for reading my saga for today, hugs to each of you, with extras, till later.

Glad you're home from the hospital, June. That sounds like a horrible experience. I forget... was this your first radiation treatment?

I don't mind the smell of pinesol in moderation, it's when an excessive amount is used that it's nasty. It's meant to be diluted quite a bit. The fumes from too much pinesol can kill birds, and if it can kill birds, it can't be healthy for humans.

June, your posts were not on my feed when I posted my saga earlier. I am sorry you had such a reaction, glad you had hospital care to get you through it. I hope you do receive the good results of this radiation for the next six months. If it works that long, might be worth the reaction you had to endure. I do hope the sore muscles from dry heaves soon diminishes and you are feeling much better soon.

I too would be interested to know if this was first radiation, or some change in the radiation you had earlier if you did. You are so amazing, how you handle the things necessary to treat the cancer, your ability to continue with your daily activities so quickly after something kicks your backside, and how you are seeing family and friends as often as you do, not letting cancer be the focus of your life.

June, I too am looking for rain, so I do not have to water garden again. forecast is for rain, then much colder temps this weekend. At first forecast was for the rain to turn to freezing rain just before we returned to dry weather, but forecast temps are not low enough now. I am unable to cover plants at the moment, and coverings that got wet would do no good, plastic is not effective to keep warmth in, so I am happy the forecast has changed. Just have to see what happens.

Heidi, getting out of apartment till fumes had dissipated helped a lot. Also a good reason to sit outside and enjoy the moderate temps before the change tonight. Lovely lovely day, and pinesol got me outside to enjoy it

Suzi, so glad your bandage is gone, and more comfortable for you. I do hope the scar fades soon, but in the meantime, try not to think about it. It is less noticeable to the people you see than it is to you looking in the mirror. Your knowing it is there, makes it the first and only thing you see. Others are not that focused on it so just smile, and go about your regular routine. You might run into another Aussie making remarks about the yanks who needs a word or two from you hehehe.

More hugs if you need them. till later.

Hi, Everyone! Just glanced to see who has posted, but too much to read. I need to get to bed due to an early alarm in the morning.

Sending healing energy, positive thoughts, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and for Everyone!

June, I’m sorry to hear about your bad reaction. It sounds agonising! Plus hospitals are no fun to be stuck in when you’re only moderately unwell, let alone feeling that awful!

MizT, I hope the experiment works and you feel better soon too.

Heidi, you made me think of canaries in coal mines. Definitely not good for you if it can kill birds!

Good morning SA people! I posted the following on the FB Sudoku friends page and was asked by June why I hadn't posted it on easy, and by MizT why I hadn't posted it on SA. I feel no connection with Easy at all but I apologise profusely to you, my SA friends. You enriched my life more than I can say and I loved coming here every day to read what was happening in your lives and share what was good and bad in my life. Why I stopped posting here I do not know. It wasn't just FB. I have always come back and read everything and have kept up to date on people's news, especially those not on FB like Heidi and Nola. I just simply stopped posting!
This was what I posted on FB:
10 years ago, on October 23rd 2007, I joined the Sudoku site after lurking around for a few months. I want to say thank you one and all. I came to you when my life was in turmoil. Your posts cheered me up and got me through long sleepless nights. You have changed and enriched my life so much. I believe I am a better person for having been a part of this wonderful cyber community. Over the years I have met many of you even some from overseas. I have been to gatherings all over Australia, I have hosted gatherings and even had a few of you stay at my home. I thank you all! (And a special thanks to Gath for creating sudoku.com.au)

I have just checked back and I knew I was still regularly posting in 2013 when MizT started SA11. I know when I became MIA. In mid 2014 I was rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack. After 4 days in hospital and many tests it turned out that my heart was fine. But I had decided to give up smoking and after 50 years of it. I just did it, easily. Wow, I thought.
But, what I didn't know was the effects it would have on me. Where just lighting a smoke would calm me down, I no longer had a crutch. My mind blurred! I became anxious, had panic attacks, my OCD increased, I gained 15 kgs and I withdrew from many things - SA being one of them.
I am only better in the fact that I recognise these things when they happen and try harder to control them.

What have I done since this happened to me?
After wallowing in self-pity for a long time, I joined a class in watercolour which I enjoy even though I am no artist. I made new friends there and through them have become more involved in the local community. I also now carry a sketchbook with me often. I find I am better at drawing than painting.
I eventually cleaned out 'the room'. It used to be my office when we had the business but stopped being used except as a receptacle for paperwork and anything we didn't know what to do with. It became a hovel behind it's closed door. And I became even more unsettled knowing it had to be sorted. Finally I got it emptied and tidied up. It is now a bedroom, as it was meant to be.

Cyn, so pleased to see your post here. I just feel that so many people now post on FB and not on Sudoku that the site has changed and not for the better. I am not a fan of FB although I am a member.
I appreciate all the support I have had by my Sudoku friends.
I do hope that you will call in here more often.

The better news - Col, my husband, is still working, hating his job, becoming a grumpy old man but I love him to bits, we have our 30th anniversary coming up in 2018.
My daughter graduated as a Nutritionist and is studying to become a Naturopath, while also working.
Her children: Lachlan, my only grandson is 19 this week, driving, and studying Graphic Design at college.
Madeline, his sister is nearly 17 and anxious to be driving, one more year at school, plans to do Early Childhood Care, and works part-time at McDonalds.
My son is Col's supervisor at work, lol, and now has 2 of his 3 girls living with him.
Hayley, 17, finishes High School in a few weeks, already has Uni acceptance, wants to become a primary school teacher.
Emily, the one abandoned by her Mum, is nearly 16 and is a handful. She has had a few suspensions at school, done some naughty things and a complete worry to us all. But is also a sweet loving girl to her Dad and Col and I and the family. She has no filter and tells her mother exactly what she thinks of her and what she did (yayyy!). But she has no self-worth.
Little Chloe is now a tweenie, nearly 12, with everything that goes with it. But she is smart and sporty and I don't worry about her at all. She'll do well in life.