Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

The person who says it cannot be done
Should not interrupt the person doing it. ~ Chinese proverb

Hello, Everyone!

Heidi, I'm glad you are so sensible and knew it was not a good day for being on the road pulling a trailer! Stay safe. Hoping you will be able to get some relief from your back pain soon!

MizT, good for you for getting out to enjoy the sun and warmer temperatures while you can! I hope the 'weather guessers' are wrong and you only have a cool light rain to deal with and no ice or loss of electrical power! So glad you were able to go to the February birthday party.

Theresa, we're all thinking of you and sending positive vibes. You can do anything you need to do! You will be able to give yourself the insulin - and eventually get used to it! Did they give you any extra needles to practice with? You CAN do it. It will become the new normal!

Time to get this tired body into bed. Sending all of you , positive thoughts, prayers, healing vibes and {{{{{HUGS}}}}}!

MizT.... tell Lynn I wish her much better health. I grew fond of that whole Scrabble playing bunch. They're fun ladies. And you know that any friend of yours is a friend of ours.

I'm having a brief break in my attempts to get some sleep. You've heard of a 3 dog night? Well, my dogs are attempting a 5 dog night. There's really not enough room for me on there, and the bed has become hot as a furnace. And it's way too cold outside to open a window. At least the methadone is working right now.

In 8 hours, we're meeting some friends for a birthday celebration. There will be 5 of us, 2 of which will be celebrating birthdays. Bea and I share ours. Bea recently lost her husband to a slow, painful disease which he bore bravely and honorably. Despite his pain, George never once complained, and worried only about Bea. She's a survivor of brain cancer. And has never lost her sense of humor. Just like her late husband. The world needs more people like them.

Heidi, enjoy your birthday celebrations. How lovely that you can share those celebrations with a special friend.

Happy birthday Heidi. Hope you have a good day.

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y H E I D I

Hello Worldly friends....Snow has indeed become used far too often and those four letters formed as they are have started to make me ill. Since those same four letters are part of my name...I am very sick of them and if this winter's weather doesn't end soon I may be forced to change my name since I can't change the weather...sigh!!!
Theresa, I crashed your pity party and joined you in feeling sorry for myself...it's okay...sometimes it helps to celebrate how bad we feel so that we can really party hardy when we recover. I don't know what made me feel so bad, but think it was stress...I have been passing stones again from the gallbladder and the surgeon thinks he will have to go in using local anesthesia and clean it out before closing it up completely...The thought of the visit to the operating room is rather daunting and I'm not sure how to get my head around this mess...keep having the pains from doing nothing, brace myself for the cleaning option knowing that I won't be asleep???
Decisions...but I think I've decided to let go and 'LET GOD'...this has just come to me as I was writing this post. It was something I have always said to my kids and now it seems as if a decision has been made....My faith will carry me beyond what worry would bring me and worry won't change anything.... Whew...glad I started to comment about the pity party...that got me to this point.
There was more I wanted to comment on. but for now I just need to do some reassuring talking with myself...more later...Thanks for giving me direction and the courage of following my convictions...Peace.

Glad you're listening to your own words of wisdom, Mamacita. Let the doctors do what they know best, and trust that you're in God's hands as well. He'll see you through. You do NOT need to be in pain from the gallstones.

Had a delightful birthday luncheon with friends. Bea and I showed up dressed head to toe in purple. It surprised the other people there. No, we didn't plan it. We both are on the same page. We discovered that not only were we born the same month and day, but the same year as well. I'm the elder by 12 hours and 9 minutes. My tummy is happy, and I want to take a nap, but I have to feed hay to the cows first. THEN nap.

OK.... everybody fed. Now it's nap time. I told IH what my birthday menu was tonight : corned beef, blueberry blintzes and broccoli with cheese, and he started to object. Corned beef is not his favorite. I reminded him that today was MY birthday, and I was gonna serve MY favorite. He stopped objecting.

Mama

We are told that we are not given more than we can handle, but sometimes it seems as if it could be very close to the limit. I will be thinking of you constantly and hoping all is well. I so enjoy your posts!!! Hugs.

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Heidi. Hope you have a lovely meal,plenty of rest and a great day

Heidi...Glad you had a great lunch with great friends with whom you share many good things even down to wearing the same colors to share your mutual birthdays to celebrate AND for shutting down Gil's disapproval over your choice of a birthday meal....WTG! Continue to enjoy and thanks for the encouragement for my decision. Tricia...hope you have had another nice day to enjoy and are not looking at the forecast that has shut Ga. down even before the expected snow has started.This weather really sucks. Okay...just really wanted to send out those bd wishes and to let you all know that I'm still around reading even when I don't post for a day or two...or even three...but I'll try not to let it go too far w/o some contact. Peace.

Theresa...sorry to hear that you have to go on insulin. I remember my 1st attempt at giving injections and I was so nervous. It gets easier!
Hope your health improves a lot after this.

Mama..Good to hear that you have made a decision about WHAT TO DO. We all have to do, what we know we can cope with. That is why I have resigned from work. It is scarey, but going to work is even more so. You also have the choice of changing your mind if need be.

June...winning a fruit basket is a bonus when you have an enjoyable social game of bowls. You certainly keep busy with clearing out cupboards, books and making a book for Laura about Sharon.
What a special gift for her.

Theresa...you are right...and we think our limitations are carved in stone too often...that's why we just have to let go and let The Master do HIS work...BUT, we also must be willing to listen...and that's where many of us fall down. I'll put my faith in Him and as Heidi said, let the doctors do what they do best. Thanks for your continued encouragement too. May your decisions be easy for you to make even when they seem hard to others. ((((Hugs)))).

Brenda....Renae just bought another people carrier also. Theirs died recently, after many attempts to fix problems which became too costly.
Happy motoring!
Just saw the news that the Thames has broken its banks and caused major flooding. Natural disasters are causing world wide heartache.

We are looking at a forecast of freezing rain and ice pellets tonight through Thursday. They changed their minds once again. I do hope the forecasters are being overly cautious after the fiasco 2 weeks ago missing the affected area totally, that they are just painting with a broad brush this time, coloring ALL the map just in case.

Mama, glad you have decided that you can do this operation with a local. Do you ever do meditation or relaxation and visualization? If you can create a 'safe place' in your thoughts, with things that comfort you and then think about it so hard it is almost real, you can breeze through this procedure. I have used such many times to get me through a rough spot, and have taught it to both patients and friends.

My safe place is floating on a cloud overlooking a lovely white sand beach and clear blue water. I can get so into this space I can feel the sun on my face, I can hear the seagulls, smell the tropical flowers, feel the spray of the sea, hear the waves and be totally unaware of what is happening in reality. I have had dental work done when the local did not work and not felt it. I was at the beach for the 45 minuet drive to the ER the night I broke my foot. It is a useful tool. If you start working on the total relaxation now, you can build you such a place to retreat to for your surgery. Let me know if I can help any way.

Heidi, good for you, standing up for the right to have the meal of YOUR choice on your birthday. I can just see you and your friend all in purple, it is a festive color, perfect for a birthday celebration.

I made a big pot of ham and veggie soup today. If we loose power, I can eat room temp soup! Had the first bowl before going downstairs for an educational talk about the heart. I really do not like the person who comes to do these programs. the only reason I go is to help Shannon. she must plan these educational programs and is judged in part by how many people attend. Shannon gives door prizes to entice residents to attend. Nothing given today that was of interest to me, I already have won something similar to each offering today, except the double roll of paper towels, I could have used those.

Hugs to each of you, with extras.

No large, the Thames breaking it's banks is just a small thing compared to the flooding in other areas. The Somerset Levels has been flooded since before Xmas and no end in sight. Where I live we have minor flooding but that is because the ground is so saturated that it takes a little while for it to drain down into the aquifers.

I should watch what my phone changes things to before I post. NO LARGE on my last post started out as Nola.

Happy Birthday Heidi - not sure if this greeting is late or not. Hope you have/had a wonderful day!

Yeah, it's still my birthday for another 2 1/2 hours. Next year is one of the big ones .... 60. If I had known I was gonna live this long, I might have taken better care of my body..... NOT! I'd do most of it over again, except I would have gotten away from my family a lot sooner. And maybe not married IH. It hasn't been THAT bad. He's clueless and cheap, but he's not abusive or threatening.

I think I'm gonna go to bed early and read. I'm going through a Wodehouse period right now. Very funny.

Hi all,
At my computer so i can use the notepad. Still messes with my capitals though because of my silly left hand.

Balance bracelets... I can't work out why they'd work, but hey, I'd try it! My problem is that I don't lift my left foot enough when I walk. Gets me every time!

Theresa, you are so protective of Maggie! It's kind of beautiful! Look after you too though. I hope she is feeling better. Sorry to hear about your insulin shots. The testing really sucks. I read that someone has invented a test that will enable testing from tears rather than blood. I really really hope someone who has something to do with approving funding for research and/or approving new tests becomes diabetic so they put a rush on getting this one done. That's a bit cynical I know, but hey, viagra was approved in no time at all... just sayin'.

Mamacita, I love your rambling, missed it when you were ill... Big hugs and lots of thoughts as you contemplate another attempt at surgery - awake!

MizT, I really hope you didn't lose power! Living in a place where a really cold night is 4C (39F), I forget that being without power can be life threatening rather than just annoying. What a bummer about the Feb party food! Oh well.. at least you had some fun. Hugs and thoughts to Lyn.

Heidi, I'm bummed about your trees! Hoping that when the weather warms up they grow vigorously to undo the damage. Enjoy your shared birthday celebration! I didn't see your birthday notification on my ipad so a belated happy birthday from me!

June, your photo project sounds both wonderful and very difficult! It will be brilliant for Laura.

Nola, counting down with you! I'm with June though, don't count on having a tonne of extra time, it manages to disappear somehow.

Brenda, congrats on your new baby! The photos look great, and one less child seat to buy too! I'd love some of your rain too, my lawn is crispy critters now, except around the trees where I sometimes water.

Julie, great topp. I hope you are well and sleeping since I think it's very late where you are.

Did I tell you I joined a gym? They have about a dozen pieces of equipment around the edges of the gym with little mats in between. You do 30 seconds on each with 30 seconds on the mat in between doing exercises the gym person shows you. When the older owner does it I can sort of do the exercises, though my balance isn't good, I can no longer coordinate my hands and legs (hard for an ex-ballroom dancer to deal with) and my left side only kinda sorta works. When the young one does it she expects people to run on the spot super fast and stuff like that. I'm pretty sure if I even tried I'd be flat on my back so I just say 'I'm not running' and do something different.

OMG Suzy. Getting on mats and doing all sorts of maneuvers, is not even contemplated by me. As long as you enjoy it and get some exercise,that is all that matters. While watching the twin girls at gym, I think, it looks like so much fun. They laugh and run from mat to rings,trampoline and walking beam.
The teacher has hoolah hoops and they play musical chairs with a hoop theme. It is hilarious watching them race to get into the ring when the music stops.
Mama...we all thoroughly enjoy reading your posts as you have such talent with words. Keep them coming!

Greetings to all of you!

Heidi, Belated birthday greetings! Luckily, it sounds like your shared birthday was fun! What a great way to celebrate a birthday - and wearing purple too!

Mama, I always look forward to your posts! You share such good advice with all of us - and with yourself! I'm sure your doctors have your best interests in mind. MizT has some excellent advice for meditating/ having a safe place. One of the teachers I used to work with taught her first through third grade students to choose a 'happy place' by sharing hers and explaining how she 'built' it up by adding specifics that could be visualized. She's and outstanding teacher. I remember when she student taught at the school and was disappointed that neither of my children had her as a teacher.

Heidi, good for you for 'sticking to your guns' and letting IH know that your birthday dinner would be what YOU wanted for dinner!

Nola, I'm glad we can share the count-down with you! It may have been a difficult decision, but it certainly seems like the right one! I hope you can find something to enjoy at work each of your last days, as I'm sure there were many days you enjoyed when you first started. And then, when you no longer need to get to work, take some days to pamper yourself. Your 'free' time will very quickly be filled, so enjoy it while you can!

MizT, what a great idea to make a big pot of ham and veggie soup to have on hand. I hope the horrible weather conditions totally avoid your area! Take care! Your excellent suggestions for Mama are ideas we should all keep handy, as I'm sure we all have times when we need to 'escape' from some event or problem by visualizing something wonderful.

Brenda, I hope the flooding stays far away from you! I suspect you're going to be very pleased with the people carrier when you have everyone visiting!

Theresa, I was thinking about administering one's own insulin shots. I remember there was a young boy a couple years younger than me in grade school who kept insulin in a refrigerator at school and gave himself the shots. I can still picture him - a little blond-haired round-faced boy named Frankie. I can't remember his last name, and hadn't really thought about him for years. You'll do just fine!

I was also thinking about Suzy's comment that someone has invented a test so that diabetics can test their tears, rather than blood. I envisioned someone crying because of the finger prick and thought how silly it would be to make someone cry, just so they could test their tears. Sometimes, I think the finger prick might be easier than making yourself cry.

I must be getting over-tired. I'm not sure any of that made sense. So, on that note, I will say Good Night to all of you! Positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing vibes and for everyone!

Mamacita, what a wonderful conversation as you worked through your problems. I do hope the surgery can be done soon and it will be a complete success. I do hope it will be a keyhole procedure.
I am not the one doing the photo book for Laura. Sharon was divorced before she met Laura's father and the person doing the book is the ex-husband's wife. They always remained the bets of friends. I just had to find photos, identify other people in the photos and give dates and places. The project will be about 12 months work.

I had a few days where I have ached all over and ached when I tried to sleep. Yesterday I got out the voltarin tablets and they have helped a lot.
I was very pleased about that as we had to play the final of the pairs today. I was so extremely disappointed that we lost 17/11. I have never been much of a sports person but have been runner up in a few of the club competitions and this time I felt we had a chance of winning. I have been on a real downer all afternoon. I know all that sounds trivial with what a lot of you are going through but sometimes it just takes something silly to tip one over the edge so to speak!
Ken informed me tonight that he had had a kidney attack on the way home, chewed through his dinner and then lost it all. He is now asleep. I do hope I can persuade him to see the doctor in the morning.

Heidi, corned beef was Sharon's favourite. I cooked it for her the last time she had a meal here and it took me over a year before I could face cooking it again. Ken and I both love it and it was also one of my Mum's favourites, especially the fatty bits for her. We also like slices dipped in batter and fried.(Not good for the waistline or arteries!!!)
Brenda, sorry about all the rain. I do hope that your yard is not too waterlogged!

Good Morning from here to there. Today is starting out to be a beautiful looking day. The sun is high and very welcoming so I will enjoy looking out the window until I need to brave the cold long enough for a couple of errands and rejoice in having little or no pain at the moment. The good life.
Brenda, glad you were able to find a car that suited your needs and pocketbook and wish you the best.Glad you were able to spot the mold in the other cars...as someone has already said, you'd think dealers would clean cars up better if they are going to sell them. June, isn't it a good feeling to be able to get relief from persistent aches and pains in time to do something that will cause more aches and pains...sorry that you lost the match after feeling so positive ...I don't think its silly at all to be disappointed with the loss..hey lots of effort went into the match...so don't be too hard on yourself. Hope you can get Ken to see the doctor...as we all know it's no fun to hurt!Keep us posted. Tricia...thank you so much for the advise about finding my happy place...I have tried to focus on special times from time to time, but you said you have taught others to really visualize that space and that I don't know quite how to get there...any help anyone can give will be practiced. BTW...the gallbladder will not be removed unfortunately...just have the accumulated stones cleaned out...not too sure just how he'll go about it or how long I'll be in the hospital yet. We will get into those specifics when I see him on Feb 21...so I have time to prepare myself for whatever is to come. Oh, he did say that over time since the gallbladder can't be removed, I may well have to return to the ostomy or tube drain because I will continue to form stones...such is my body doing its best.Suzy...you go girl...I'm proud of the fact that you continue to push forward and do what you can at the gym...keep it going.
Just a word of thanks to you all for saying that you enjoy my ramblings...I'm glad since I know of no other way to stay in touch...so I will continue to ramble and look forward to reading your post. I think its called communication...and its grand!
Have a wonderful day/night where you hang your hat. Peace.

It was loverly talking to you today June. I hope Ken is alright tomorrow, if not I hope he will go to the doctor.
Andrew did pick up on what you said about the new car, but accepted the fact that I wouldn't tell him the real reason for getting it. He knows something is happening, but has promised not yo say anything to the girls. In another week they will all know, even though Emily will be away for the first couple of days.
Andrew took me out to lunch today and I am feeling a bit stuffed after having a lovely mixed grill. Will have to find something for the girls and Richard for dinner tonight now.

Mama, I hope that they don't keep you waiting too long to do the procedure. It would be nice for you to be free of this pain. Other things may have to be put up with but hopefully they will not be as stressful as the pain you are suffering now.

The first calf of the season has been born! IH noticed it this morning but didn't tag it, because he ''didn't know where the tags were''. They were within inches of where I always put them, the first tag even in the tagger. So I'm waiting for the methadone to kick in so I can go out, grab the calf, check it's gender and tag it. The gender check is important. I tag the males in their right ears, and females in the left. ((Right one to sell, Left on the farm is my mnemonic.)) It's my own system. That way I can tell at a glance what gender they are when sorting, without having to look underneath each critter.
Well, off to tag the calf. Then I'll be back to fully read and comment.

It's a BOY!!!!!

Heidi, what did you get from this storm system. Did the snow and ice get that far north? We got only a cold rain yeah! But just 50 miles north they had ice and snow. this is phase one, more to come for us Wednesday afternoon and overnight. I am ready for spring!

YEAH on the new calf. I looking forward to your report if it is a little girl or boy hehehe.

Mama, I will be happy to try to help you learn the relaxation and visualization. Since others have expressed a mild interest , I will put it here on the site. Anyone not interested can just scroll past the teaching posts. The first thing you need to do is learn to relax, so find a comfortable position, in your recliner or bed where you are totally supported, you do not have to expend any energy holding yourself in position, and start with your neck, relaxing it totally, and move down the body, shoulders, hands, arms, you get the idea. Work on that today and I will try to get more help in how to do that and then proceed, in some posts what will be totally about R and V.

JUNE, I do hope that your hubby will get himself to the doc and have that kidney attack checked out. sorry for your loss at bowls, and yes, it is OK to feel bummed out over it. Our feelings do not have to have a major cause, they just happen and then we deal with them. I am so sorry you have had a case of the aches all over. Do you think you might have had a flu like virus? I hope that is the cause and not a chronic pain kind of thing. that Voltarin is good stuff. I cannot take the tablets, but can tolerate the gel, a nice rub on for the spots that ache. Hope you get better soon, take care of yourself.

Julie, Brenda and Suzy, loved your long posts commenting on so many things. I am running out of time, and cannot reply at the moment. It is my housekeeper day. I did not get all the clutter removed yesterday, thinking she would not be here today due to weather. Now I am in a crunch for time.

I did get dishes all washed, as soon as they are dry will put away. Spent some time cleaning my salt and pepper shakers, the screw on lids have versicle groves around the edges and they had collected yuck. All clean now and look much better. Now to straighten dining table, I did put away the sewing machine already, then to hang and fold all the clothes that have accumulated on my bed, and de clutter my desk. I can do this, lucky she does not come till late afternoon.

Hugs to each of you, with extras, till later.

Julie..... I forgot to comment about how much I LOVE your TOPP quote! I need to make that into a plaque for the house.

June.... Tell Ken to get to a doctor NOW!!! Otherwise, he won't be allowed to complain or say a word about the pain.
Nothing is trivial that we care about. Some things are more important in the grand scheme of the planet, but anything that makes you happy or sad IS important to your wellbeing.

I didn't serve corned beef after all last night. I made a couple of thick steaks instead. I decided to make the corned beef today, for myself. IH is going out of town within the hour, and won't be here for supper tonight or tomorrow night.... so I'm gonna eat it myself and not waste it on that infidel.

I wish they could remove your gall bladder, Mama. I thought they had drugs that dissolve stones? Or is that kidney stones only? I'm sorry your body is determined to keep making more of them. Don't you wish we had voluntary control over all out bodily functions, instead of just a few?

MizT.... we just got about an inch of snow from that last system. It was already so cold here that we didn't have to worry about more ice. It got down to 4˚F / -16˚C here last night. At least there was no cold mud for the new calf (born pre-dawn). He's doing just fine.

Greetings, Everyone! No time to read, just a quick Hello! We had a meeting tonight that ran quite a bit longer than expected. I'll try to get back tomorrow!

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, prayers, healing vibes and for each of you!

Not often but I just lost a post complaining that Ken would not see our Doctor, but instead played bowls. However the pain came back so he had to come home. Would not let me take him to the hospital. He has been sick again but has slept all afternoon. There might be an argument in the morning as I will insist he sees the Doctor.(Doc is not available Wednesday afternoons!!!)

No more calves yet. I am getting tires of walking the frozen tundra, though. I wish it would warm up.

I'm a bit concerned about Barb,cousin Don's wife. Yesterday morning she was taken to the ER after collapsing. Don helped her to her feet and she passed out again. The doctors haven't found anything to cause it.... yet... but they're planning on sending her home later today. She'll be happier with her 4 legged family, but I wish they had found a reason. I hope they make her take a few days off work, though. Overwork might be the problem. She's a workaholic.