Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Well, I stepped on to the scale this afternoon and...it's back to near-keto again. Not a "quarantine 15," but pretty awful nonetheless. I can still fit into my size 10s, but they don't "drape" on me like they did last month before my back went out and started my sedentary slide. (Still nags me now, but--knock wood--haven't had to take an NSAID in a few days). I let myself eat what I craved (even bedtime snacking on carbs), reasoning that portion control would prevent any damage. Nope. So it's back to peeling all the breading or batter off fried things, eating only the toppings of pizza (yup, even cauliflower-crust, which due to tapioca & rice flour is high-glycemic as hell), limiting myself to one piece of keto bread a day, eating only the innards of egg rolls, and leaving over the crust from quiche (with Cellars closed for the pandemic winter, that's one brunch temptation I won't have). And no wine with dinner when dining alone--and when eating with Bob, no more than 2 oz., either. (Winter plus no indoor restaurant dining means no wine tasting dinners to tempt me). My next official weigh-in is Jan. 28, so I'd better lose at least 5 lbs. by then.
Cindy, I wish I could get allergy-tested--but the hospital where my health system's allergy clinic is located is once again the system's COVID-only hospital. Advocate Christ is offering its first batch of Pfizer only to the COVID ICU and ER staff, but not mandating they take it. I doubt, though, there'll be any leftovers for the attendings--they''ll probably be allocated to other area hospitals that want them. If Bob can get the Pfizer at all, it'll likely be at Holy Cross, which would be getting part of the city's separate allocation. But next week Moderna will get FDA approval, and there will be a more plentiful supply. Dr. Ezike, IL's Health Commissioner, assured everyone today that new batches will arrive every week. Meanwhile, Bob donated blood today but won't find out if he has antibodies till 7-10 days from now. So he'll take the vaccine as soon as it's offered to him.
I took the NYTimes quiz too--and there would be 380,000 people ahead of me in Cook County alone.
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I wish they would add educators and anyone in schools if the schools are in the person to the essential workers list. My district just came out with its plan for spring semester. It scares me to be in the buildings unless the cases get under control. We are still over 12% positivity and we are not even at the worst of Thanksgiving travel.
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Good morning. It was 28 when I got up and has warmed to 32. I thought I would call my SIL and see if they would stop by on their way back to North Carolina, instead of us meeting them somewhere that I would feel uncomfortable. The grand nephew wants us to come down south, but there is just too much COVID-19 down there.
Cindy, DH has a friend whose brother had the virus, recovered and was killed in an auto accident, but listed as death from COVID. I think that was in the Orlando area. So, yes they are not recording the deaths right. Also not recording or reporting the recovered people, at all. It doesn't make sense.
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Well it’s confusingly ambiguous to be in long term congregate living. After a real push by some residents here, the Mather is offering weekly COVID testing which Medicare pays for. 99 out of 300 have signed up for it, including me.Many others say it is useless if not mandatory for everyone. Part of my reason for signing up is to protect others in these narrow corridors and elevators in case I’m an asymptomatic carrier.Confusing also is the information we are receiving about the vaccine. We are told that, though in Independent Living, we are classified as a nursing home and that The Mather has signed with CVS and Walgreens who will come here for 3 days and distribute the vaccine to us in the first go around. But, somehow, I don’t believe there will be enough vaccine even for the first responders. The other thing is I feel like a sissy, because so many residents and friends here are going to Target, Walmart, Vogue Fabrics, having ongoing bridge games for two hours in their apartments and DH and I don’t do these things. We go for long walks and distance as much as we can within the building. We picked up curbside the other night in downtown Evanston and it was like an adventurous field trip, being out in the world again. And, lastly, one very good friend here, probably unbalanced by COVID restrictions, has turned into a mean girl, bar none.She said to me, “Why are you walking so much? You’re just going to die of cancer anyway.” End of friendship! Answers to confusion will all be revealed,as everything will eventually be.
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keywestfan, you are not a sissy, you are a sensibly cautious person! Or at least that is what I think we are, staying home except for necessities, masks when out, etc. Keep on taking care of yourself.
Our county health department reports, 5 days a week, current numbers for total cases, total confirmed cases, total probable cases, total suspect cases, current active cases, total recovered and total deaths. Last reported positivity rate was 20%!
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As yesterday is history, and tomorrow may never come, I have resolved from this day on, I will do all the business I can honestly, have all the fun I can reasonably, do all the good I can willingly, and save my digestion by thinking pleasantly.
Robert Louis Stevenson
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I have started wearing a mask to the houses I go to for my little job and the one lady I just help out. Seeing news reports and reading our little daily paper here just has me worried. There are times I need to be out to get things we need and I have not actually restricted myself much for that reason. Also, helping others is not something I feel I should give up right now either. So, instead, I wear my mask wherever I go.
Have an appt. in an hr. with what will be my new cancer Dr. I'll be glad to get that underway I think. Also looking forward to tomorrow. All I'll have to do is feed the feral cats -- and the rest of the day will be mine.
Hope you all have a really good day.
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Judy, you are doing the right thing--all around. Your neighbor is likely coming unglued due to pandemic fatigue--and probably resents the fact that you & she will be on the same "priority plane" for the vaccine even though she (as far as she knows--which is not a given as we age) is not a cancer patient. Heck, I know I will likely eventually die (perhaps w/in the decade) from ocular melanoma--but so long as I'm still alive and feel well, I am taking precautions and will eagerly take my place in line for the vaccine as soon as it's offered to me. As for testing, I think it's prudent to do despite the care you & Gil have been taking, since it takes only one "covidiot maskhole" to spew enough aerosols that might sneak in the sides of your mask (highly unlikely but not impossible).
Bob says "we all have to weigh our risks, because nothing is 100% safe any more." He thinks I should get my mani tomorrow: the salon is safer than his hospitals, to which he goes daily. I'll be there for only an hour--everyone is masked, our temps get taken at the entrance, we wash our hands 3x (upon entering, between the manicure & gel polish, and again when leaving) and everything is disinfected & separated by plexiglas partitions. One of the salon's regular clients is a family practitioner (NP), so if she feels safe then I should feel so too. (Gonna double-mask, though).
But I'm still getting everything--groceries, meds, tchotchkes--delivered. Haven't set foot in a grocery store or pharmacy for over 2 weeks. I went out on to my deck this afternoon to sip my (almost-no-carb) latte and to harvest some herbs before they freeze, because it's just about the only place I can enjoy the fresh air without having to wear a mask. (I mask up even to retrieve mail, packages & takeout from my front porch--never know if someone will still be win 10 ft. Holiday decorations have covered the peephole).
Yeah, we've given in to the spirit of the season: my HK found the little fake tabletop tree we brought with us 42 years ago from our little Seattle apt., and has decked the mantel with tiny lights and fake holly. Fake garlands, bows and battery lights on the porch banisters, lights on the door wreath, and multicolored lights on our arborvitae (which now reaches to the second story). Lighted "Happy Hanukkah" sign in the front window, and tomorrow night we fire up the first bulbs in the electric menorah beside it. Not sure if St. Gertrude's will send around carolers (should be safe for them to sing outdoors, especially masked--but you never know).
And this week I'm recording my video parts in the Bar Show holiday parody mashup--we're all in black tops and red & white Santa hats (and in one number I'll have jingle-bell earrings and multicolor necklaces). Should be up & online before Christmas. Meanwhile, the most recent video is the "von Trump Family Singers" performing "So Long, Farewell" (with appropriate shots of prominent Dems reacting).
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Good morning, Ladies. My grand nephew tested positive for COVID-19. He is young and healthy. Hoping for a quick recovery for him. So, Christmas plans have totally changed for the family. He has hosted Christmas at his house for about 3 years. Since DH and I were not planning on travel this year, it doesn't directly involve us.
Say what you want about the last 4 years, but I have been happy with the real estate market and the stock investments. So when the foreclosures start again, I will be in a position to go back to the rental business, if I so choose. It is what it is. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
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keywest - you are doing what is right for you. That so called "friend" is no friend. Good for you.
DH and I will be in round 2 of the vaccination delivery, but from what the news is saying that won't be till April, if not later depending on how things go. That's 4 months, so seems long, but on the positive side, maybe there will be more information regarding side effects and success rates. I'm actually hoping that my hematologist will offer it at my March visit.
We mask for everthing, except for our evening walks when it is dark and no one else is outside. We are the only "crazy" ones to walk in the dark and cold!!! Speaking of cold, I've turned into a wimp with the cold. Between Renauds in my hands and my trunk (foobs) always being cold lately, I need to bundle up like I used to in frigid weather.
Stay safe and stay healthy.
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The "coffee" in the pot of the coffeemaker this morning was very weak. Clear, in fact. I forgot the coffee grounds when I set up the pot last night! The worst mistake I ever made (a few times through the years) was to neglect to set the carafe in place. Awful mess with coffee all over the place.
It's foggy this morning.
I, too, am happy with the stock market but that's the only plus for me in the last four years of this administration. We watch some business news on tv and the disconnect between the economy and the stock market is difficult to figure out. The big stocks are mostly tech and social media.
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Hospitality means we take people into the space that is our lives and our minds and our hearts and our work and our efforts. Hospitality is the way we come out of ourselves. It is the first step towards dismantling the barriers of the world. Hospitality is the way we turn a prejudiced world around, one heart at a time. -Joan D. Chittister
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It will be a nice warm day here despite starting out pretty cool. Carole, we are no strangers here to "weak" coffee. Dh usually makes it and seems over time he can be easily distracted when making it. If not " weak ", sometimes he just forgets to turn the automatic pilot on. Most times though it is okay. Don't know if I mentioned we have been drinking half and half and it seems to keep the blood pressure in good shape while allowing a bit more of a 'better' if not robust flavor to this most wonderful elixir. I think we are such creatures of habit -- not enjoying coffee in the morning would just make the day start out on the " weak " side.
Well, we don't really have to worry about the stock market here because we have none, I do see it as the stock market is often " up " while we have starving people and those in long lines at food banks. That said, if you can partake of the market and have done well I applaud you. I am happy when my fellow travelers are having wins. There are all kinds of wins ( kids laughing, smiles from strangers, good neighbors, etc. ) and I am grateful for all of them and for all who are the fortunate recipients.
As for me, I start my 'chemo' this coming Tuesday. I am so happy to be starting this step so I can get it behind me and move on. It will be once a week for 8 weeks though so I will not finish until February. Then I start over with Dr. Barrientos having the special urine tests and bladder/kidney scopes to make sure I am free of and hopefully remain NED. This was found VERY quickly so that is an absolute plus.
The sun it out this morning and it may get as high as 70. Pretty nice for the month of Dec.
I hope you all have a really wonderful day.
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Just had an interesting phone call asking if I would be willing to be put on a waiting list instead of going to my 6 month cancer checkup appointment scheduled for next week. Dr. is trying to limit the number of people in her office on any given day in light of our local covid statistics ( rolling 7 day positivity rate has been at 20% for the last week). I agreed. Told DH that with Christmas and the likely effect of Dec. get togethers it may be spring before my next appointment!
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Double check with their office. My onco was surprised that at my age I am tech-savvy enough to prefer a Zoom visit. He told me that from then on out, our appointments will be via video. I am happy with that.
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No need to check. Main reason for face to face visit is breast exam (she does the most thorough yet comfortable exam I've ever had!) and Zoom would not take care of that. She and her DH are friends of ours and if I had any concerns all I need to do is make contact.
Thanks for the suggestion, though. Am probably going to request a zoom visit with my PCP because I have not heard the results of my dexa scan from a couple of weeks ago. His office was moving locations so I wanted to give them a bit of time but that bit is coming to an end!
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Happy Hanukkah, all!
Warmish again today--in fact, had my espresso out on the deck without even needing a jacket!
Bit the bullet and had my mani today. My salon is allowing only two clients and two techs (including the owner) at a time--in a place with six mani and four pedi stations. En route home, picked up some latkes & matzo ball soup for tonight's dinner (Bob's bringing home a chicken from Costco).
Had a bit of a disappointment today. First Bob called to tell me that his pulmonologist colleague at Union Health said Rush-Pres-St. Luke's is doing the Astra-Zeneca/Oxford vax trial; they're looking specifically for over-65-ers, and only 1/3 of the subjects would get a placebo shot. So he called them to enroll me. Alas, I am not a candidate: melanoma of any kind is a disqualifier from the single-shot trial. Of course, had I not discovered the contralateral floater that caused my retinologist to diagnose an ocular melanoma, I'd have qualified--but the melanoma would then have continued to grow undetected until it spread and kill me. My first thought is "they don't want to waste the vaccine on someone with a ticking time bomb," but the explanation on their site was that any kind of active cancer (other than basal or squamous cell skin), and especially chemo/rads/immunotherapy, would affect the data. So I am not disqualified from actually getting the vax when it's my turn in line--which would be group 4 (after COVID frontline health workers, nursing home residents, and other health workers). For Bob, depending on which hospital is making the decision, he'll be in either group 1 or 3. He declined to enroll in the trial because a 100% chance of getting the real vaccine by Jan. beats a 66% chance of getting it in a couple of weeks.
I SO wish Leslie's parents would cancel the Christmas ranch rental and tell the kids not to come down to Houston (rather than guilt-trip them into coming). Gordy doesn't drive, and so he couldn't take the wheel to spell Leslie--but since he's an adult in a committed relationship, it's not my place to advise him (much as that advice makes obviously eminent sense). Were he to send Leslie down there on her own, it would be seen as rejecting her family, which would endanger their relationship. (So would them getting sick & dying, but again, it's not my call). They were so careful for Thanksgiving--on T-Day Eve, when it began to rain, they brought everything out to the covered porch by using the gangway rather than coming inside. Bob said thst was out of consideration for us. True, her parents are a decade younger than us, but still...
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I tried to access the New York Times issue that gave "group" designations for vaccine with no success. I also thought that each state was more or less setting their own "lists". Ken is 77 with 9 stents and I am 74. Our risk factors are controlled by medication and there is no evidence of my cancer returning. I personally would like to see a lot of people be ahead of us, including our 50 yo daughter who works in a grocery store. We can self isolate a lot easier than many. But when they call my number, I certainly will take it. I can't ask that my dose be sent to Debbie in Maine.
Jackie, it certainly is true that the income inequality has gotten greater in the past 4 years and that the stock market isn't the economy. I know a lot of people who have worked really hard all their lives and haven't experienced the economic success of some others who haven't done the same. I'm enough of a pessimist that I don't believe that we can all achieve our goals and dreams if we work hard enough as some political campaigns said. Too many things in life are beyond our control. On the other hand, having access to resources like education, good health and medical care, and family money makes It easier to deal with set-backs. Not everyone has that. We lived in FHA housing while we were in graduate school but our parents paid our tuition so we didn't end up with years of debt after that. Thank goodness we had VA loans to help us buy our first house.
Stay safe everyone.
Marge
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For 35 years I've been spending Christmas evening at a gf house, we are like family. Through an ex husband, on to current partner, through deaths of parents, etc. if I'm in NY, that is where to find me. But not this year. It's always a house full, an open house to current and past neighbors, friends and business associates. She may not have it, keep it to her immediate family - but they work and younger ones are out and about. It saddens me but we can't risk it. I may go onto her back covered deck to exchange gifts when no one else is there. But as partner has said, we'll always be friends, but he doesn't want to die over one holiday.
Portfolio increases via the stock market is not how we value ourselves. Yes they're larger now, but the inequality in the country of the "have's" and the "have nots" is stark. I'm not looking to benefit off the backs of those less fortunate. Peace be with you.
Warmed up to mid 40's today. Expecting 53 on Sunday, and I'll take it! It's dropping back down next week with snow flurries.
Happy Hanukkah.
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Good morning, ladies. It is 39 and will warm up nicely. So far my grand nephew is the only one that has tested positive. I am surprised his wife has not yet. When I talked with my niece, his mom, she nearly brought me to tears. I felt so bad for her. The family time at the holidays is so important to her. It was difficult enough for her, as her husband died a year ago (liver cancer), SIL, her mom, is dead and MIL, her grandmother is dead. All in recent years. Now the COVID-19 virus has infected her son.
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Humility is the acceptance of the possibility that someone else can teach you something else you do not know already, especially about yourself. Conversely, pride and arrogance close the door to the mind. -Arthur Deikman
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Pretty day this morning g, but it looks like it may be gearing up to rain. I need to go to the store. Should have gone yesterday but got lazy -- so I'll have to go today when it is less pleasant.
Cindy and all. I hope I didn't sound snippy yesterday. I truly am happy for anyone who can invest in the market and do okay with it. I likely have something of a different outlook on things since I generally think all the things that happen to us ( good and bad, poor or rich, sick or well etc. ) is an experience we are meant to have. Not to go too far but everything is a learning experience and if we are learning -- we are growing and hopefully it is mainly ALWAYS positive growth. I struggle a bit financially, but here is the thing -- that helps me learn so much. Part of what I've learned is that I'm not so bad off. We lost all our retirement money thru illness but here I am with basically everything I need. A decent old car that looks new. A comfy home, and really enough food.
I saw pictures on the news of these huge long lines of people waiting to pick up donated food ( praying I never have to go that far ) and I well know there are homeless people. I have a home. True we can't update it as we'd like but it is over 1500 sq. feet of rooms to use and love in a magnificent setting just behind the first tree line of a little woods -- and a huge lake tucked into the woods that provides the town's drinking water.
I can still do a little work, but so many people are out of a job. I do not feel sorry for myself -- in fact, I seldom think of things in that way at all. If your circumstances are better than I am happy for you. I am convinced that I am where I was meant to be because of things I need to learn. So, I welcome each day and the opportunities I might be able to be a part of and the great experiences I may have because I open that door. Even if all I do is talk to someone that day it does something for me, and enriches hopefully my understanding of sharing with others on whatever level comes up. Your circumstances and mine are meant to be different because we are meant to grow in different ways for different reasons.
Which just brings to mind how grateful I am for this thread and the people here that I get to share with everyday. Now darn it -- if Chevy would just get herself in here and say hi once in awhile -- well, it would all be perfect.
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IllinoisLady - beautiful words
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Illinoislady, Cindy, Taco, In trying to put on my happy face I came on wrong. I am frugal. I save. I am goal oriented. I am blessed, lucky and been at the right spot at the right time. In the fifties my Dad took me to a band with my piggy back and I opened an account. When I got my first job at 35 cents an hour, I banked the check and lived on the tips. The bank changed to another bank, I would save. It changed to another bank. It changed to another bank and is now changing to another bank. So I probably still have the money from my piggy bank in 1958. Sometimes were hard and I couldn't save. When first husband died, all I had was debt. I was able to sell the house at what was owed and lived in Chapter 8 housing. I bought my first HUD house about 1992. I decided I wanted to be debt free by 2000. I sold it 1998. Moved to the area I currently live and got a great job. Back to saving. I bought an estate sale house. Sold that and bought a condo, built a house, rented out the condo to a newly divorced woman without any credit. Eventually sold the condo and the house I was living at double the cost in 2005. Bought another house, sold it in a year. Built another house. Lost money on that. Jim and I married and he rented his house to a couple that had lost their home. They still live at that house. So we rent to the people no one rents to. We keep rent cheap and we don't raise it. We sold 2 this year to the folks renting them. That money went to stocks and mutual funds. So, if stocks go down and real estate goes down, we will by foreclosures and provide a service renting those that no one will rent to. Sorry to go on for so long, but that is my life story.
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Petite1 - I misjudged your words, and that's on me. You live your truth.
Weather was warm, considering it's mid December. 50 on Sunday, if we can believe it. Funny what I consider warm now!
Enjoy the weekend.
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Petite thank you for sharing your story. Its an amazing one. This thread is really lovely and uplifting due to both the topics/ chat but also such gracious dialogue back and forth. Thank you all!
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Life is not a having and a getting,
but a being and a becoming.
- Matthew Arnold0 -
Petite, I enjoyed sharing your background and I applaud you for your success. My dh grew up in a middle-class blue collar family with a hard working father and stay at home mother. He was taught that however much money you earn, you save a portion of it. When we got married, we were poor but we had the benefit of his small savings he had accumulated while he was in the army and during working years. He was thirty and I was twenty-six when we married. I didn't have a dime of savings.
We both earned money during the wage-earning years of our marriage (51 years) and we always saved. During some years we lived on his salary and put all my income into savings. I took advantage of the first IRA offered by the federal government. Then since I was self-employed as a writer, I sheltered as much income as possible in retirement funds to minimize taxes. We realized early on that the stock and bond markets were the best opportunity to grow savings. We endured stock market fluctuations and ended up with retirement savings to supplement pension and social security.
We chose not to have children because we selfishly wanted to do a lot of travel and indulge in interests that would be hampered by rearing children. For example, we lived on a sailboat for 9 years. So we avoided the expense of a family. As I get older, I acknowledge to myself that not having children means not having the pleasure of friendship with grown up sons and daughters. And grandchildren. But I made my choices.
I make no apologies for having accumulated savings that we are using now in retirement. We hope not to run out of funds but leaving leftover funds to heirs is not a priority.
I enjoy the variety of personalities and lifestyles of our regular contributors to this thread. It would be boring if we were all alike.
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Wow !! What a difference a day makes !! Started raining early evening yesterday and we are going to now have pretty cool weather after 60's and 70's for a couple of days. At least it is not snowing. Not sure when and if that will come. At some point -- but with the climate issues it may just be a big surprise.
Have to REALLY go to the store today. I have been putting it off, but we have no bread -- so big indication I've reached the real end of the line and HAVE to stop procrastinating. Lately I've taken longer than usual to get done at my one job and the lady I just help. Need to do some refining so I can get done a bit faster. When I'm slow there, it slows everything else down.
Will try to finish my cards today. Not sending out many as I seriously cut down the list a few yrs. ago -- but more procrastination. Maybe I'm hopeless, but I hope not. Otherwise, I'm happy and satisfied. There is a vaccine on the way. It will all take some time and some discomforts to come, but wonderful to see that help is out there and only needs to be properly instituted. I won't be sorry to see this yr. go and to start a new one -- full of new hopes and dreams for good things for everyone.
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Illinois Lady, I've been meaning to ask about the adorable dog on your postings. Is it a dog you know?
DH sends our cards. I got really tired of doing it so he took over. This year he bought some with a fox in the snow and inside is about friends and family and small good things. Appropriate for this year, I think.
Very foggy here this morning. I can't even see the ridge where I can normally make out the houses and trees. It's supposed to be sunny later. I used to be a travel agent and totally burned out after all the Christmas travel plans we made for people were destroyed by 2 weeks of really thick fog. No planes could get in or out, so we spent Jan. refunding everything we had done in Dec. Then a carrier announced $39 fares to LA. I decided I was in an abusive relationship and needed to get out. It was a good move, but I missed being able to travel. I've had more enjoyable work since I made that decision.
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