Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Comments
-
True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island... to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing.
3 -
Cindy, glad that life in FL is good for you again this winter. I read in wellness articles that social relationships are good for mental health. You're in good shape.
It's quiet here on the Oldies thread. I hope the new folks who introduced themselves recently are doing well in meeting health challenges.
3 -
Still in NC. The crawl space work continues. They said it would take 3 days, but that didn't happen. There is a crack in a drain pipe and the plumber won't be here until Monday. So, that extends my stay. I had to go to get more supplies and go to the dump. There are 3 restaurants I want to try this trip, so I have the time to do that.
5 -
petite1, so glad you are enjoying your visit to your piece of heaven, even if the work continues. Once it is all done, you will be able to really relax and know that it is all fixed.
cindyny, I agree with carole, that you make the honor roll list for social skills and outings. I get tired just reading how you buzz around. Enjoy your niece and grandniece when they visit. I am sure you will keep them occupied.
DB finished painting the woodwork in the dining room and didn't realize if he had removed the screens from the windows (which entails opening them and not the weather to be doing it) painting it might have been easier. I'll open it over the weekend to clean the interior sill. I might wait until Sunday to start cleaning items as I return them to their designated spots. I do know the glass shelves in the china closet need a good cleaning as do the door glass. I many leave the doors until I have finished loading back the closet contents, they'll only get dirty from being touched during that process. I did pare down the number of place settings I store in the cabinet and the extras will head to the attic. It looks so good and I'll call the drapery cleaning place on Monday to tell them they can return to hang the drapes and clean the valance.
I'll most likely put the rug down last to avoid dirty or wet shoes. We'll need DD or DSIL to help us with that because it is a large area rug and quite heavy. I'll clean the crystal cups and the drops and buttons for the chandelier and reinstall them once the rug is in place. So a lot of cleaning involved to be done, but I'll space it out over a few days. I will be happy when I am only down to one doom room. However, I had painted the woodwork in the guest room, but not the window, so once he's done that I'll have another room to put back to normal. Good thing it is cold and I don't want to go out.
Last DB chores, after painting the window in guest room, are installing wood blinds in the windows, and caulking tubs. I did ask him to repair a corner of the kitchen island for the second time. Someone keeps gnawing on it and I haven't been able to catch whoever is doing it. I am sure I will find a few more small jobs while he is here. He does meticulous work so I'd rather pay him than someone I don't know.
It is has been above freezing, but not enough that we get any great melt. We still have over 4 inches of solid ice on the lawn and the poor deer keep sliding on it as they try to walk around the yard. The suet cakes are popular with the birds and the squirrels. We alternate between sun and gray days, but it seems more gray lately. Overnight we are back into the teens and 20's.
Canarycat, happy to hear about your new play. You'll have to share photos and more about the show. I was in a play in high school and really enjoyed it then.
Regan refuses to take walks in this weather. She doesn't like getting her feet cold, so she doesn't even stray from the back step more than 5 feet in any direction.
Hope everyone had a great day, and waving "hi" to everyone. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. DH brought me yellow roses today, and they are my favorite.
4 -
I had a new experience today - I went to a "Galentine" Party. I'd never heard the term before but have since seen it several times. Ladies party - lots of champaign and lovely appetizers and mini deserts for a very reasonable price. Five of us went together and just had a fun visit. I was pleased that when I asked for a non-alcoholic alternative, I got nice sparkling cider instead of fruit juice. They also had chair massage available for those who wanted it. She was good.
There will be 8 at our usual Saturday dinner tomorrow and that's really too many for our table so we've decided to just get pizzas and eat on paper plates in the living area. I'll wash down the patio if Ella and her friend want to be outside. I can't imagine that two 15 year-olds really appreciate the adult company.
We haven't seen as much of the olympics as some of you but was really impressed with the snowboarding last night. That super male skater was the guest performer at Ella's holiday show a year ago. I think he's from AZ.
Petite, you know how great I think it is that you've found that second home even if some days it seems like you will never get everything fixed.
Have a good weekend everyone.
4 -
Husband gave me Pure Maple Cream for my toast.
3 -
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
Happy Valentine's Day.
3 -
Taco, you get high marks for social interaction, too. LOL. It's an area I need to improve on at this stage of life. Pizza on paper plates sounds good to me. I love pizza, homemade, take-out, whatever.
I'm contending with a very irritating computer issue. I was trying to help my great niece, Nova, with a college essay assignment and did some research into her topic on my laptop. Now I'm getting a Virus Alert popup that I know is a scam. I have taken several steps to remove the invasive popup but it is still occurring, though less often. I will probably have to disconnect from the internet, put my laptop in Safe Mode and do a full scan. Thank you, Mr. Google. Or Mrs. Google.
Last night dh and I went to dinner with friends who have been travel companions on three big trips. The restaurant is elegant and has been in operation since the 1980's. We got a nice table, had great service, good food, all for, of course, an eye-popping price. Of course, restaurants are seeing a big increase in their food prices, too, and their employees need to earn a good living wage. Still, it's good that I like cooking and we don't need a big dining out allotment in our budget.
Petite, I would love to see a photo of your mountain cabin if you should ever feel comfortable posting one.
I am close to completing my jigsaw puzzle.
Happy Saturday to everyone.
5 -
Teka, you have a loving one. A real keeper.
Taco, what a wonderful party.
Betrayal, your work on the house makes me tired.
Cindy, your armadillo sounds cute, even though they are not soft and furry. I haven't watched the Olympics at all. I don't think I can without shelling out more money, and I have been spending too much lately.
Cindy and Carole, I have used a brush/dryer for several years. Nice to coax a bend at the ends, but lately it has been straight.
Petite, your second home sounds like a wonderful retreat even now. I hope you get it up to your standards soon.
Harley, your puzzles look like a great way to spend the time. But I did one about four months ago, and I did almost nothing else for a week. Now I am obsessing with Facebook and MSN homepage. Never ends.
Canarycat, glad you are keeping up. I have a mammo on Thursday, the day before hand surgery.
My cleaner came in on Monday, did the oven, cabinet under the sink, futon cover, and a few other things that I can't manage on my own. I rearranged my bins. Garbage, recycling, and soft plastics. First two covered. I am happy with the coffee and tea corner, and the more accessible microwave.
Our snow is melting like crazy. Usually, the snow depositories don't completely melt until May.
I experimented with MSM, Boswellia, and turmeric for arthritis (in addition to the gabapentin), but I couldn't remember one moment from the next. I stopped it in prep for surgery, will resume at half-dose after.
Tippy and I are getting interested in discussing what is on the calendar for "today" and "tomorrow." He doesn't like surprises. The weather is another interesting subject for conversation. Soon we will change "rain" for "snow", and then "hot" for "cold". We already have "nice". He has been getting "paw medicine", will continue it past wintertime to desensitize him to uncomfortable grooming procedures.
I have been eating two eggs (in cups) and toast for breakfast instead of cereal. One day last week I had cereal and a hot chocolate, and again had diarrhea. Yup. Now I have figured out the offender. About two years ago I was drinking Silk Soymilk in the possibility that I had lactose intolerance, but decided it was too expensive. I am taking a cab to get groceries today. My friend drinks Fair Life, which is awfully expensive, but I don't want to talk about it. Cab fare is up to $5 anywhere in town for seniors.
4 -
Chris - thinking of you this week and wishing the best for your mammogram and hand surgery.
Teka - pure maple cream sounds delicious.
I also use a hairdryer/brush. My hair has finally gotten long enough on top to use it again. Yay!
Wishing everyone a good Sunday.
4 -
Happy Valentine's Day to all. Quiet day for us here. Weather warmer into the 40's and we are getting some melting finally.
I decided to write a family history on a maternal lineage that I haven't given much attention to recently. I had been able to track the family back as far as 1771 in the US, with roots originating in France. So I started to write up a brief history of this first family with plans to do the same for each subsequent generation. I started finding so much new information on Ancestry that was interesting that I started to lose my focus on my original plan. So today, I started with my 4th great grandfather (the first here) and will write a few paragraphs about each generation including information on spouses, names of their children and their respective spouses, and then the number of children by gender each had, but not providing more information on them. I wanted to, but it was becoming confusing and cumbersome since they had a tendency to repeat family first names within the same generation. There are still gaps with surnames for some of the wives, or some children that were born and then there are no further records on them. Where did they go? Philadelphia closed so many of the older cemeteries and if they did transfer the remains to another site, the new sites have no information on them. Many of the closed cemeteries tossed their grave markers thrown into the Delaware River rather than transfer them, and every year there is a report of them being found at low tides.
One cemetery I visited about 20 years ago, with my cousin and her DH, was in such disrepair then we couldn't find the grave site in what was an overgrown jungle, littered with old box springs, and disabled autos. So much for perpetual care. The relative was a Civil War Veteran buried with his extensive family including his sister-in-laws, and sometimes their deceased offspring. It has since been purchased, cleaned up with some order restored, but the original records were in shambles so they erected large plaques listing the names of families buried there whose grave sites are not intact anymore. I have found the records for some, but if there were grave markers, they have long ago disappeared. It's in a neighborhood I would no longer feel safe in visiting, sadly.
So today, I decided to regain my focus and do one generation at a time until I reached my great-grandfather. From this generation on I should be able to flesh out the family using census, birth and death records and some family records. Census records prior to 1850 do not provide the names of the family members, just a count based on gender by age group and the age groups are spreads like 1-5, so no help.
My niece who got married in November 2024, notified me today that she is pregnant and ecstatic. I am so happy for her and her DH. It was such a nice Valentine's Day present. So it looks like the baby will be due in August. Maybe a birthday present for me? They know the gender, but my niece loves to plan and execute events, so I am sure a gender reveal party is in the works.
I did clean in the dining room, finishing the glass inserts for the shelves, and reinstalled them in the china closet. I did also clean the interior of the cabinet, cleaned the glass doors (interior and exterior) and hopefully tomorrow I will start looking at what will return to the base drawers and storage areas. I did reline the drawers recently so they are good to go.
Hope everyone had a great day and waving "hi" to everyone.
3 -
Jar is almost empty. 😋
Tomorrow starts my early spring housecleaning!
🙄
4 -
Nature is relentless and unchangeable, and it is indifferent as to whether its hidden reasons and actions are understandable to man or not.
2 -
Everyone seems busy.
We have guests so we’re running around. Today they took off for the Naples zoo, after canceling a beach trip late last night. It’s sunny but windy, no one wanted to be extra wind blown at the beach. They’ll have fun at the zoo. SO has an ear ache so he had no interest in going, and I really didn’t feel like going. It’s a great zoo, but I’ve been there 4 times which was enough for me. I’ve had my grandniece there 3x; she doesn't remember so she says.
They’ll be back in time to go out to dinner. I offered to cook but youngest told me to rest. LOL
Bed is stripped, laundry going, iRobot “Rosie” is vacuuming the house. I made waffles for breakfast and everything is cleaned up and put away. I may just sit and watch the Olympics.
Niece and gn are thawing out. I’m glad our weather can accommodate them!
2 -
What I know now is that we're all interconnected and that's a really beautiful thing. We have links to everyone else in our lives and in the world. Different people have different journeys for different reasons. You can't judge, but you can celebrate that there are connections everywhere.
3 -
We "attended" a wedding yesterday by watching it on UTube. DH's sister died some years ago and her dh married his SO at his condo in the Naples/Marco Island area. The ceremony was at a church, and the only attendees were the minister and one guest and the bridal couple. We got the UTube invitation in an email. BIL is a retired physician and he was a wonderful caregiver for dh's sister during a long illness. He grieved for at least two years, maybe more, after her passing. DH and I are glad that he found someone to be a companion. His SO was a neighbor in the retirement community in St. Louis, where he became a resident. A good Valentine's Day story.
Tomorrow is Mardi Gras Day. Our YMCA is closed. It closes at every opportunity. Eyes rolling emoticon. I am committed to playing golf if the course condition allows carts to drive on the fairways. I don't play when it's cart path only.
I have one lower corner of my jigsaw puzzle to complete. I won't start another one because the position of sitting and bending forward over the coffee table is not good for my back. And once a puzzle is started, it serves as a magnet, drawing me.
I bought some yarn and am crocheting a lap afghan in a rose color. The pattern is overly simple. I enjoy crocheting and hope the afghan will find an owner to use it, maybe at a nursing home. Fortunately, my hands don't seem bothered by the movement.
So far, today is rather gloomy out, in the lower 50's. Coffee is tasting good.
Happy Monday to all.
4 -
This is before everything turned brown.
4 -
Petite, I am frustrated because the heart is assigned the meaning "care". I love your cottage!
4 -
Thanks for the photo, Petite. I can see the appeal of your cottage.
I finished the jig saw puzzle today! Yay! I'll admire it for a day and then then take it apart to give to someone. I'll tape the box and write on it that all pieces are inside.
6 -
I went to my first book club meeting in our community. I adored the book - " The Correspondent." It took place in Annapolis, MD and was about a quirky women who writes letters. Highly recommend but women in our group who listened instead of read the book said it took getting used to due to the letter format of the book.
3 -
Reader, I'm envious. I would like to find a book club that meets during the day. To be honest, I haven't searched for one. Yet. I'll have to check our library for the book you mention and see if it comes in Kindle e-book.
The golf course condition today is CPO. Cart path only. So I won't be playing. Neither will the other women who signed up. A sloppy course isn't fun to play, plus there's a lot of walking from the cart parked on the path out to the ball on the fairway.
Today is Mardi Gras Day. Our local tv stations are doing on-the-street coverage of parades. Some people think Mardi Gras in New Orleans is for tourists, but it definitely is not. Mardi Gras would go on without a single tourist. Some families dress up in costumes every year. There's a lot of cooking on the parade routes. A lot of partying. Years ago we went to a friend's mother's house in Mid City, near where the big Saturday parade, Endymion, began. We could walk a short block to the parade route. The big crowd of parade watchers at that spot lived in the nearby houses or were guests of someone living there, as we were.
After we moved to this house where we now live, one of the neighbors would invite us to go to New Orleans to watch Endymion from another spot on the parade route closer to the end. The neighbor's company had a building on the route. We had protected parking, food and beverages, a bathroom. It was another ideal situation. We came home with shopping bags full of beads and throws.
Happy Fat Tuesday to everyone. Tomorrow lent begins. This is big Catholic country. Tomorrow a lot of people will have ash on their foreheads.
5 -
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
5 -
Reader,
At 1st for years with chemo brain only enjoyed reading a magazine or newspaper. I now enjoy Cozy Murder Mysteries. I'm not a member of a book club.
I may read " The Correspondent." 🙂
5 -
At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backward by fear and division.
4 -
Been MIA because I hit a jackpot in exploring one family line and have been trying to solidify the information I need to write my mother's maternal lineage. I was able to go back quite a bit but the interesting history begins with my second grandfather who was a veteran on the Civil War. So I am chasing down supporting documents including the history associated with this. Once I get all this compiled, writing this family history will be easier.
I have also been working daily on returning items to the dining room, so a lot of cleaning of items before they are returned to China closet. Today, I'll focus on the crystal stemware so a lot of washing involved. Yesterday, I hung all the wall decorations, except the inlaid mirror because I think it needs one more wall screw to ensure it is safe.
My plan was to call the drapery cleaners today to arrange for delivery and they beat me to the punch. They'll deliver next Tuesday and by then I should have the room righted except for the rug. I'll lay that after the drapes are hung.
Tonight we are going to Easton, PA with DD and DSIL to see the ballet Swan Lake. DD found it and wanted to go so we have to leave here early to avoid traffic. It is more than an hour away.
It is a dreary day that started out with heavy fog because the air temp is higher than the icy ground temp. Yes, we still have snow from over 3 weeks ago and even though we now have a clear driveway and walkway, we have to be careful in the morning because they freeze overnight.
Had an appointment with Pulmonary NP yesterday and according to their records, I am doing fine with new equipment. According to mine (and my Fitbit) I am not doing as well. I still struggle with the mask on occasion. I will get my follow-up on the pulmonary nodule in March and now need to meet with the Pulmonary MD in early April. It seems this entire issue is related to undiagnosed mild asthma, which was also untreated. This was detected when I had the pulmonary function tests in December, but these results not revealed until yesterday. NP said she reviewed results with MD and that's why I have to meet with him. So I am now using a bronchodilator to see if this will help. I knew I had seasonal allergies and have been using Allegra for many years since it helps. So this is all new to me. We'll see how this plays out.
It is 42 degrees and not expected to get much warmer. tomorrow might hit 50, but then we are back in the 30's again next week. Not liking this weather and ready for a thaw and spring.
Chris, I hope your surgery goes well and you get your desired outcome.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day and waving "hi" to everyone.
4 -
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.
2 -
Our forum is very quiet lately. Hope everyone is doing ok and just busy.
I went to senior exercise yesterday at 11:30. Afterwards, I went to lunch with three women who also attended the class. At lunch I learned more about them, where they live, number of children and grandchildren, etc. I need to make an effort to make friends and have more social interaction. The last few years I'm not as involved with golf and, in general, not as busy as I once was. I'm on the lookout for a book club that meets during the day. I'll check with the local library.
One of my little tasks this morning is to take the jigsaw puzzle apart and put all 1000 pieces back in the box.
Maybe I'll tackle our master bathroom, which could use some attention. There's enough to keep me busy in the house and yard, but enthusiasm is lacking. LOL.
Hi to everyone.
4 -
The Swan Lake ballet last night was well worth the long drive to get there. The theater was built in 1873 originally as a bank and then in the 1920's it was converted into a theater and redecorated with Italian frescoes and gilding. It is absolutely beautiful inside and had probably the most comfortable theater seats I have sat in. We had front row balcony seats so a great view of the stage. The ballet corps was composed of international stars who were well trained and their performance was stellar. The lead ballerina had the longest, leanest and most expressive arms that mimicked the perfect graceful movement of a swan's wings. The jester was funny in his pursuit of several different female dancers, and the lead male was a perfect match to the lead ballerina. The ending changes with each presentation according to what I read, so it is always a mystery as to which you will see. In this version Odette did not die, but survived to live with her prince. The music is so beautiful and fits the onstage action like a glove: melodic, forceful at times, reflective of the ballerinas movements and the men's wooing or just dance for entertainment.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and I would like to explore Easton, PA during the day. It is a lovely town with old architecture buildings and some interesting stores, so we may plan a daytrip there in the future. It is also a college town, Lafayette college, and located on the Lehigh river so it also has ties to the old mule drawn canal boats. It is historically significant because it is one of the 3 towns in which the Declaration of Independence was read aloud on 7/8/1776.
Plans for today include cleaning the crystal chandelier and wall sconces. I had removed the cups and dangles so I need to wash each individually prior to return. There are 2 cups per sconce and 6 on the chandelier with each cup having 6 dangles. I'll use a microfiber cloth since it doesn't leave residue like paper towels do. I also have 2 loads of laundry to do. The room is slowly returning to normal.
Yesterday's dreariness persists into today with gray skies, temps in the low 40's and just a blah look. We had some light rain last night, but it didn't have much impact on the remaining snow. Now that I have arranged drapery delivery, there is a possibility for another major snow storm Sunday into Monday, placing return their at risk. I am so tired of this winter.
petite1, loved the photos of your cabin. It looks like such a nice place to retreat.
I hope everyone has a great day and waving "hi" to everyone.
4 -
So glad you enjoyed the ballet. Your wonderful, detailed description allowed me to enjoy it as well.
I am the genealogist in my family and I began my searches before Ancestry existed, so I spent a lot of time travelling to view original documents. I visited Gettysburg last year with my husband as he is fascinated by the Civil War. There is a research center in the main building with staff and access to Ancestry and other search engines. A very kind and knowledgeable man helped me find some information on my great great grandfather who was part of a Union regiment from New York. The service was free, and I think they might be willing to help you with a remote search request. Good luck!
4
