Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Thanks, Karen. (And happy getting-back-to-eating-bread day).
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Sandy - We always go to the grocery store as soon as Pesach ends to get Entemann's chocolate fudge donuts (didn't last year as it was just me, but this year DD#2 helped to eat them), beer for DH, cereal, and whatever else we need for the next few days. We don't eat much bread, but oatmeal for meal, cereal for DH. Pizza for dinner tonight - alway rice on the menu - once with tofu stir fry and the other with fish and not sure the other night before Shabbat.
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Petite - necklace is beautiful!
Mary - one day at a time. I'm glad you're talking with a counselor, sometimes it takes a lot to recognize you need help getting thru it.
Sandy - foodies jealous. I haven't been inside a restaurant but I can't wait to be in FL where many outdoor dining options are available. Religious superiority of those who think their beliefs are the only beliefs to be correct annoy me greatly. It's a Forrest Gump moment, easier to walk away.
We had a great time at the 5 yr old bday party. I was in love with the little baby lambs! Kids rode the ponies - who had a unicorn on their heads, and loved every minute. Adults also enjoyed seeing the sheep & 2 lambs, goat & 2 kids, 2 bunnies and ponies.
Weather is decent here, in 60's the next couple of days. I'm thrown by the warm temperatures. It's never this warm this early. We leave for FL in 13 days but I feel like I should stay (but I won't) and start planting & getting everything ready for summer.
I'm enjoying no school week, and might even pack a suitcase of "house" stuff. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the week too.
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Cyber hugs to you, MC.
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Do each day all that can be done that day.You don't need to overwork – or to rush blindly into your work, trying to do the greatest possible number of things in the shortest possible amount of time.Don't try to do tomorrow's – or next week's – work today.It's not so much the number of the things you do but the quality, the efficiency of each separate action that counts. . . . you need only to succeed in the small tasks of each day.This makes a successful day.With enough of these, you have a successful week, month, year – and lifetime. -Earl Nightingale
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I agree, I refuse to associate with people who proselytize and cannot understand why anyone can disagree with them, and continually argue religion without realizing that religion should improve one's ethical principles. If I had any family members like that, I would also refuse to associate with them. Actually, one of the reasons for my divorce was exactly that. He became the kind of Baptist that even most Baptists would raise their eyebrows at.
I am reading Mary Trump's book, and " commanding followers to leave their parents and cut all ties with them unless the parents were true believers" becomes entirely relevant. .
I know what the problem is; I will probably be moving to be closer to family within a year or so. At my age without family members close by, the loneliness is acute. I really felt it this Easter. I have found great healing in this town.
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Back late from Marion VA and the Podiatrist there. They have a new one and I enjoyed being there for a change. Mainly due to finding answers to some of my questions that made sense. I found out that using meds to get rid of my 'chemo fungus under the toenails' wasn't something he would recommend. Very hard on the liver and iffy results to boot. Now I know this, it need no longer by a question for me.
Also by chance we met one of the Marion VA chaplains -- a delightful lady named Joyce. We chatted for at least a half an hour. Time well spent -- I felt refreshed afterward. So, other than being a somewhat long day for us ( not much time to be here ) it was warm ( 81 ) sunny and a nice day to reflect on life.
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I played golf yesterday and enjoyed the outing. It was a lovely day if a bit too warm. We had three of us on the front nine and then two on the back nine. The course is green now, having recovered from winter. I was tired afterward and didn't do anything but eat lunch and then rest when I got home.
DH is playing today. I will go outside and do some more yard work. We have crepe myrtle trees lining the driveway and a couple out in the front yard. They grow sprouts from the bottom of the trunk and I need to clip those off. Involves some bending that is good exercise. We don't get to enjoy the blooms because we are gone during the month of June.
Today or tomorrow Mr. Gomez, my pine straw man, will be delivering 15 bales of pine straw for mulch. Theoretically, mulch helps to keep weeds down but weeds are very resilient in my gardening experience.
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When I think of my past, I try to dwell on the good times, the happy moments, and not to be haunted by the bad. . .To me the gift of life is contained in the command, whatever happens: " Don't let it get you. Just keep on going." Thus, I try to think of the good that I have already experienced and what will still be coming. -Rose Kennedy
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(((Mary))). I agree that being closer to family will be key. Hang in there till then, and feel free to "haul us into your pocket" whenever you need us.
As I suspected, Bob is postponing dissolving the partnership & closing the practice yet again. His partner (an internist, not a cardiologist) refuses to go to work for the Advocate system (whose hospital has held back on referring her enough patients because she's can't get board-certified), and their staffers are convinced that in order to cut overhead Advocate would fire them all. So to satisfy her and their staff, starting in July they will use the PPP loan money in lieu of taking their draw, and close the practice at the end of the year (rather than at the end of June). I'm not holding my breath on this, however. My dream of our being able to travel once it's safe to do so--while I'm still well enough and he's still young enough--is getting kicked so far down the road that it's getting fainter & fainter.
Judy, we've agreed that the one place we're willing to vacation at this time is Key West. We can stand being masked at the airports & on planes, and the thought of being able to dine alfresco (except when it's storming) sounds delightful. But NYC isn't NYC yet, nor is Vegas Vegas. We can use RCI points to go back to the Berkshires--but the surrounding towns were ghost towns even pre-pandemic. To me, driving around to look at mountains, do some (very) light hiking (considering the state of Bob's knees) and then going back to a condo (sans housekeeping service) to cook in a rudimentary kitchen is NO "vacation."
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Good morning, ladies. It is 54 degrees and going to 80 for a pleasant day. DH had a cluster headache again this morning. He can't get into see the neurologist until Tuesday the 13th. After he has one he sleeps, so late breakfast.
I have to go to the drug store and post office, then catch up on some chores for today.
Sandy, I didn't get a chance to thank you for sharing in regards to "Easter". My extended family is Asian and semi-practicing Hindu. Before COVID, we all would get together and yes, bite some chocolate bunny butt. LOL. When there are weddings and funerals, both "Eastern" and "Western" services are performed.
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We had a thunderstorm about 2 am. The loud rumble of thunder was continuous for five or ten minutes accompanied by flashes of lightning but no close strikes, fortunately. I went back to sleep but awoke earlier than usual.
I have an appointment for a hair trim this afternoon and have almost decided to go with the "transition to gray" highlight.
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Sometimes life frightens me and I'm tempted to retreat instead of risking failure. But when I challenge this fear and choose to take a risk, this stretches my soul. By forging ahead and trying something new—even when I am scared—I perform an act of courage. And this act of courage strengthens my soul and strengthens my character. -John Gray
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Carole, we had a storm here too although it was more rain I think. I don't always hear the thunder if it is a quieter kind. With hearing aids I tend to hear the loudest sounds around me and that is usually the tv. Anyway some little bit of sun this morning, but more rain expected. Cooler too, of course. Not always likable but not so bad considering the late winter snowstorm and brrr temps then. It will stay much warmer now but for a while we will have to have rain storms I think. Just crossing my fingers that no tornados or straight line winds are a part of this yr.'s transition from Spring to Summer.
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Ah, yes, Sandy, Retirement. When I met Gil in 2000, he told me he was committed to write five more research papers with colleagues around the world and that would take two years. But, as I should have known, it's almost impossible for a committed doctor or a scientist to retire. He was teaching then at U of Iowa, moved here in 2001, was offered a teaching job at U of C and at Northwestern. Twenty years later he's still writing and publishing on the group of 450million years ago fossils where he's the world expert. But we have had time to travel and, it is good, to have an absorbing interest.
If you ever go to Key West, check out the Gardens Hotel on Trip Advisor. It's a 17 room beauty, KW style, so its not like a Ritz or Fairmont. Just lovely, low key, perfect location. And Key West has some wonderful restaurants, away from the tourist traps. Can barely wait for next week to go to Louie's Back Yard and Sarabeth again. The caveat for KW, though, is we walk everywhere, because our mobility hasn't been much affected. You can walk the whole island from one end to the other in about 30 minutes. It's fairlydifficult to have a car there because of lack of parking.
Getting an Apple Watch 6 from my son for my birthday and the Philip Roth biography( I was in graduate school with him) which I'm so eager to read, from Gil.
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I enjoyed watching the 3 night PBS special on the life of Ernest Hemingway. If Ken Burns produces it I usually like it. Like many writers & gifted, a curios, sad, brilliant self-centered life. I have read little of his work but am inspired to take a closer look.
I also recently liked a similar Flannery O'Connor special. I initially became interested in her by reading her letters and the fact that she died at 39 of Lupus, before there were adequate treatments ( not that they are yet good enough).
Getting warmer now and we just ordered new cushions for our deck set. Cant wait to start earing and sitting outside again.
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TGIF! Have my 6 month oncology visit this morning. Not worried. Labs looking good - for the first time in a long time, I have lots of questions - nothing really important more curiosity.
Have a great day!
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Happy Birthday, Keywestfan.
Good luck on 6 month visit, Karen1956.
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Years ago we visited the Hemingway home in Key West, over run with 6 toed cats. When I was majoring in English in college, my professors were never big fans of Hemingway. Faulkner was more admired, as I recall. We watched the first installment of the Burns documentary and are set up to record the follow up installments. I was always turned off by Hemingway's macho personality. I may download a couple of his novels on my Kindle and read or re-read them.
Key West is trying to limit the cruise traffic but the state is opposing their efforts.
My hair stylist yesterday did a highlight on my hair that was supposed to help transition into the natural gray. I was a little shocked when I looked in the mirror. I am now silver and gold, as some of the colored hair is still there. I know some of my golf friends who are committed to "color until you die" will not like it. If I decide by next fall that I don't like being gray, I can always go back to color. I did that once before, when I was 70.
I may do some shopping today at a couple of stores if the weather cooperates. Right now it's looking like rain may be on the way.
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Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of being alone. It has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone. -Paul Tillich
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Running late today and what should be a beautiful day. Warm and sunny. Maybe night-time rain though. Karen, I too am wishing you well on your oncology visit. Nice to only have curiosity questions. That is progress.
Hope things go well in your transition Carole. I guess like so much of life there are steps to getting to a comfy place with hair and what we do with it. Some of my friends are making the trtansition to grey. So far I continue to not need color -- but I will likely always need a perm for the body. My hair has always been think and fine. I thought after chemo ( I looked forward to it really ) I would have maybe what I always wanted -- thicker, and and a nice color and curly. Nope !! You might know -- I had more of the same -- just healthier over all for having lost it and its being brand new growth.
Interesting times. We finally made the switch to Hulu yesterday. Hate to admit it turned into an all day chore. BIL came to help as he has preformed the feat many times on his own systems at his house and the other brother's tvs. as well. At one point he used his I-phone for part of the set up and we got thrown into hours of work as the program set-up took his personal amazon acct. and even to the point of showing the last four of his credit card. I thanked him for the wonderful gift we couldn't keep but oh the trials getting him de-installed and us back in. Finally had to spend several hours on the phone with a lady from Amazon and then she in turn had to three-way us with someone techinical from Hulu. Oh my -- I bet BIL will never use his own phone again if he is helping anyone. Almost 6 hrs. worth of having to re-enter a lot of info with the fire-stick til' hands and fingers were stressed from so much time having to do this. We were though at last successful. It all looks good and I think we will be pleased. We will still get all our local channels and the things we were regulars watching before we went to just 10 channels on our Spectrum service. We can now quit that part ( tv ) of our Spectrum.
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IllinoisLady, we did the same only went with Roku. DH had some of his friends set it up. I am not much of a TV watcher, but he is.
I went gray the day I retired and never went back.
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At 80, I'm slowly starting to go gray. There's a streak in the front that's solid gray. I'm so tempted to color it blue or lavender.
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We had a 6 toed cat at the shelter named Brett Ashley (female). It wasn't until someone described it as a Hemingway polydactal that I realized it was named after Hemingway characters.
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I don't remember reading Hemingway in my lit classes. I got less interested in reading him after reading "The Paris Wife." He seems such a nasty man. Just started "Tsarina" by Ellen Alpsten about Catherine the Great. Think I will like it. Her prose is beautiful and historical fiction is my favorite genre.
Hope you got all your questions answered, Karen.
I didn't color again after chemo. Now sort of a mousy brown with some grey streaks with a bald crown. Definitely a genetic thing - Mom had virtually no hair when she died and I just noticed a large bald spot on my cousin. Hers is farther forward than mine but about the same size. I just keep adding to my hat collection.
Happy weekend everyone. I'm still masking but very grateful I'm now 2 weeks post second vaccine.
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We had a humdinger of a storm starting after midnight and it is just now passing on to the east. DH rolled down the hurricane shades covering the outside of the windows before we went to bed so the house was like a cave when I got up this morning.
I do a double take when I look into a mirror. The silvery hair is a shocker. My mother still had a full head of hair when she passed away at 96 and I have very thick hair with wave on the sides and curly in the back.
No plans for today except the possibility of going to Belk's (five minutes away or less) and doing a walk though the displays of shorts. I really like the pull on style with flat elastic at the waist and fitted at the hips. The length just above the knees. I guess what we called Bermuda shorts. The fitting rooms are closed so you have to make purchases and try on the clothes when you get home. I went to Kohl's yesterday to buy underwear and was shocked at the prices.
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You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world's happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime. -Dale Carnegie
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I am enjoying the "cat " talk. Wren, I think polydactal often can be found in Maine Coon cats. To me though -- the number of toes doesn't matter much -- I tend to love them all. It is though I admit an interesting feature.
Carole, I think we got some of your storm last night. Started with thunder and lightning. We had just started to think maybe it would blow over when it finally let loose and rained. We had a fair amt. of wind before the rains came though. Should have known the 'water' part wouldn't really miss us.
I am shocked by a lot of the prices going on today -- especially due to the fact we have had covid during a recession. Guess we all have to just plan more for the things we want or need. We are still busy here trying to figure out all the things we need to sell, donate or otherwise get into someone else's hands. Even though I'm working more than I thought I would it has been so easy to "keep" things solely from feeling that I haven't had the time to carefully consider how I use things so I can decide what really no longer fits our lifestyle. I do think having our family living with us is going to help a lot make those determinations.
I hope some of those higher prices sill stabilize since they seldom go down.
I hope you all have a good Saturday. It is mostly cloudy here. Haven't looked at the weather closely yet -- but I'd rather skip any more rain. Here's hoping.
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We had an arborist look at our 125ft Lombardy poplar trees and he was reassuring. He said if the wind was strong enough to blow them down, the roof would blow off first. They were planted in 1946 by the original owner. The arborist said they can live 150 years. The bad news was that the city would never let us cut them down, so the usable size of our lot is decreased. We're trying to sell the house to a developer (whole neighborhood is going that way) and it decreases the price we can get.
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"At 80, I'm slowly starting to go gray. There's a streak in the front that's solid gray. I'm so tempted to color it blue or lavender." Wren, I am shocked!
I think it would look great! My mother had a grey streak for many years. 0
