Uplifting and Lively Messages. No holds barred..
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I am getting ready to leave for California tomorrow! My work schedule has been rough this week and I havent had much time to get ready. I have to work late tonight so it will pretty much be throwing stuff in a suitcase tonight and leaving tomorrow morning! I have never taken a trip without my husband for fun so trying not to feel guilty. My friend is also a double breast cancer survivor. She had 2 different types found at the same time. Also as I was scrolling though this am I might have accidentally clicked on "report this post" on someones post. So sorry if someone gets a message.
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gkbuser - I do that all the time...lol. I think you have to click it twice to make it actually report. Have a wonderful time! I have NEVER (in big bold letters) traveled without a child, a grandchild or my husband. (I'm a little jealous..shhhhh) Enjoy every minute of your trip and don' feel guilty. I get excited to go to the grocery store alone! Hahaha!
Claire- the drug addiction problem steams coast to coast! 4 of our 8 cars we gone through a few years ago and our storage build broken into a few years ago. We have camera now and have not had a problem. Plus the guy who robbed us hit 8 other homes on our street. He stole a new camera from my neighbors car took pictures and pawned it with the pictures and a video still on the camera! (Here's your sign. .haha) if you are going to steal try to be smart about it!
Michelle-everything you said about the nursing home makes sense! I need lots of ventilation with an oxygen concentrator.
More ice here today. My girl got me up at 2:45 I'm slow moving will check in later!
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Feels like -15 today in Iowa! LOL Varga! I remember going to the grocerystore once without kids for my birthday! Ha ha. Kudos to my husband for holding down the fort!
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Oh, girls, don't feel guilty for wanting your own "space" traveling with friends and not kids or dh. I think it is very healthy to have time away to focus on yourself, your goals, your needs and hit reset if needed. My husband has no interest in going on a shopping adventure, thrift shopping/resale shopping, etc. with me and is glad that I have a friend who likes to go with me. He also has no interest in beading or design, so he is happy that he can watch the Cubs in the summer and I can tackle my projects.
My son stopped in for a visit this morning. He was discussing sunglasses with my husband. In an effort to stay connected in the conversation, my husband was talking about "Jovani Versace," and that is when I completely lost it. That was right up there with Dolfre and Gabama. My son likes designer sunglasses and has a friend that works at a store where he can get an employee discount and share with my son. They know nothing about fashion, except those few off the wall made up designer names.
Varga, I think there should be a sign, "don't used in closed spaces, or leave door open when using concentrator." I am suspicious when a facility uses so many concentrators. How do they circulate the right balance of nitrogen/oxygen and get in fresh oxygen instead of oxygen depleted air?
It is cold in Illinois today as well. I guess it is "bundle up buttercup."
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How is everyone doing? I have just been taking it easy and lounging this weekend. Found the entire week drained me. Needed to stay home and regroup. Have been sewing and using my light therapy. Plan to move around more today and see how I do. What is the weather in your areas?
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Hi, there ladies. Woke to a small amount of snow this am, but no more snow as of now. About 36 degrees. Busy day yesterday - Art of Living Meditation at 10a and then at 11a - 2p group discussion of cancer survivors/supporters + Mindfulness Meditation + Lunch + Restorative Yoga at Cancer Support Community office in Cincinnati. Nice start to Sat. Did some shopping at my favorite store, JJill - $50 off 2 pairs pants and got a lovely new tunic with shades of turquoise & navy. Quiet day today. Had Sunday lunch of crab cakes, remoulade sauce, roasted brussels and carrots. Doing some laundry & awaiting the Super Bowl. Looking forward to the Star Spangled Banner, will watch some of the game/commercials, but lukewarm on half time. DH is a Brit, so American football not a big thing in our house. Anyone else doing something special for SB day?
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Answering your weather question first, Michelle: we had it!!! Warm with major rain in the morning, but amazingly the sun came out in the afternoon.
I headed into Seattle as I needed to replace a few of the "pinched" items prior to my ski trip this coming weekend. I now have gloves, a hat, and a fab pair of sunglasses from Nordstrom Rack. I have cycling glasses and ski sunglasses coming from the online REI Garage Sale. All of this a major upgrade. Not sure about the hat, but that was cheap and will do until I can get something warmer. I have a new cycling bag coming from eBay.
Being into fabulousness at the moment, I got my Parisienne on and repaired to Café Campagne for a late brunch. I brought the leftover frites home with me as thinking steak frites for tomorrow's dinner. I also cashed in my $5 off for some chocolate truffles at Chocolate Box. The Stefan Grapelli/Django Reinhart channel made this the most perfect moment.
What a way to kick off my birthday week! - Claire
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I made it to CA girls! Weather isgreat here! 70s. I just got a mesage from my daughters schoolthat they are dismissing 3 hours early today due to imcoming snow. Yikes.
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Over 7 inches of snow in Iowa. Went shopping in CA with my friend Lisa (double breast cancer survivor) and her daughter Erin. How is everyone doing.
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Hey, everyone, it is Claire's birthday week......after going through bc, we all deserve an entire week of fun and festivities!!!
GK, I am so jealous of you right now.... Sun and warmth....wow.... It is a blustery 21 degrees, with an expected low of 12 degrees later on in the wee hours. We got a dusting of snow, but not enough to sled in. I would like a foot of snow, with sunny, clear blue skies, so that I can watch the sledders. GK, does it seem like you meet more women who went through breast cancer these days? Literally, at one table during an evening out 4/4 women had experienced breast cancer.
I went to dinner with my DH tonight and had a yummy salad. Starting to perk up more, and my sisters are spending more time with my mom. Basically, today, I was a shuttle service for my sister, my niece, had a drop off to my husband's aunt, and a review of said aunt's new purchases. So, all in all, a full day compared to the last several days. Oh, yeah, I had an xray of my back tooth, the last tooth in my bridge. It was feeling a bit sensitive and next week I get my bridge.
Saturday night we have a large valentine's party at our club, which we will be accompanied by 3 other couples. I am excited because those are some of my favorite people. There is going to be a pretty good band as well.
My son received word of his acceptance to graduate school in Chicago. The CPA exam in Illinois requires 150 credit hours and the typical undergrad has 120 hours for graduation. Instead of taking more undergrad courses, or getting a masters's in accounting (his undergrad major), we thought taxation would be timely and fun. He likes money, investment, is great with math and is logical. So, he will have a masters degree in taxation, which will also help him get ready for the CPA exam. I think he will have his own company or go to law school.
Claire, the food looks amazing and you look so chic!!! Tres chic!!! Happy Birthday week, doll!!!
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Thank you. The steak frites I made last night was delish. Actually, I celebrate for a month so a good thing to kick off everything the right way. I just tried on the ski hat and it's very pretty. I love this picture of me and think I need to print it as a reminder of what I want to accomplish this year.
I am taking last week's mishap as an opportunity to upgrade my image, as you can see from the new, fabulous shades. Nordstrom Rack came through!!
Birthdays are always a time of reflection for me, and particularly since a major milestone is only 2 years away. I feel so blessed to have my health and the energy to lead a full life. This includes celebrating my birthday with a skiing holiday. I think that is the greatest gift, along with my friends.
One of the things I realize after 6 months of almost incessant work is that I need to change up the balance in my life. I am working this out but I do know that I don't want to be working this hard indefinitely. I am thinking that spending the milestone birthday in Paris could be fun, especially if I rent a "Paris flat" for a month and reclaim my fluency in French.
Adventure, excitement and fabulousness await..... - Claire
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Paris is a great place for a birthday. We've gone for my husband's 5 year birthdays 3 times now. Happy Birthday Month, Claire!
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"I wanna go to Paris and get a flat too!!!" It is one of my goals as well, plus attend their flea markets. Maybe in an April of an upcoming year. I agree, a birthday month sounds perfect.
TrmTab where do you stay when you go to Paris? I have to stay away from cigarette smoke. Do you have a favorite flea market? As a jewelry designer, I look for interesting pieces to incorporate in my designs.
I think that birthdays and mammoversaries/cancerversaries cause us to pause and reflect on how we use our time.
Here's to living a great life!!! Hugs to all.
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In Paris we stay at the Renaissance Place Vendome. Affiliated with Marriott where I am lifetime platinum given the level of business travel I do...which means it is completely non-smoking! The last time I was there (Dec 2015) I had a room that looked into the courtyard across which was the ateliers studio of designer Paule Ka, lots of fun watching them do their work.
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Trm, I looked at that one some time ago. It is really expensive. What do you think would be a fair nightly price?
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Yes, it is expensive. My general rule of thumb is if I can get a room for 200 Euro I pay it, if it is 300 Euro I use points...
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I will go the "rent a flat" route via Airbnb. Much more affordable, and I will be able to cook many of my meals. Metro for getting around, and I may also use bike share.
Speaking of fun, I am all ready to head out tomorrow noon for my skiing adventure. I am headed into Seattle this evening to have drinks with a friend as part of my birthday week. Favorite wine bar.
I am wondering if I can ski Whistler next year? Another place on my bucket list. I know I want to finally cycle the Centennial Trail in Idaho which is easy and at the same time just spectacular. I have a place to stay with my colleague Susan.
I am thinking I will do 6-8 cycling events this year, four of which will be metric centuries (100k) or longer. I now have the list down to the scenic and not ungodly difficult. I might do the Chilly Hilly at the end of this month, but only if the weather is reasonable. The last time, I got the wettest one ever, so wet that I could hardly see where I was going. This will involove a lot more cycling, as necessary to train.
Fun times ahead..... - Claire
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Just got back from the endodontist, who performed a root canal.....ugh.... it was on a molar that had it coming for some time. Prior to getting my permanent bridge, I need to make sure whatever teeth are involved, are pain free. I have been dentally challenged, but have a great restorative dentist, wore braces at 45 for 5 years. I inherited some unusual dental genes, that cause residual teeth. I am really blessed to be able to have nice looking teeth, although my current bridge resembles a bleach tray.
Root canals have come a very long way in 30 years. It takes less than one hour on a molar, and there are all types of fancy machines to fill in the canals and put a permanent seal on the tooth.
One reason that I am not on an AI, but Tamoxifen, is that I have alot of dental work and mild osteopenia. Tamoxifen has been very good to me, and for that I am thankful.
Everyone have a great day.....hugs from the couch.....
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Ouch Michelle!!! Post dentist is the worst. I have two deep cleanings coming up.
Just saw the pink sunrise on the mountains looking out the window and down the valley where I am staying. A long drive here yesterday, but really nice to get away. I will get out skiing later. Discovered a fab bakery/sandwich place on the drive up. So egg and bacon on a baguette. I will stop on the way back. It's so good that people who live here stop there whenever they shop in Wenatchee, which is the closest place to shop. There area local places for groceries, but any real shopping is a 2 hour drive from here.
One of the reasons it's so wonderful here. You really do get away from it all. Not to mention the real night sky. Last night I saw stars. Last year, it was the moon on the snow-covered hills and mountains.
I had dinner at the new wine bar in Winthrop which is run by a lady whose real goal was to start a winery until she looked at the work involved. I had a charcuterie plate and a wonderful salad. Perfect light dinner. Winthrop is interesting because it has an "Old West" feel with all the facades and wooden sidewalks. But not the original architecture. This was built in the early 1970s to attract tourists.
Now the area does some boutique farming, and serves as a base for outdoor adventures. Trying to get it in gear at the moment. I have a wonderful breakfast awaiting in about one hour. Incentive to work it off later on the ski trails.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone! - Claire
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Happy Birthday weekend, Claire. Hopefully, you have great weather for your adventures. The food sounds amazing, and the backdrop sounds idyllic. You def know some good haunts in Seattle.
Tonight is a Valentine's event at our club. It is going to be so much fun, and a kickoff to a busy and fun year at our club for the year. We took a break in January, and are regrouping for a fab year!!
Have a great weekend, girls...
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Hi everyone! Our ride along the strand. Sorry about the root canal Michelle. Hope it doesnt give you any more problems. Happy belated B Day Claire! What line of work are you in? Got home from California last night. Watched the opening ceremony which I enjoyed. Seeing Kim Jong un's sister sitting behind Pence was priceless. She looked so annoyed. Making meat loaf and mashed potatoes tonight. I have a craving for brussel sprouts so looking for a good recipe. Anyone?
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Happy Birthday Claire! Have a delightful evening Michelle! Beautiful picture Gkbuser!
I slice my Brussel sprouts several times then toss them with extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic. Pop them in the in a preheated oven (425) and roasted for 25-30 minutes. I flup them a few times because I like them roasted on all sides. Warning this will make your house smell lol! My husband says they are so good but smell like butt!
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Thanks Varga! I will try it (and warn my husband LOL)
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Claire - Happy belated birthday to you! Sounds like you are having a lovely getaway - Enjoy! I remember the first time I went to visit a friend in Evanston, WY (out away from civiliation and near the mountains) and saw the clear sky and all those stars - Nature at its finest - Very uplifting.
gkbuser - Looks like your trip to CA was great - Love the happy smiles in your pics! We eat roasted brussels at least once a week (DH is a Brit & brussels are a fave veg). Ina Garten has a very easy roast brussels recipe - just toss with olive oil, season with pepper & kosher salt - I think the recipe is easy to find on the net. I also chop the brussels into fine strips, saute in EVOO, splash in some balsamic vinegar & add in pancetta or bacon.
Michelle - Hope your dental issues are over for now & you are recuperating well.
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Gk, I bet it would be great to be in Cali right now. It is in the 20's in Illinois. Last night we had some sleet and snow mixture, making it slick today.
I love brussel sprouts and now can roast them. Thanks Varga for the instructions.
Celia, I had an amazing endodontist and it only took one hour to have a root canal. So, after a bit, I can have my permanent bridge installed. I have been either wearing braces or having restoration work for 10 years. I had too many teeth and had to move things around abit.
We spent last night at our club with 6 other friends and had alot of fun. I prefer a dj, but they had a bluesy singer who was okay. My mom is still in rehab, and we are pretending it is a spa. She gets to watch tv, has a large room (supposed to have a roommate), gets help with showers, my sister "does" her hair, and she dines three times a day in the formal dining room. She is making progress with her walking, up to 10 steps with a walker in a hallway. We are so thankful that there is such a facility in our city, so that her main caregiver, my other sister can have respite.
In one month, we wind our clock ahead for daylight saving time, woohoo.... In April, I signed my husband's relative and myself, for a bocce ball league at our club. We are called "Team Bootsie" which translates to "Stivaletto della squadra" in Italian. I am going to have some fun shirts made with our team name. So, far, I am really liking the way this year is developing socially.
Hugs to all my girls,
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I got in a lot of skiing in the sunshine, but also had a couple of mishaps. Somehow, I got the creeping crud with the benefit that the extra weight that had found me in early November is now gone. I did have a lovely dinner on my birthday though. Still need cake as somehow missed that.
Then on my way back to where I am staying with soup last night, a deer ran into my car taking out my front right headlight and fender. Fortunately, I can drive back just fine and I still have collision. But I see the body shop in my near future. I don't feel all that badly about this as a very frequent occurrence in that spot. My hostess now has a "deer guard" on her rig!
And the damage to my car is easily fixed.
It should be a glorious day driving back. My new skis are just fab with very different bindings which work with the boots. It pays to buy the entire package. Much better control, and it was a bit icy skiing. I didn't do as much as planned because of the creeping crud. Will post pictures later.
Watching the sun on the top of the mountains as I write this.... Spectacular view! - Claire
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What type of deer are out there in Washington State? We have the white tail deer in Illinois. Saw about 75 on the way to our Valentine's party. They were foraging in the cornfields near our club. We literally have corn everywhere, and the deer love it.
Claire, sorry about your accident and crud. My daughter came home last night from the University to use the nebulizer and sleep in her own bed. Hopefully, the "crud" will be cleared up soon, for everyone!!! When you are better, post your pics.
I visited my mom today, she was a bit tired. Just called to remind the nurse to put her oxygen on at night. Followed the visit by a run to Sam's Club for Ambrosia apples, and on-the-vine tomatoes. Tomorrow is my lowlight//highlight day....so ready for it.
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Finally getting some time to post pix now that my pea soup is cooking. I am in need of nourishment this evening as chicken noodle just doesn't cut it. My car is at the body shop and is fixable!!! So grateful to have the official word. I went into the nonprofit but bailed as needed another day to recover.
At this point, I have to mention how wonderful everyone has been with the deer mishap: my B&B hosts, my insurance agent, the insurance company, my mechanic, the body shop. First of all, everyone was happy that I was fine, and then they were more than happy to get me on the road again. However, I will be grounded for a week as not worth renting a car. - Claire
This is why I find the Methow Valley so special:
Finally, gearing up for my trip the evening before in Seattle. Someone has to do the "heavy lifting" and provide feedback on the new wines/vintages!!
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Yeah, Claire!! Glad that you are okay and that your car is getting fixed. Lovely pictures of unspoiled nature. I have been watching the olympic ski events and they have been quite eye opening. I can't imagine doing the jumps with spins and twists. Did you get to ski as much as you wanted? Or, is that a rhetorical question????
I had my hair color appointment today and then went to see my mother. I feel like I am too blonde and need more ash/lowlight tones. I don't like warmth in my hair, as it makes my face look ruddy. Going to go put some conditioner on the ends of my hair....they look a bit dry.
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I tried posting a few minutes ago. Think I remember what I meant to say.
First of all, I have the ski jumps at Lake Placid and Calgary and no way! The same applies to the luge run. No, I didn't get in as much skiing as I would have liked as just wasn't quite up to it. All I wanted to do was sleep the last 2 days and I got there feeling beat. Thankful for the glorious skiing I did get in. Winter is my favorite time of year and skiing is what I love doing most of all sports. Even more fun with my new skis.
My soup came out great and I made it with Irish soda bread as had the mix sitting around. I needed some real food after 3 days of chicken noodle soup. Still dragging and will work from home today as don't feel like bussing/hoofing it. Nor do I think I am up for a run later.
I am on my way to Portland in July as signed up for my 12th Seattle-to-Portland yesterday morning. My health service is one of the sponsors so I was able to get a small discount. I'll take it. This will keep me honest and fit, and looking fab for my high school reunion in June.
Agree on the hair color, Michelle. You should walk out feeling fab, and this isn't quite perfect. Not OK.
Just bought new handlebar mirrors and a rear light on Amazon. Still replacing the gear I lost. I need a better hat as not totally loving the one I got. My new ski glasses came when I was gone and they are great. Not sure about the cycling ones, but they should do until I find what I really want.
I am just so glad that I am OK and my car is fixable. Also that I didn't get stopped on my way back or need to be towed. I think this will all be positive in the end, other than for the poor deer. And can't wait for some good snow in the Cascades to use my new skis! - Claire
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