Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember amateurs built the Ark... professionals built the Titanic.

- unknown-

I decided on a name for the Starling. Snce he's colored like a starry night sky, I chose ''Vincent''.

The pictures of Laura, on the Parents page are a continuing reminder of June's absence.

What if Noah had missed bringing a pair of mosquitoes?

It's been pouring rain all day, and temperatures just above freezing. We're under flood watch. I decided to keep all the horses and alpacas locked in the barn tonight for their comfort. The stalls and pens are all clean and deeply bedded with fresh straw. Normally the horses prefer staying outside, and it's a job getting them all in. Tonight they ran into the barn on their own.

Hi, Everyone!

What a great TOPP, Heidi! Since you mentioned all the rain you're getting, is that what prompted your TOPP? I hope you won't be needing an ark any time soon!

Heidi, I think Vincent is a great name for the starling! I hope he's enjoying his part-time winter home!

DOrA, thanks for the reminder that there are pictures of Laura on the Parents page! I don't get to the Sudoku pages as often as I should.

DOrA, I don't think many of us would have been disappointed if Noah had forgotten the mosquitoes.

Heidi, which would be better for you - the pouring rain or snow if the temperature were colder? I remember how much of a problem the cold mud was during calving season. I'm so glad you were able to get the stalls and pens ready for the alpacas and horses! What a relief to know that they are inside for now. As you said, the horses even seemed to be glad to be inside the barn.

In reading my post from yesterday, I realized/remembered two things. I need to keep track of the numbers and I should proofread before submitting the comments. Luckily, Heidi was keeping track of the numbers. I hope CynB realized that I was talking about their repaired aircon. (Auto-correct tried to correct it to 'zircon' again today.)

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

Morning all!
Yes, Julie, after wondering for a few seconds just what you meant by 'zircon'. it dawned on me that you meant aircon. Our weather has temporarily gone back to bearable, didn't even need the aircon yesterday but we have been warned that more hot weather is on it's way.
Heidi, love the name Vincent especially when I googled for images of starlings - what pretty birds. Starry starry night in bird form!

Finished my Christmas shopping yesterday. A few things to wrap today and all done for me. Christmas is at Karin's new house. Yayy!
Christmas party for the Art group today. Looking forward to that.
Chemo #11 tomorrow - getting nearer the end.

CynB, I'm glad you were able to figure out the 'zircon' comment. I must remember to watch out for autocorrect!

I hope Col's chemo #11 goes well tomorrow! I'll be thinking of him! What a relief that he is so close to the end!

WOW! You've finished Christmas shopping and most of the wrapping! I'm impressed. I have only bought a few items, and nothing is wrapped. I haven't started Christmas cards either. Tomorrow is my last cello lesson before Christmas, so I may not do much practicing between tomorrow and Christmas.

Thinking of everyone and sending healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, , and positive thoughts. I'll be off to bed soon, as we need to start the day early tomorrow. Take care, Everyone!

CynB... have they cut back the dosage any on Col's chemo?

I hope he gets through this fairly well. At least there's only one left after tomorrow.

I just wrapped the last of my presents today. Granted, I don't give presents to many people.

Heidi, the dosage does get adjusted. When we arrive there, the nursing staff check his bloods and ask questions about the previous fortnight and what reactions he has had. They then call the oncologist and based on those answers and his blood results, she orders the concoction. Within 20 minutes the pharmacy delivers it and the infusion begins. It a very well-oiled machine, the cancer unit and is staffed by the loveliest friendliest and most capable medical staff. Considering what the facility is, it has a nice atmosphere. I expect it to be very festive today and we will dress accordingly.
We have had Lachlan and Madeline spend the day with us at the unit and today is Emily's turn. We won't take Chloe as she's only 14, but will take Hayley next time if she wants to come. It's good for them to see that Col is not in pain when it's being done.

Please give Col a hug from me, and my best wishes that this session and the next go fairly easily.
He's a brave man.

CynB, it's so good to know how nice the nursing staff on the oncology unit are, and that they acknowledge that this is a holiday season! Hooray for dressing appropriately for the holidays and allowing grandies to spend the time with the two of you. It's a great idea to let them see the procedure and see that the infusion itself isn't painful! I hope today's and the final session go well for everyone! Here's hoping the holidays can be cheerful times for you!

Heidi, good for you for being ready for Christmas.

Thinking of everyone as they prepare for their upcoming holidays! Sending lots of warm {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, , positive thoughts, and prayers!

Some fun family 'Christmas Photos', here...

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/christmas-photo-shoots-family

Some very clever Christmas shots there, thanks DorA!

Yesterday went okay for Colin, last night he was restless and coughing one of the side-effects. I told him to go back to sleep when I got up, so far so good. He can sleep all day if he wants. We have a birthday party to go to tonight of he's up to it.
I was a bit worried about taking Emily yesterday, I thought she'd be bored, it all takes hours. But she was great, found it interesting, kept Colin joking and she and I had our own little Christmas concert singing along to Christmas Carols on YouTube. We entertained the staff. It was very festive in there.

Thanks Heidi, I will pass on your message to Col!

The oncologist told us at the start that Col shouldn't lose his hair with this concoction but that he might lose a bit. Which he has done, he had a good head of hair and it has thinned out, But funnily he has gone greyer, he had some grey hair but seems to be mostly grey now. I only really noticed properly the other day. You live with someone every day you don't notice the subtle changes.

It must be such a relief for him knowing that there's only one session left, then he's done with chemo. Then there's the wait to see if the cancer is completely gone. I have a good feeling about it since they caught the cancer so early.

Thanks for sharing the 'family Christmas photos', DOrA! Very cute!

Now here's one for Heidi:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/animals/baby-cows-kept-warm-on-cold-nights-with-colorful-cap s/vi-AAK6sLs

CynB, I'm glad Col's 11th session yesterday went well and Emily was able to keep Col's spirits light and joking. Singing along to carols was probably a bonus for everyone! I hope he was able to get lots of sleep today!

It's probably not surprising that Col's hair thinned somewhat. The graying may be more of a surprise to everyone.

Keeping warm and positive thoughts on the way to everyone, as well as {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, prayers, and

I see the weekend has snuck up on us again! I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing pre-holiday weekend! I know we're hoping to get caught up a bit and do some preparations for the holidays! Maybe I can even start writing a few Christmas cards.

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

For anyone about to celebrate, Happy Hanukkah! Hanukkah blessings to Tami and her family!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

My calendar says Kwanzaa is the following day, so Happy Kwanzaa, if you'll be celebrating that holiday.

Any excuse for a celebration, eh, Julie? We all need as many happy days as we can get.

My back is starting to act up again. I've been doing a lot of heavy lifting, and I had a fall which wrenched my back out. I think the methadone will keep me relatively comfortable for the next month and a half until the epidural that's scheduled on Feb 4th. I just hope it doesn't get any worse.

Yes, Heidi, celebrations of any kind are always welcome! We took a bit of a break today and spent a couple of hours with two other couples. None of us is getting any younger, and I think all of us have at least one or more issues that comes with advancing age. We've decided to try to get together every few months - nothing fancy, but a chance to get caught up and enjoy each other's company.

Heidi, I'm sorry to hear that your back is acting up. I hope you don't have any more heavy lifting to add to it, at least for a while. With luck, you can avoid any more falls also!

One of the topics that came up today with our friends was falls, how to try to avoid them, and the ability to get up after falling. We also discussed dealing with searching for a new doctor or dentist when a favorite one retires. Five or ten years ago I wouldn't have anticipated discussing those topics when together with friends.

Thinking of everyone and sending warm & positive thoughts, healing energy, prayers, {{{{HUGS}}}}}, and !

Since I can't be sure I'll be able to drop by at all in the next few days, I'll take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Our weather is being nice and comfortable. It won't get below freezing for another week and a half. And it's not supposed to rain for another week. I moved some feed bunks today to start feeding the cows in preparation to sort out and wean calves.

We haven't sorted out the calves yet because cattle prices are horribly low right now. We'd rather continue putting cheap weight on them by letting them graze as long as possible. The grazing is about gone now, except in the calving pasture. And they don't go in there until February.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday.

Hooray for good weather, Heidi! I think ours is supposed to be similar until the end of the week.

Thanks for the good wishes, Midge!

Sending wishes for the happiest of holidays for Everyone! Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! Happy Kwanzaa! Enjoy the coming days if you don't celebrate any particular holiday!

Thinking of everyone and sending positive thoughts, , healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, and prayers for the coming days. It's most likely that I won't have time to pop in for the next few days. Peace to Everyone!

Season's greetings to all our SA friends.
I hope whatever you celebrate and whoever you celebrate it with. that it is enjoyable, full of good food, good cheer and love.
And may next year 2020 be a better year for all of us.

I pared everything back this year, didn't put up as many decorations, did my shopping early so all my gift wrapping has been done for days, even did my grocery shopping yesterday. Our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day parties are at Karin's new house, so I won't even be entertaining here. I have some preparation to do on Christmas morning but for today, Christmas Eve, I am at a loss - nothing to do! First time ever.

Spend the day making Col comfortable, CynB. He deserves all the coddling possible considering what he's been thru'.
You've planned your time well. I'm proud of you.

I talked to Mike the Vet today to let him know I'm planning on starting to feed grain to the cows tomorrow. He was OK with it. He verified that the grazing was about gone and they're going to need the supplementation, as well as getting used to coming up when they're called preperatory to sorting out the calves. I'll start with just 10 gallons tomorrow.

Here's wishing all a very Merry Christmas or holiday and the opportunity to relax with family and friends.

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ೋ .......MERRY CHRISTMAS.......ೋ
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I got the last of the Christmas presents delivered.

Now to go out and feed the cows.

Quote of the day...

''It's so cold
my hot flashes
are starting to
feel kind of good.''

~Maxine~

The cows all came up and were thrilled at getting grain for the first time this year. The calves will learn quickly to enjoy it, too. Mike wants to sort the calves out this weekend, and teaching them to come when called is a good first step.

There is no way we're going to have a White Christmas tomorrow. The high is supposed to reach 63˚F / 17.2˚C. Very strange for Dec 25th.
I'm going to try to call MizTricia tomorrow to wish her a
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ೋ ❤️❤️❤️~~MERRY CHRISTMAS~~❤️❤️❤️ ೋ
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Hi Heidi
Christmas Day done and dusted here.
Nice 27c here. Visit to the beach for us as usual before going
to SIL.
It’s a long time since I have visited in here and nice to see you still posting. 🎄🌹🌹