Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

Nola, right now it is unseasonably cold here. Right now, with the windchill, it is -13C. Normal temps for this time of year are in the +1 range. I don't think we have to worry about a green Christmas this year!

I have a nasty cold right now that hubby shared with me. I am exhausted just from coughing. Of course I'm the one who looks after everyone when they are unwell, but when I'm not well everyone is at work. So onwards and upwards as soon as I get some energy (which will probably be next week).

And on top of that, I can't count!

You were the one who made things different, you were the one who took me in. You were the one thing I could count on, above all, you were my friend.'
- Tom Petty

Suzy, loved the drawings Alie did. the bird is my favorite, only because of subject matter. Both of them show great talent.

June, seems you and Laura will have a full weekend together. I know you will enjoy her help in putting up the tree.

JULIE, my doc visit was with Urgent Care, or the 'doc in the box' as it is called here. The walk in, no appointment needed medical clinic. Thankfully we have those and it was not ER, it takes forever there, hours and hours, and costs me $65 co pay if I am not admitted to hospital. Urgent Care is no co pay, in and out in less than an hour usually. I was an hour 10 this time, since they ran blood tests, waiting for results of those. I think that was still fast, don't you?

I just today picked up my prescribed anti-fungal cream, pharmacy had to order it, and it just came in today, being they were closed Thursday and half day Friday. I had to go pick it up, they do not deliver on Saturdays. Easy 5 minute trip though, NO traffic in the Medical Center area of Southside where pharmacy is located. Infected area is not doing well, has grown larger, much angrier, very Yuck. Info with the cream says it should start to get better with one week of treatment, but I must use for 3 weeks minimum. IF it is not better in 4 weeks . . . . WHAT? Don't think I would wait that long to phone doc again, since I am also taking anti-fungal pills. It should be getting better.

I must report that today has been the best day I have had in MONTHS. I also went to pick up my glasses, and while there at Wal Mart, I got some coffee and bread I was out of, a roasted chicken to go with my dressing, and 2 new shirts with bling, to wear for Christmas here and at my family, and for birthday party. I did not NEED them, but I wanted them and I could afford them this month, so they came home with me. One is a lovely shard of red, with scattered red and black sequins. Two kinds, not bi colored sequins hehehe. Will look nice with my good black pants and black sweater if it is cold. Here, best to plan on wearing layers, lately we have had need for Christmas T shirts instead of Christmas sweaters hehehe. I walked through wal mart, came home and worked on pulling dead flowers from 2 pots, did not even need a sit down, let alone my usual nap. I had asked the doc if that fungal infection could make me feel as bad as I had been feeling, and she said Oh Yes!

Let me post this, I am sure it is too long already. More to follow, hugs till then.

TAMI, congrats on your Kindle! Are you already getting books online to some device? If not, try Bookbud.com They have lots of free books, usually one or two each day, depends on what genres you are interested in. When you sign up, click off the ones that interest you, they include only those in your e-mail once a day. I have 35 books on my kindle, all FREE. Have read over half of them.

MAMA, I hate to hear you are still in so much pain. I hope that gets better soon. Remember, just being put to sleep will take a few weeks recovery, as much as 6 weeks. Had they already made incision or punctures for gall bladder surgery when your heart acted up? If so, you have that to get over also. Please take it easy, let others do for you. Do a bit, rest a bit, and this too will pass. Huge gentle hugs to you! So glad you could get here for your post. Do not bother trying to catch up reading. Just go from now, as much as you can. If you see something in a comment you do not understand, ask, we will get you up to speed!
BTW, I was not in hospital, just went to Urgent Care (doc in the box) for a fungal infection. Julie thought I said ER, and then you somehow got hospital. Nope, just the doctor, that is all.

GOODNESS GRACIOUS, NOLA, that is a lot of snake sightings, don't care how long you been counting. I think I have seen 10 or 12 snakes in my life, and some were not on my property but in the wild. That was about 10 or 12 too many for me hehehe.

Heidi, I am glad you will get to visit with one of the pups. She sounds beautiful, must really be for Gil to notice. Nice for you to have a quite day, you are usually so busy.

OK< I think I am caught up, and the game is back on. Alabama Auburn football, for the south East conference title, and perhaps (if Auburn wins) upsetting Alabama from #1 in the national rankings! Alabama was ahead by one touchdown at the half. I am cheering for Auburn.

Hugs to each of you, with extras.

MizT... how does your schedule look for a visit this week? On Monday, I need to call my GP for an appointment (a suspected melanoma on my back) but other than that, I'm free to run down there to drop off your stuff and pick up mine. It'll probably take a couple of weeks to get in.

Heidi, let me check tomorrow and see for sure. I know I must take my glasses back one day, they put the bifocals way to low, but that is very flexible, no appointment needed. So I think I am clear next week, any day you can make it.

Planning on staying over night, I hope. We might try one of the restaurants you noticed here, I remember your saying you did not have a Vietnamese restaurant and some other one we saw when at Aldi's parking lot. I have never tried them, but I am game if you are. Let me know what is best for you. I am so happy you are comming back to visit again.

Don't forget I left a game in the RV, up over the table, cabinet nearest the door. Quibbler, that is it's name, had a senior moment there for a bit hehehe.

Hi, Everyone!

I must admit to being among those who don't care for snakes. The first ones I remember were small (didn't seem like it back then) garter snakes. Once while camping, a friend and I saw a coiled rattle snake. We took off running, but ran AWAY from our campsite. Unfortunately, we had to walk past the spot where we saw it to get back to our tent. We gave it quite a while to move on to some other location before we had the nerve to walk back.

Theresa, it seems like winter has found you. I hope you'll see some milder temperatures before full-fledged winter settles in. I hope all is well with you, hubby, his parents, your D and grandees! Hopefully you will soon be recovered from your cold.

MizT, I'm glad you went to Urgent Care and not the ER. It's usually less expensive and faster. I hope your cream works faster than the directions seem to indicate. What wonderful news that today was a good day! You accomplished a lot!

MizT and Heidi, enjoy your upcoming visit!

I'm off to bed. Thinking of all of you and sending {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, prayers, , and healing vibes.

Hi all.

Tricia, I already have a bunch of books for my kindle. Amazon has free books also and I started 'buying' them a few months ago. I knew I would eventually get a kindle. I will check out bookbud. I can also borrow ebooks from the library. Just have to learn how to do that.

Heidi, I am jealous of you being able to visit Tricia. Wish I could join you.

Not much else going on here. Will be back soon.

Got up at 1 pm. I love sleeping through the morning! I need to drive to town to get a supply of food for the birds. Considering Feeder's Supply is a 40 minute drive each way, I try to get at least 100 ibs every time I go there. But I can only get what they have in stock. With all of my birds, I go through a LOT of bird food! Barb asked me yesterday how many birds I have, and I couldn't give her even a ballpark figure.

Morning friends, I really slept late today, 11:00 before I woke for the day. Joy came over for dinner last night, arrived late, stayed late, as usual. She brought a friend with her, and her friend Sherrie seemed to enjoy the food, she went back for seconds! I am glad she felt comfortable enough visiting me to just get up and go help herself to more! We had Walmart roasted chicken, a nice shortcut, the dressing I made Thanksgiving day, CB sauce, sweet potatoes, Lima beans, the ones I bought fresh at Pepper Place and put into freezer for holidays.

I did not have a totally pain free day, but it was so much better than any day I have had in a long time. I hope today is much the same. Yesterday was a beautiful warm fall day, light jacket or hoodie weather, with sunshine. Today is as warm, but overcast, and a small chance of rain.

Heidi, most of this coming week is forecast rain, some days more chance than others, I think highest percentage chance was 60%, but it will be warm. Warming up from today's expected 61 to high 60's as the week progresses. Well, rain was a part of our last visit and we still enjoyed camping . Pick a day and come on down, I have nothing urgent this week. I think I will go to Lakeshore Monday, get that out of the way for the week, I must go 4 times a month to maintain my scholarship.

Lakeshore is a well endowed charitable foundation, and spends part of it's funds giving partial to total scholarships to elderly or disabled people. I think it is a good thing. I have heard that 60% of the members get some assistance. How much depends on income and medical expenses a family or individual has monthly. Scholarships are either 25, 50, 75 or 100% of the monthly dues, which is $50 a month. Some insurance companies are paying $20 a month toward any gym type facility, if their members go at least twice a month. My sister gets that assistance, and spends a good amount in travel expenses, going twice a week from 35 miles away. But the water exercises in the therapeutic pool have kept her going even with her fibro, and she and her hubby say it is totally worth it!

People with arthritis and fibro need a much warmer pool than normals do. Our huge pool is kept at 92 degrees! Going in at times feels like you are walking into a huge bathtub! But the warmth is necessary, as the cold will cause more pain, doing more against fibro and arthritis than the exercises are doing good.

It is encouraging to see the progress of some severely handicapped persons, as they come for private therapy sessions with one of the staff. There is one man who had either a stroke or brain injury, I am thinking stroke. He was unable to do anything but float in the water for relaxation and pain relief at first, with flotation devises under his neck and knees. His attendant would just guide him gently through the water. He comes into pool area in a power chair, transferres to the pool's waterproof PVC wheeled chair and is wheeled down the 'beac

He comes into pool area in a power chair, transferres to the pool's waterproof PVC wheeled chair and is wheeled down the 'beach entry' till he can float off the chair. Last week, after a short float to relax, he was standing at edge of pool, doing exercises, and then with assistance, walked back and forth in pool. Such progress for him!

OK, probably more than you wanted to know, but I felt like sharing some of the things I have seen at Lakeshore. I think I mentioned before they have activities for Wounded Warriors, some of whom are there in rehab, 24/7, some living on campus with their families in housing supplied to them by Lakeshore, as they try to get their lives back together.

If you are interested, there are a lot of other stories from other members that are inspiring. If you would like to hear more, just say so. If not, just skip over the ones I do put up, I will never know .

Time to get my day on. I did find one thing Joy would like for Christmas gift, and I am going online shopping for it. Her August birthstone in a bracelet or ring. I have seen those many times on nomorerach.com, they had Pages back in time for August birthdays. I hope there is still a good selection. I do like online shopping, could get in trouble there, but I have it under control. I wait till I get my monthly check, see what was left over from previous month, and spend from that amount. Never have spent ALL so I have built up enough spare change to be able to Christmas shop without worry now hehehe.

Hugs to each of you, with extras.

Heidi, you slept later than I did, how wonderful for you! So looking forward to your visit, just let me know when. Hugs friend!

Is the site broken? Where is everyone???

I am here Tricia. We needed new tyres on the car so had lunch and shopped while we waited. I love shopping in Aldi.
Had a lovely time in the City with Laura yesterday. That is until I lost her in the Queen Victoria building. We had been there earlier before the shops opened and she wanted to go back. She raced up the escalators before me and headed in the wrong direction before I caught up. I thought she had gone to the next floor where the shop was but I walked around for ages until someone at a booth (for taking photos with Santa) phoned security for me. As soon as Laura realised she could not see me she went into a shop and told them she had lost 'her parents'. They had her taken down to security. I was pleased that she was so sensible and it was also a lesson for her to make sure she stays with me at all times. I must say she had done that earlier.
Actually I was surprised that she told me she liked seeing the old style buildings and we looked into an antique shop and she was admiring the old jewellery and looking for things with rubies and diamonds and telling me what some of the stones were. I was surprised at her knowledge.

Tricia, I do enjoy reading about people overcoming their problems. Gives one a 'good' feeling.
I am sure you will enjoy another visit from Heidi. I hope the weather keeps warm and your pains keep away. nice to hear that you have been feeling better.
Enjoy your Kindle Tami. I do enjoy mine. I get a lot of 99c books. I have had some very funny 'free' ones. I tend to look for murder mysteries.
Must start on my Christmas letter so I can get my cards posted.

If anyone wants to see where I lost Laura, google QVB Sydney. There are about 4-5 levels of boutique type shops. A Mecca for overseas visitors.

Believe it or not, I had a nice nap this afternoon, and I'm ready for more sleep now. My body must need this sleep. I'll chat more tomorrow.

Everyone!

Tami, I'm so glad you got your Kindle! You were so smart to start getting books, knowing that you would get a Kindle. You'll be set for quite a while!

Heidi, good for you for sleeping in! Is there a way to find out when the Feeders' Supply store places orders? Maybe you would be able to predict what foods and how much you need so that they would be sure to have everything when you get there. After all, you're a regular customer!

MizT, I'm so glad that you have been having a few lower-pain days! I'm also glad you were able to sleep in after a late night. It seems that the pool helps you a lot when you can get there! I enjoyed hearing about the man who is making progress post-stroke, and would enjoy reading stories of other clients at Lakeshore.

June, it must have been frightening as you tried to find Laura. Good for her for knowing what to do when she realized you weren't with her! As far as knowing about stones, perhaps she learned about them at school or in a book she had read. She is growing up!

Heidi, I hope you're not coming down with something. At least, by sleeping in and getting an afternoon nap, you may be warding it off or at least insuring that it will be mild.

We picked up D and SIL at airport and took them back to their apartment, along with their dog. Our 'grand puppy' (miniature schnauzer I've mentioned before) had been staying with us since Tuesday afternoon. She is very well behaved and smart, so we enjoy our visits.

I should get to bed soon, so will send the usual , prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing vibes and positive thoughts for all!

Just a quick drop in between work and xmas dinner with the girls.

Mamacita, so glad you are mending, I just wish it was faster. Here's hoping you've had a longer sleep by the time you read this.. Gentle hugs

June, what an adventure with Laura! I'm glad she did the right thing and hope she never runs off again! I'm just imagining how scared you were...

Bugger, bugger, bum.. Can't remember what else I was going to say!

Work is hectic. Good classes and bad classes.

I had a fun, but tiring weekend with Tahli. She loves the animals, and she loves her babyccinos. She's kind of a fan of the tree too, though she wishes Santa (even santa decs) would disappear.

MizT, I crocheted the snowflakes. I have patterns if you want them.

June.... I'm impressed with Laura's sense. She made one mistake in her excitement, and had the intelligence to handle it in the smartest way possible. I think she learned a lesson, too.

Yes, it's morning, and I'm up!!! I'll probably have some breakfast and go back to sleep for a couple more hours. After I call my GP and make an appointment.

OK.... my Doctor's appointment is for tomorrow afternoon at 3:15.

MizT.... how does it look for a Wednesday visit?

Wednesday would be fine. Are you planning on staying overnight (I hope I hope I hope)? What time would you get here? I am so thrilled you are coming.

Would you like to attend a Christmas luncheon at Lakeshore with me? I have debated about going and decided not to take the bus. If I go with transportation here, would be at Lakeshore from 9 till 1 pm. Since I could not go in the pool (not while I have an active fungal break out) would be a lot of waiting with nothing to do. Luncheon is like 11:30 or 12 o'clock. If you drove us there, I could walk right in, no problem with walking the parking lot like would be if I drove just for the luncheon. Just a thought, and no big deal if you are not up for this. You would not be keeping me from going by visiting, because I am not going on my own. Lakeshore provides Ham, turkey and dressing, and members bring dishes. There is a LOT of food, sure you could find something you like. Each member is allowed to bring a guest, so, just a possibility, if you are interested. You could get an idea of what Lakeshore is like.

Is that Christmas luncheon Wednesday or Thursday? I'd love to go. I was planning on spending the night so to break up the drive.

I love to hear when SA friends get together - MizT and Heidi - enjoy yourselves, whatever you do.
Suzy - by next year Tahli will love Santa and Christmas - Daniel won't. I have some hilarious Santa photos of my grandies at that age - all trying to escape Santa!!
June - how sensible of Laura to report herself lost - just what we all hope our littlies will do. I love that QV building but quite a few years since I've been there.

Heidi, the luncheon is on Wednesday, starts at 11:00, but there is always a long line to be served, so serving continues till 11:30 or so. Tables are on the floor of the field house and there are a LOT of them. If you can make it here that early, it would be fun to go. If for some reason you do not make it, not a big deal.

YEAH, going to stay the night, that is wonderful. I know you would have to get started very early Wednesday morning to be here in time for the luncheon. You were here last time by five after noon, so if you could get away a bit earlier, and made good time with no detours, we could make it. Like I said, I would not be crushed if we did not get to go

You will find people there dressed in everything from running shorts or sweatsuits, to business suits, depending on where they came from, the gym or work. The majority will be in casual attire, with a LOT of ugly Christmas Sweaters hehehe. I will wear slacks and one of my new sparkly tops. So wear whatever is comfortable for you.

I am so looking forward to your visit, I am sure we can still find something to talk about hehehe.

I'm here again and feeling a lot better pain wise. The pain is not as intense and not as frequent...so I see the light at the end of the tunnel and its not a train coming in my direction.
June, as others have said, we are so proud of the way Laura reported her plight and was reunited....what a great kid....doing what we all hope for...wonderbar!
Tricia and Heidi....wish I could join you gals....maybe one day.
Tami...hope you and hubby get this way next summer and we can meet up right here...keeping fingers crossed.
Well, I'm pacing myself and it's time for me to say so long for awhile...see you next time around.
Peace.

I'll know better tomorrow afternoon, MizT, if I can make it that early. Tentatively, I believe I can.

Hi! Just dropping by for a quick read and write.

Suzy, I hope you enjoyed Christmas dinner with the girls! I hope you have more good classes than bad classes! Do you crochet the snowflakes using special thread?

Heidi and MizT, no matter what you do, we know you'll have a wonderful day together!

Mamacita, what fantastic news that you are a feeling a lot better! Keep up the good work!

We have an early morning tomorrow, so I'll be heading off to bed. Take care of yourselves! , positive thoughts, prayers, {{{{{HUGS}}}}} and healing vibes and enjoy your holiday preparations!

Hmmmm... nobody here overnight.
I leave for the doctor's in 4 hours. Hopefully, I'll get a clean bill of health.

Morning friends. It is cool and cloudy today, again. I think that will be the norm this week, warming around noon to tolerable temps. Slight chance of rain the next 3 days, chance increasing till Friday when with 90% chance of rain, we most likely will get wet.

Heidi, I am very flexible, if you get here in time for luncheon, good. If not we can eat here, or go out to eat, lunch or dinner. Do you like seafood? I am thinking of a restuarant called The Fish Market, they bring in fresh seafood from the Gulf, about a 5 or 6 hour drive away, and cook it nicely. Restaurant is not far from me at all, and I have not been since I live here, what a shame.

June, I am sure that was a scare for both you and Laura, but so happy she knew what to do. A young lady with her head on straight

Mamacieta, how wonderful to see you posting. I am happy you are pacing yourself, and that pain has decreased some. Sending hopes, prayers and wishes that pain continues to subside. Oh would love to have you meet with Heidi and me, somewhere some time, we gotta do that.

Cyn, I love hearing about SAers getting together and really enjoy being one of them that is hehehe. How I wish I could meet up with more of you.

I have a full day today. Need to neaten the house, after some of my activities yesterday. I have my tree up, no decorations yet, but up and lit. I re made my wreath for front door (many of us decorate our door according to the season, it does cheer up the hallway). Last year I had changed the wreath from Christmas to Valentines day by taking out poinsettias and adding pink to the red and white. Had to take out the pink and add the Christmas stuff back yesterday. It looks pretty good. did the same with a large basket of flowers on the top of bookcase. Now to clean my mess.

Thinking of going back to urgent care today, I have been treating this for 7 days now, and see no improvement in the worse area. Plus, I have new areas of outbreak. They need to do something more. Wearing clothes is uncomfortable, so is having dentures in my mouth.

OK, timer has sounded, reminding me rest break is over. Only way I will finish my ambitious list is work and rest, work and rest. Hugs to each of you, with extras.

HEIDI, I am so excited, just over 24 hours and you will be here!!!

You need to go in and be seen, Tricia. Don't worry about tidying for me. I'm a slob and never notice other people's stuff, unless it's not there. Too much tidiness seems unnatural. I don't like an antiseptic or sterile life.

I'm off to see my doctor. Cross your fingers that it isn't melanoma.

I'm back home. it's just a sebaceous cyst, and will be removed next week. Good news. I was worried.

Heidi, so glad you found it was just a cyst. Hope the removal of said cyst goes smoothly and recovery is quick and painless.

I am not a neat freak, but do appreciate clean sheets :). The neatening was mostly putting away things I left out of place, like clothes I took off and put on bed, the craft stuff for redoing flowers. In this tiny apartment, one must keep things put away or there is no place to sit, or sleep or anything! Laundry is the biggest thing I did, just sheets and towels and undies.

Now for a nap. Back is a bother, waited around till time for pain meds after getting in from laundry room before napping.

No one from down under has been on in 24 hours. I hope they are just busy with fun seasonal things. thinking of all of you!

I did some online Christmas shopping, and they appreciated it enough to send me $$$ off if I would come do some more! Still needed stuff, and $35 total in credits was a big incentive to go back there:). I found Joy earrings and a ring with her birthstone, sent straight to my daughter in California some makeup brushes and a necklace, earrings that just looked like her style. No shipping charges, so nice to get packages sent to her without having to pay. they just will not be gift wrapped, but . . . Last year she sent things to me much the same way, and talked her sister here into coming and wraping them for me hehehe. she knows I appreciate a pretty wrapped package. Hands just do not let me do some of the things I once did in gift wrap. I turned my sewing room into Shanta's wrapping station. Al had even made me a rack that held tubes of wrapping paper and rolls of wired ribbon. I have the scotch tape wrist dispenser that dispenses just right, pre cut tape. I made my gift tags on the computer. I saved coffee cans, oatmeal canisters, Icing containers, anything with straight sides and a snap on lid, and either painted them or covered in gift wrap. round packages and cube shaped packages are so much more interesting then flat shirt boxes. A few years ago, I made cloth bags, with a pieced or appliqued quilt block of kind as the center piece of it. Only a few of those left now I did love doing it, and miss being able to do so now. I find gift bags are a easy substitute now for wrapped gifts.

Hi all. I am sending this from my kindle.

June, I once got separated from my mom in a store when I was five. I went to the desk and asked them to page my mommy, she was lost.

Down under reporting in! The rest of them must be busy.
I have Water Colour Class later today - a few weeks into it and I feel that I'm useless but others in the class say it took them months or years to feel they'd 'got it'. So I'll persevere, they are a nice bunch of people.
Heidi - glad it was only a cyst. What a relief for you.
Tami - haha, Mommy was lost! Lovely story.

MizT.... I'm sorry, but I think I'll pass on the luncheon tomorrow. I realized that I'd have to leave here around 5 am, and I think I need more sleep than that tonight. I'm really tired. Instead, I'll leave here mid morning, and we can just have a nice visit chatting. and doing nuthin'.