Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Heidi, whatever works for you. I am having back problems, and thinking about the uncomfortable folding chairs at the luncheon myself. I will see you some time tomorrow afternoon. Your getting enough sleep is more important than the luncheon.

Give me a call please when you leave, so I will know when to expect you. I hope to get up early, say 7 am, and get me to the doc in the box. I did not make it there today. OH, do you have my cell phone? In case I am gone when you leave KY? I will send in a PM to be sure.

Yes, I have your cell phone number on my cell phone. Your stuff (except the lamb) is already in my truck. That includes that microwavable heat pack you made. I need to pack a few things but I won't need much. This is just an overnight visit. I have to be back here Thursday afternoon to help catch and load up animals that we're lending to a church for their nativity pageant. They're getting PJ, my donkey, and 3 sheep and 2 goats that were all hand reared. All enjoy being petted.

Well, I need to go fire up the tractor and feed hay to the cows. I'm glad my tractor has good flood lights, because it's dark out there.

Ohhhh, so that is where my blue rice sock has been! I have looked for it more than once. Thank you so much for finding and bringing back to me. I have missed it.

Safe trip tomorrow, and see you soon.

OK... cattle and dogs are fed. now I need to feed and water the birds with a 2 day supply, and I can go to bed. See you tomorrow arvo, Tricia.

You left the blue rice sock in the microwave. I didn't use it for a while so only recently stumbled across it.

I have finally got my Christmas cards ready to post. If it was not so hot and humid I would walk around to the post box. They can wait till tomorrow. I still have to go to the post office for stamps for overseas. Next year a lot of the overseas will be done on the internet as a stamp for just a card for Europe and US has gone from $1.60 last year to $2.55 this year. I have 12 cards and 2 calendars going there.
I also got a few presents today. Lots more to get though.
Heidi and Tricia, I am sure you will have a great time together. I am pleased it was a heat sock left in the microwave and not a smelly one!

Hi, Everyone! JUst popping in, as it has been a busy day and tomorrow promises the same! I haven't even started decorating for Christmas or a Christmas letter and cards, but I have started practicing my 'holiday' song for the cello holiday party. (Everyone is required to play something for the holidays and STRONGLY encouraged to perform with family members. I will play 'Suzy Snowflake' (chosen because it doesn't apply to any religious holiday - just the winter weather) as a duet with my teacher.

Drive safely, Heidi! I'm so glad your spot was NOT a melanoma!

MizT, get thee to the Urgent Care, please. It's time that the course of action prescribed is re-evaluated, and hopefully something more effective may be tried!

June, you are an inspiration! I need to be more organized and accomplish more in the time I have!

Off to bed, now, for me. Prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing vibes, , and positive thoughts are streaming to each of you!

Another quick pop in to let you know I am here and reading, though not really absorbing at the moment... Maybe on the weekend?
love you all

MizT, I did like the story about the man who has progressed from floating in the pool to walking in it. Inspiring!

Julie, wish I could be there to hear you play!

I hope you have gone to the Urgent Care, MizT. If you haven't, I'll have to drag you there myself!!!

Leaving as soon as I get my coffee+ a bit of brekkie, and get dressed. It's going to be nice and warm during my visit. About 12 hours after I get home, a cold front is moving in to stay for a while. The weather forecast shows at least a week of freezing temps where the ground will stay frozen.

And I'm off.......

Safe driving Heidi.

Hi everyone!
It's been ages since I was here and I know I've missed many momentous events. Please know that even though I may not have said so, I've been thinking of you all, wishing you the best or sending hugs.
The mother situation has resolved itself at the moment. We are still trying to have MIL moved to this side of town but it is just a waiting game for a place to become available.
My mother seems quite happy where she is but I now seem to visit her every week instead of every fortnight. At least when I leave her now it is only 15 minutes to get home not an hour in the car.
Work has been flat out. We have been so busy and the boss spent November on holidays in Myanmar so we were short staffed as well. This month is still busy but at least there are only two more weeks before the Christmas close down.
I can't believe that I'll be at the beach in a fortnight. Nothing is arranged and no plans have been made for Christmas dinner etc. It will happen!!!
I don't even have lots of time at home between now and then. On Sunday week, our new church is being dedicated by the Archbishop so that has also taken up lots of time. We only moved into the building late in October.
So now you know what I have been doing since August....moving mothers, opening a church and busy at work...oh and my niece got married as well as four birthdays during November. Whew!
Hurry on holidays - I need some down time.

Vicki - it sure sounds like you need some down time! Glad the mother/s situation has eased, hope you find a place closer for your MIL soon! Enjoy your holidays, sounds like you are need of them!
I hope Heidi and MizT are enjoying themselves.
Hot day here today, after doing some Christmas shopping, I am now home enjoying the air-con.
I heard that it is snowing in parts of NSW and Vic today - it IS officially summer!! But, hey , there is no climate change - ask our governement, it magically disappeared when they were elected.

Silly me - it's December and I didn't have my Christmas avatar showing!

Quick drop by - glad to hear Heidi and MizT are meeting up. Good news about your Drs appt Heidi. MizT - how did you go? Your skin sounds so sore and uncomfortable - hope it clears up soon. Glad to see Mamcita posting. Vicki, Suzy, CynB, June, Julie - you all sound so busy geting ready for Christmas - I haven't done a thing yet. Cold here today - about 13 degrees with thunderstorms and hail - just lovely for summer!! Now my regime for dialysis is changed, we have to dispose of 42 boxes - the hospital or Baxters will not take them back - what a terrible waste! Now doing 3 lots of dialyisi a day - just love it when a courier comes into the Office and I am hooked up. Next week I am off on the little cruise and so looking forward to it. Have never been on one before so it should be fun - especially as I am going with my sister and a friend. Take care everybody....

Greetings, Everyone! Just a quick visit, glance at the comments and comment or 2.

I have a special request. A cousin who has been extremely healthy and active got sick early last week. She has been in the hospital since Wednesday, I think, and has been intubated and sedated. She has been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, and the cancer has spread. Please say a prayer or two for her and her family, if you are so inclined! Thanks!

Have fun, MizT and Heidi!

Nice to see a very busy Vicky dropping by! You have certainly been busy! Hopefully you'll be able to get MIL moved closer soon! Enjoy your beach holiday when the time comes! Between work, family, home and church, I hope you find time to breathe!

Also nice to see Midge visiting! I don't know how you do it, and now with dialysis 3 times a day! I hope you enjoy your cruise next week. You deserve some time off and fun!

Gotta run. The alarm is set for 5:30 again tomorrow morning - and also Friday morning. I had a call from the blood bank this morning and again around noon today. I donated 3 units of platelets last Tuesday (which can be done weekly) The first call wanted me to schedule another platelet donation this week (busy time around the holidays). The second wanted me to do a very specific white cell donation for a young man in critical condition. I've never done this kind of donation and must go to a different location that has the specialized equipment. I need to take some medication beforehand. They use both arms, and it takes about 2 1/2 hours. By the time we add in travel time, it will be over 4 hours. Guess it's a good thing I'm retired!

Sending positive thoughts, healing vibes, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}} and for everyone!

It's time to change the avatar.

Hi Vicki and Midge. Vicki I'm glad things are working out in parts of your life, hoping the rest settles down soon and you have a wonderful holiday.
Midge, a Courier delivers the equipment to hook you up? That is amazing. The only way it could be better would be if you could retire.
Cyn, the weather is nuts!! But it'sa hoax you know.

My avatar comes from something Susan from Queensland posted long ago.

Okay I lost a post when I accidentally hit report this comment so I'm going to say I love you all and wait until I'm on my computer to post again.

I got home from MizT's 30 minutes ago. I wish I could have spent a few more days visiting, she is such a wonderful friend. But I had to get back to catch some animals for a Christmas pageant/live nativity scene tomorrow, and Tricia wasn't feeling good. We did team up for her weekly Scrabble games (we won the second game) and just had some nice chats.
The weather cooperated nicely.... it was a perfect temperature, and the rain wasn't a problem, except for a half hour stretch south of Nashville. It was coming down so hard that everybody slowed to a crawl. You could barely see the car 25 ft in front of you.

Glad that you got back safely, Heidi - but sorry that MizT wasn't feeling well. Feel better soon, MizT!

Now it looks like that Christmas pageant will be canceled. It's supposed to be freezing rain, sleet, ice and then snow tomorrow afternoon and evening.

JUNE, this particular 'rice sock' is not made from a sock at all. Since the first ones were just a sock filled with rice, in our family and perhaps others, any such rice or flax seed filled, microwavable portable heating device became a rice 'sock'. This one was a two channel blue printed cotton fabric, filled rather full so it stayed plump, and keep its shape. It is good for placing in waistband of slacks, upright, so it covers a large area of the back bone. Very good for on the go comfort. I have made several of these over the years. Did I ever tell you the story of one that got lost?

Years ago, before I moved here, I had made a nice red (so I could SEE it) rice sock. I used it a lot, even in bed. I preferred it to the heating pad I had at the time. It came missing, I looked and looked for it for weeks. When it next came time to turn the mattress, I found the remains of it along the wall, at head of bed. It had slipped between mattress and headboard, to the floor. A field mouse found it, ate a hole in it, and had already consumed 1/4 of the rice inside. That little mouse had found the mother lode of food hehehe. I had noticed kitty would sit for hours staring at the bed, wondered why. She had smelt that mouse in her house. I wonder if she ever caught it. I would vote for the cat hehehe.

Heidi and I had a very enjoyable visit, although shorter than either of us would have liked. Shortly after her arrival, we went up to join friends here for a scrabble game. Heidi is a very competitive player, I could learn a lot from her. It really was not fair to the others, Heidi teaming up with me, but they were good sports about it, it is after all just a game to most of us hehehe. We came up with a few really good words and scores. We were second place for one game, and first place by a wide margin for the second. We had much better letters the second time. It was a lot of fun! Came back and I made chicken salad for dinner, the kind with grapes, cranberries, nuts and celery. I had to leave out the nuts, Heidi is allergic to those. She had never had this southern 'ladies luncheon' version of chicken salad. We both enjoyed a large portion of it. After that, we just watched a few National Geographic big cat TV programs. I just like them, Heidi is of course interested in them from her animal sciences background. We cheered on the underdogs, cried when tiny cubs were attached by their older, larger cub cousins, smiled when the cubs' mother returned to save 2 of the 3 of them.

Heidi and I share the same outlook on many subjects, just have so much in common in general, it is always fun and interesting to just sit and talk. We exchanged belongings, she brought me some drink mix I had mentioned I liked last time. It was sugar free, she prefers them with real sugar. OH, she brought lamb chops, from some that were slaughtered at Gil's plant. I must now learn how to cook lamb chops. I have never eaten lamb, that is why she brought me some. No one should

The 'and more' portion of above post hehehe

No one should go through life without trying lamb chops, says she. Lamb is not sold widely here. I remember seeing it in groceries here only a few times in my life. Will be interesting to see what I can do with these.

I did make it back to the clinic yesterday morning. Of course I saw a different doc than week before, but she had treated me back in August, and remembered me. I got more pills, but she reduced the dose because I was 'over 70'. I am wondering if this is going to work. At least I have enough to last until I see my (hopefully) new doc on Monday.

Yesterday I was a mixture of tired and hurting. Not a terrible day, but enough to slow me down. After all, I had done a few chores here, gone to doc, to grocery, to pick up prescription, all before Heidi arrived at 1:45. then straight away up to play scrabble. That is a lot for me to do without a nap . After all, I am over 70 and need special consideration, according to that doc.

OK, enough for this post, It is long enough and more. Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Morning everyone.
I am around, just very busy.
We had a lovely weekend last week, with #2 boy home from Melbourne, it was a bit of a 'eatfeast' weekend though. Staff Xmas Do at a posh Restaurant Friday Eve (had to leave early to pick up child from airport). Sat Morning, Breakfast in the Park with friends (Child came as well, we dropped him off in the city on our way home, he had a concert to go to in the eve, daytime he caught up with a friend). Sunday MIL's side of family Xmas do at our place. Monday the boy flew back to Melb.
Boy#1 is in Melb at the Mo too, at a conference, which #2 is also at. :)
This weekend, yep another busy one. MIL, Hubby and I are heading down to Albany (400ks south), for MIL's Sister in Law/Hubby's Aunt's 60th Birthday Party.
Leaving this afternoon, when Hubby gets home from work. Home Sunday.
Speaking of Albany, Aunt and Uncle have now 3 Grandchildren ~ Peter's Cousin's wife had Baby #2 last night, a girl 'Amore', 3.17kg :)

sorry forgot to put my Christmas Bells up

Victoria, glad things are settling down in the 'Mothers' Department

Heidi and MizT.. great that you two can meet up, on what seems to becoming on a quite regular basis

Mama .. good to hear you are on the improve

Big hello to Midge, Cyn, Suzy, June, Brenda ... et el.

((((HUGS)))) and ♥ ♥ ♥ to all and sundry

MizT - Heidi is right, no-one should go though life without trying lamb. It once could claim to be the national dish here in Australia - it was cheap and sunday roasts were often lamb roasts - salivating as I think of them.
Now lamb is expensive, and chicken is cheap! Enough said!

Started decorating the tree. Putting on the larger ornaments now, picking the best, cause not room enough for all of them. I have enough for a full sized tree, but am using a table top one now, cause a full sized tree just would take too much room. Putting up tree is a work a while, rest a while ordeal. This infection has drained me of energy, still tired after resting most of the day. Heidi, still in the gown I had on when you left hehehe. I hope the new meds are helping, I think maybe but too early to tell. Needs about a week to be sure.

I also remembered it was time to change avatars. I hope it works. The tree avatar is because I am decorating mine now. I have several others, if I will just remember to change them.

Read the posts, including some I had missed this morning. Rolanda and Vicki and Juli are vying for busiest SA member I think, with Madge right behind. How you still work and do 3 dialysis treatments a day is beyond my comprehension.

Cyn, will let you and everyone know how I cook the lamb, and what I think of it, once I have the time and energy both on same day hehehe.

Love seeing all the holiday avatars. Julie, good luck with your holiday music.

Heidi, sorry they canceled the pageant and live nativity scene. Was that cancellation before or after you rounded up and/or delivered your animals? Friends, Heidi was only going to provide sheep, goats and a miniature donkey for the pageant.

It is time to take evening meds and get ready for bed. Even though I spent a good part of day in bed, I am ready to go back.

Heidi, again, thanks for the lamb, for the sheets and bringing home all the things I left behind. I did enjoy your visit, and look forward to another in the spring.
]
hugs to each of you, with extras.

I made a call before I rounded up the critters, and didn't have to catch them. I decided to think before stressing the back.

MizT... we had lamb burgers, green beans and hash brown casserole for supper tonight. Burger tastes best cooked in butter.

Off to bed. See you all tomorrow.

Hi all.
MizT...Roast lamb is my favorite baked dinner. Grew up with it here in Australia. I much prefer it to beef, but it is what we are used to.
Glad that you and Heidi had a get together.
Looks like the weather in the US is at an extreme,the heat and lack of rain in Aust. are to the extreme also.
I am not having a good time at work...so busy and have made a mistake with a medication and am up on a breach charge. Complicated story with a few nurses involved. It was really not our fault, but because we didn't pick up the Drs error, it now is our error also. It made me sick physically, when I got the registered letter about the medication breach via Registered Mail.
I should comment more about everything others are going thru but feel too consumed with my own problems.
I keep telling myself, it will sort itself out, and probably it will.
Love and healing vibes to you all that need it.

Oh, no, Nola!!! Please feel free to to be consumed with your own problems here, as you call it. We're always here to listen, sympathize, and worry about you, too. We care. ((((( HUGS )))))

On Tuesday, I had a Doctor's appointment to look at what turned out to be a sebaceous cyst. The same day, IH had an appointment to look at a lump on his arm the size of a large marble. He thought it was a boil. I said I'd never seen a boil like that before. He went to the local clinic that he uses (no Doctor, just a nurse practitioner) and she cut it out (7 stitches) and sent it to the lab. Definitely not a boil, and filled with blood vessels. This morning, they called to talk to Gil.... he wasn't here so I gave them his cell number.... and they told me it was bad news. I have to wait for him to get home this afternoon to hear the details.

I just got back from a run to the pharmacy and grocery store. I needed to get stocked up before the roads freeze over in 2 hours, maximum. It's really getting ugly out there. All the schools were closed today for safety. The roads will be iced over while the school buses would still have been out.

Just heard from Gil. He's been told that he has squamous cell carcinoma. He has an appointment next week with a specialist, and he'll learn more details then.

Squamous cell carcinoma is not good news, Heidi, but not as bad as a Melanoma, and worse than basal cell carcinoma. I wonder about a nurse practitioner cutting out something like that, though. Please let us know what the specialist has to say, and what further treatment he is facing. Prayers and wishes for a safe speedy recovery for Gil coming your way!

If you have one skin cancer, you are at risk for more later. If that much damage was done to skin by sun to that area of the body, it was also done to other parts. He will need frequent screenings by a specialist rest of his life, like me, and mine were just basal cell.

I have not had a new one pop up in a couple of years, so had been on a once a year check up. That was changed back to 6 months in August as doc saw something he wants to follow closely.

Heidi, I am glad you got your errands run before the freeze. also glad you did not load up the animals since they were not needed. Does the church have plans to try the pageant later?

OH, temp is dropping, has dropped 20 degrees since noon. It is only 52, but after so many days of low 70's temp, and with the light rain we have today, it feels colder. Forecast has removed the freezing temps for Birmingham, I hope they stay above freezing.

OH NOLA, I am so sorry you got caught up in a doctors error. It is soo unfair that nurses are expected to catch their mistakes. Nurses do not have the education, or make the money that a doctor does. Why should they share responsibility for his mistakes? But they did not ask us, did they. Huge Hugs to you dear, and I hope you have the very best possible outcome from this. You come here and vent to us whenever you need to vent. sometimes just talking about it helps.

I received one of my expected packages in mail today, the gift I need for next week. I was worried, they had not sent me an email saying it was shipped yet. I think they had so many orders over Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday online sales, they cannot keep up with the notifications. That is fine with me, let notifications go and get them in the mail works for me

I went down to the minivan and got out the box of wrapping paper and ribbon that have resided there since last year. Joy was to pick them up from there and take to her house. They never made it. I was able to put it all into one box and bring up, balancing box on the foot rest of my chair. That chair is handy for moving boxes about hehehe. Now to start wrapping, I have a few things I have bought over the year. Tree still not done, but almost. My tree is always jammed packed with ornaments, cause I have too many and keep finding ones that just have to go on the tree.

OK< a question for the Aussies. Just why is lamb so expensive there? Are ranchers not growing sheep as they did? Are they exporting lamb and not enough left for you? Just wondering.

Time to go have some dinner. I think I can do nicely today with more of the chicken salad I mad

Time to go have some dinner. I think I can do nicely today with more of the chicken salad I made Wednesday night. Yesterday I had a lunch I had bought, there was enough for both lunch and dinner, as there was cream of broccoli soup instead of a salad. Soup, cornbread, the desert were lunch, chicken potatoes and collard greens were dinner. I love when it works out like that hehehe, and usually try to buy lunch when they have any of their home made soups.

Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Having a nurse practitioner perform surgery is one of the many reasons I won't go to that clinic. I don't want anyone malpracticing on me.

MizT - I wish I knew why lamb was so expensive here too, it's almost a luxury these days. As far as I know the breeders are still producing as many lambs/sheep as ever. Maybe the export market has grown so much, there's not much left for us.
Nola - I am horrified that nurses can be blamed for a doctors mistake in dosage! Shouldn't the buck stop with the Doc?
Heidi - not good news about Gil's scc, please keep us updated.

Off to Chloe's 8th birthday party today - it's not her birthday until Wednesday but she's with her Dad this weekend and we won't see her on the day.
Even the baby of the family is turning 8!!