Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Good Morning chatterboxes. Finally my computer is on the mend.
Welcome to the newbies and I think we all feel however u want u'r cancer treated and whatever u'r decision is it's all good. After all it's u'r body and it's u'r choice. And I think everyone has their time when it hits you and then u deal with it.
OK NOW Carole is home. in a way it went by fast, but it all sounded so relaxing for u and u'r DH
Jackie u are always so helpful and sweet, if I were new I'd come back for sure. And I know how much u'r work means to you.
And Yes Chevy u and that pole are inseperable ( can't spell that word) so of course u'r job is so worth it to you.
Oh BTW ladies I have no class, I just don't have any shame. Too many people have seen so much of me what's the difference.
I've been kind of sick this week so I still haven't gone for m scans, maybe later today or Monday whatever. it's not going to change any so I'll wait til I feel better.
Oh Carole I let my hir grow in and my DD foiled it so it was gray and brown and it looked like the silver was put in, now I just let it go and there are some areas where it's brown but I never thought I'd go gray, it just happens it's a nice silver gray and so far Ijust let it be. For now anyway and I've actually let it grow but not to long just enough where I scrunch all the ends and the top--just having fun then I put different colors of chalk in it when I go someplace. I know I'm an old fool, but I really just have fun with it and since I work from home no one really sees me everyday. Thank God
Well I hope everyone is on the mend who needs to be--Oh I can't take narcotics but I can take codeine so if that helps go for it. I still have my trusty Tylenol 4 and hold it dear to my heart..
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Okay gals.... how's THIS? I fooled around long enough to drive myself
nuts, and then figured it out this morning.... about how to change my Font and
size! So hope you can read this better...If I start on THIS (which is my compose for an email) and then when I am finished, I just copy and paste, and
it is the same as the BC.ORG font.Plus, I can go back and forth on our pages, without losing my post, AND....
drum roll please..... It automatically spell-checks for me! Hah!When I use AOL as a browser to log in HERE, (which I like,) It does not
spell check... only Chrome and Internet Explorer does... but I "write" mail with
AOL...So I hope I have confused you all enough, but that I still make
sense.So Morning Joan.... Yep, we talk about everything under the sun here! I
like this thread also....I hope it doesn't bother anyone when we are "silly".... but we're all
friends here, and just like to have fun.YOU Joan, are still a whipper-snapper.... Ha, ha! 65 used to sound older,
but just WAIT..... If we are lucky, we get to celebrate many MORE years!Oh WOW! The Cam is back in the house! Oh wait..... she says she can't
spell..... I never would have THOUGHT!And you have been sickly aLONG with your computer? It must have been
contagious! You think?I'm just glad to see you here again, and back on all fours, and posting
with us.... I'm being relatively "nice" because I'm afraid you or your computer
will get sick again, and you won't be able to stop by!So have a great Friday gals! xoxoxo
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Good Morning All,
So Chevyboy, your composing in email and then pasting here, is that right? Wonder if it would work in Word? It would be nice to have spellcheck, I can reread before I post and as soon as I post, find some stupid spelling or typing error. I will mess around with this as I will be spending some time this morning on my computer composing my annual letter to the editor.
Our newspaper does this October thing by writing stories about breast cancer survivors. It is usually well done, but they never mention Metastatic Breast Cancer and so each year for Oct 13th, I try to get a letter to the editor published trying to call attention to MBC. Not been very successful, the one time they printed it, the cut so much, it made so sense.
My DD had to put her cat to sleep yesterday. One of her third grade students brought the kitten to her on Teacher Appreciation Day. (Some Mom was pretty creative on finding homes for her kittens). Anyway Lauris (the cat) has been with her for nearly 20 years and slept with our 10 year old grandson each night. Lots of tears at their home last night. They still have one other cat but it would rather be outside hunting mice than letting someone pet him. Kind of like people, some are cuddlers and some are hands off. I love hugs!
Speaking of hugs, the young man who helped me do the fall clean up of my many gardens stopped by to say hello yesterday. I have always enjoyed working and talking with him but didn't think I would see him anymore as we have very (almost none) landscaping in the new down sized home. Anyway after talking for awhile he reached out to shake my hand and instead gave me a big bear hug. Interesting the impact we have on each other. Like this forum that has been so welcoming.
In reading through the posts, I find myself wondering about the screen name each of you have picked and why you picked it. I chose Crone because I was having trouble coming up with anything original and happened to be reading a book Crone's Don't Whine so not being very creative, chose that name. Crone's do wine ( at least a glass now and then).
Enough of my random rumblings, best eat breakfast so I can take meds.
Phyllis
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Good Morning,
Question: Is it possible to get cording 6 months after surgery? My underarm had been numb until recently and I have been noticing a pinching after doing exercise. This morning I was stretching my arm and found what I think is cording. Hm.......now what??
Crone, I chose my name because I really am a fan of this state. I live in northeastern Ohio and really like it. We live in a great community and are within an hours drive to anything we would like to do or use. DD lives a little further, but not much. She will be doing the Making Strides walk at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this Sunday. DH and I will take care of our DGS and cheer her on. Maybe her Mom will participate next year.....time will tell.
Thank you all for being here. I really appreciate it.......good info and great laughs!
Ohiofan (Bonnie)
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Ohiofan: my surgeon told me I could have problems with lymph months later, and even years later if I were to do too much heavy lifting or cleaning with that arm.
my name: I'm a birdwatcher, and one of my favorite family of birds are the Puffins.
Thought my rads might be delayed, but got it worked out yesterday.I have
an angiomyolipoma on my right kidney, have had it for 8 years,
following it every year with ultrasound. In July it was larger than they
wanted but was starting chemo then so couldn't do anything about it.
It's a mass of blood vessels and muscle and fat, problem is if it gets
too large it can burst and bleed and could be lethal. I saw the
urologist earlier this week, yesterday saw Interventional Radiologist.
He says it's safe to wait until Nov but I need to have an embolization -
he'll go into the groin like for a heart cath, only they thread the
catheter to my kidney and inject something to wizzle up the blood supple
to the mass. He'll send in the authorization request to my insurance
company, and after they get it scheduling will call and we'll set up the
date after my rads are done.0 -
Puffin, Thanks for the info. Will call the NP. Will be thinking of you and praying for great results for the kidney cath. It is amazing the things that can be done today! Ohio
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The most excellent and divine counsel, the best and most profitable advertisement of all others, is to study and learn how to know ourselves. This is the foundation of wisdom and the highway to whatever is good.
Pierre Chardin0 -
For chevy what ever the hell she was talking about.
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OK u can see how original I am using my own name, I was very new to computers and didn't know the difference.
Oh Crone u have that kidney thing to go thru too. U poor thing.
Ohio that is wonderful to enjoy where u live--I do too it means a lot.
And of course Chevy, she used to be back seat Chevy until she started in the fron seat too, now she's just Chevy.
OK BBL ,u my phones are going UHG
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Bonnie, Phyllis, Jeannette, Carole, Cammie, -- well, I am obviously from Illinois and for some reason when I came to BC. Org, I felt like I was not suppose to use my "real" name so much -- and so Illinois Lady just seemed close enough to the "facts" and I grabbed onto it since I'm not very innovative about those things.
I like it and am glad about what I chose, but the fact is -- the reasoning on my part was poor. You can use your given name or most anything -- but I was so frazzled that I had the diagnosis I did, that I really wasn't doing to much critical thinking at the time. So I plod along but its ok.
As an aside -- we are just about in the middle of Illinois ( just a bit below middle ) and so a bit over an hours drive and you can get to Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri so though I live in a very small town --- there are lots of great areas to visit, or go shopping , or just sight-seeing.
Phyllis, it is a bit amazing that we retain relationships some times. We ALL have some impact on others -- and sometimes it is really, really good due to something I think that we have in common with someone.....and that something may not be obvious at the time, but turns up ( as you found ) sort of when not expected.
I think when you are kind and considerate, and very caring --- there is just a light that shines out from you. Others glimpse or feel it and have varying responses. We ourselves I think often walk around un-aware of it -- I'm thinking about the time a few months ago when a man stopped me in my car as I was leaving a store parking lot where I feed the homeless cats. He told me he saw what I did and he just wanted to acknowledge my kindness/light and let me know that he thought it wonderful and loving and caring.
I think I walked on clouds for a couple of days, but the truth is -- we should not NEED praise for doing things that need to be done, but now and then we are blessed by hearing it so that we don't forget and slack off. I don't think I was anywhere neat THAT point, but just the same, it sure is un-likely that I will get there.
Well, it is raining as we speak -- doesn't look like it will get too serious -- I think down South of us is where the heavy stuff will settle in.....but will make for a dingy day for us here. I'll be back later -- I always check in several times when I am not working. Bad/good habit.
Blessings
Jackie
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Jackie, you ARE in the clouds! Walking along with all the guardian angels, who love our Pets, and even the homeless ones.
Oh little Cammi~! You even spelled your name right.... just don't make things too tough for you.... And I don't know what I was talking about either! You mean the "font" thing?
A "font" is something you see out in the wild.... foraging for food among the flora and fauna.... It is native to South Dakota, or even Ireland....
SOMEtimes seen in the aquafer's along creek beds.
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Ohiofan,
We too are fans of Ohio, my DH grew up on the west side of Cleveland I grew up in the better part of the state, Cincinnati. Three of our four children were born in Cleveland the fourth one in Alaska. We lived in Euclid Heights and Cleveland Heights while DH did training at Cleveland Clinic.
I have lived in Indiana longer than any other place but still do not consider myself a Hoosier ( sorry all you native Indianans). Still happy to be a Buckeye.
I dealt with Lymphedema for a number of years. The best thing I can suggest is getting a referral to a lymphedema therapist ( usually physical therapist with special training). They can measure your arm and compare it to the other arm to stay on top of it and hopefully prevent it from developing.
Puffin, good luck with the kidney treatment. Hope you don't have to wait too long to have it taken care of. I assume you have finished chemo, how many rad treatments are the planning on doing. Be kind to your body, it sounds as if you have lots going on.
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OhioFan - It's my understanding that you can develop lymphadema and cording anytime once your lymph nodes have been compromised by surgery or radiation - even up to 20 years later. Do get a referral to a specialist since statistics show most docs have about 15 minutes of training about LE in their entire 7-12 years of schooling. There are several good threads on bco and below is a link that many of them would send you to read.
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Thanks, MinusTwo. Will read it now!Very informative!!!!! Will definitely call NP on Monday.
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Jackie, I saw a photo of a great idea for sheltering community cats. It was a styrofoam cooler set up on a couple pieces of wood. A round hole was cut in the side and looked like straw was inside. That could keep them pretty warm.
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Wren, this is a fantastic idea. Where I feed cats ( in a thicket across a field ) someone left some dog houses. I do put fresh straw in those. There are two cats there now and the occasional possum and raccoon. There is a very large piece of weighted down plastic that serves as a roof -- so they have a pretty fair amt. of protection there. I do have to take a snow shovel in winter and dig a path ( the snow drifts badly there ) to reach the houses -- but afterwards -- unless another snow comes.....I can just re-trace my original footprints.
The one cat ( orange and white tabby ) has been there for yrs. Refused the homes that attempted to adopt him. I don't know for sure how long he has been out there, but he is getting old age thinness. I know the lady ( humane society ) who put him there. She was surprised that he is still alive.
There is also a long haired black cat ( missing one entire back leg ) who has been staying there now for some months. He? She? too has a rather thin look but though it might not have happened had the orange tabby been younger, they seem to co-exist fairly well --- so decided I'd let them be. Think it is so ingrained into Mr. Orange -- he would not want to come home with me. I feel with his age he is "home" and no matter what the future brings....he would be happiest where he has spent almost his whole entire life.
We manage ( he and I and the black cat too ) to get along. I can pet then and hold them once in awhile if I do it carefully. Mr. Orange would bolt big time though if I made the wrong move. He is a very sweet and handsome guy.
Jackie
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Crone, your dh must have gotten excellent medical training at Cleveland Clinic.
I don't know a lot about Ohio, but we had friends here in Louisiana who came from Cincinnati. They told us about eating chili over spaghetti, something we'd never heard of doing. So when we went to Cincinnati, we had a meal at a restaurant that served Cincinnati-style chili over spaghetti. It was really good! We also went to an art museum in the city. The downtown was a mess at that time with a lot of street work going on.
We were staying in KY at an rv park and just had to drive over a bridge to be in Cincinnati. That's my recollection, anyway.
Fortunately I don't know anything about LE even though I have disregarded all the advice about not lifting a lot of weight, etc. In Jan. of this year, I made 14 flights on airplanes including two that were 13 hours long. I wondered if I should get fitted for a sleeve but never got around to doing it. So far I've lucked out.
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I chose my BCO name because I need something I could remember! It's my name plus my street numbers.
Loved the darling picture of the dog giving a raspberry (so funny) and the beautiful Teka. She looks so squishy!
I'm one week out of surgery #5 now and feeling ok. I have one drain this time. Haven't had a drain in the past couple of surgeries but my PS felt it was necessary this time, but only on one side. Hopefully will get it out next week. It's not really much trouble because my PS allows showering after 48 hrs. Some poor women have drains for 20-30 days and aren't allowed to shower while they are in.
Going to the doctor for a check up yesterday was PLENTY of exercise. Had to nap when I got home. Isn't it funny how drugs affect your system? General anesthetics take weeks to fully leave my system even though I get the very minimum dose possible because my heart likes to try to quit if it gets too much. So far this surgery seems to be a success in decreasing the chronic pain I've had for a year. Doc put in Alloderm this time to try to keep the implants in place. The damaged muscles I have from the infection last year exert strange pressure and pulling on the implants as well as on nerves and other muscles. So far so good. As usual I'm just taking regular Tylenol. I have the pain tolerance of an ox which is fortunate since I can't take any of the "good stuff" for pain. I've coded (flat lined) four times on dilauded, stadol, tramadol, plus once during a heart catherization when iodine based contrast dye was injected. Even a simple Tylenol #3 (with codeine) will make me pass out. So no, I don't get a pain pump, morphine, or any kind of narcotic/opiate after these surgeries. It's just me and my Tylenol but as I said, I can deal with pain really well so it doesn't matter. There should only be one more surgery, probably in three months when I'm all healed from this one.
Time for another nap.
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Gentle hugs, Sandra. I can't take any codeine painkillers either.
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Sandra - great news that you seem to be healing well & are tolerating the pain. You know very well how important it is to nap so I hope we don't have to remind you!!!
Chili on spaghetti? Are we talking just the "pure" meat kind or the kind w/beans too?
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Crone, I used CC for both my colon and breast cancer surgeries. Mom and DH had colon surgeries there, too. DD and SIL live on the westside, but drive downtown every day. CC is building a new hospital in Avon Lake. I have 5 cousins who stayed in Cincy after college.Sandra, continue to feel better. You have been through a lot.
Again, thank all of you for your advise. Hope to talk with NP on Monday. I would rather be safe than sorry.
Ohio (Bonnie)
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Welcome to anyone new. It has been hard for me to keep up with all the things DGD is involved in with school. Glad we are able to do it. Her report card is A & B. So proud of her.
DH and I are leaving Sunday for Iowa to get the Jeep he bought up there and his brother and friend have running good. DGD is going to stay with one of her friends. She did not want to miss school.
Took our dear Rosie Pup to Kimber's Paternal GMA in Alpine. They love each other.
I really do not want to go to Iowa again, but will see my 89 year old Mother again.
Hope everyone is doing as well as well as they can.
Hugs
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Crone: I finished chemo 3 weeks ago and start rads Monday. So excited that I only have to do 3 weeks of rads. So I can have the embolization the early part of Nov.0 -
I had lymphedema develop six months post surgery. It was pretty slight, but I did see a PT who measured my arm and suggested I get a compression sleeve for times I am especially active or if there is any swelling. My arm is still a tiny bit larger than the other arm, but nobody would notice it. My surgeon is the only one who really sees it. I was told to be careful the rest of my life.
About the name Miminiemi. My maiden surname is Niemi. Teachers in high school would get confused and call me Mimi as a first name. We all thought that was hysterical because that would make me Miminiemi. And so it began. Thus, too, my clown name Sweet Mimi the Clown. AND now the grands call me Mimi. My actual name now is Thelma. Doesn't seem right, does it!
Puffin, you sound so matter of fact about the kidney procedure. I'm thinking big positive thoughts for you, such a brave little bird! Hope you can get it done quickly and easily with no worries.
Camie - I never noticed Camille is your screen name. I always read it as Cami Legal, thinking you must have been a laser of something. It's pretty funny I didn't get it since my last name is Oneill. A friend kept reading it as One ill. When my husband was sick I had a friends and family blog entitled One Ill Bill. His name was Bill Oneill.
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Sandra save for needing those naps ( please use freely and enjoy ) you sound like your doing pretty good. Here's hoping you just get better and better . Your so matter of fact and settled with your "pain" issues. I don't like pain meds and try to avoid them, but there have been a couple of times -- no way to cold turkey on it.
Mimi -- that was really a funny story about the name situation for you. Now I can see why it is so perfect. Same with Cammie's name, but I guess I always knew it was Camille. That has been one of my all time favorite names -- so it was easy for me to spot.
As to sleeves....all I know is that no one knows what turns the problem on ( if you are going to have it at all ) or when. I read on these boards about someone who had flown over a hundred times.....and then the lymphedema started. For that reason, I did get a sleeve.....as I was going to be flying and I wore it. I don't however put it on for my normal work around home. I hope I don't regret that, but our weather is usually not too bad, so I would use it if I flew due to the big difference in air pressures, but just don't feel like it is an issue with what I do here at home. I am careful as well that blood pressure is not taken in my left arm or blood drawn or any of the other no-no's you are warned about.............guess I feel like I do more things right than wrong....so fingers crossed.
Jackie
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Puffin -- forgot to say....rads are in the main more boring than anything. I had 7 weeks total -- so was getting really tired of it all. A bit crispy on the end since the last week was all boosts, but it always seemed to take more time to change ( I got to where I used a big towel ) and then change back to my clothes than for the rads themselves.
It will/should go fast and before you know it -- Rads Grad and your onto what's next. Happy, happy.....and then go out and have a nice dinner to celebrate.
Hugs and blessings,
Jackie
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Here took myself off predesone, gained 20lbs in 3 weeks.so tytrating down where i dont screw up the adrenal glands. Really cant deal with the weight gain. It was not really working tthat well. So back to him Halloween . So hopefully the ativian willworkn hopefullyican sleep like a human
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Sweet dreams, sweet Blondie.
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Morning gals! See how "normal" I look? Ha! I mean my fontNall!
See, I can screw up the English language faster than anyone you ever saw.Yes Blondie... I don't know if you are supposed to do that cold turkey?
But I guess if you are just sick and tired of it all, I would too....I've taken Predisone before, for a lot of things, along the years, and I
know my MIL took it for many years, but only a minimal dose... to help with her
RA...And yes, it does help you gain weight... It HELPS a lot of problems, but
has some of it's own...I just hope you fine a way to sleep well!
I didn't have the normal Rads... but the ones with the MammoSite device.
I'm glad Puffin, that yours are on a shorter schedule.I think that is because of your Stage, and Grade, and 0/2 nodes. Anyway
I'm just thinkin' that.Same as mine, and meemer-neemi!
Meems! I love your story! Sounds like something I would make up! I've
been calling you everything anyway, just like everyone ELSE did!
Now Cammi/Cams & CamillaJoParker! That IS her real name! And she has
to keep it that way on here, so she will remember it.Her GS's name is our little Joey, and her cat is named KatyKat. She lives
somewhere out near France....I mean Italy... that's where her wild relatives
were from.... They all carried knap-sacks... they were all gypsies! And
that's about all I know about her.... except that we all love her, and think she
is the greatest since milk-toast!She will be along here shortly... pretending she has this phone-job, and
it keeps her off the streets anyway.Hi Mommarch! Sooooo glad your DGD is doing well! We all knew she would,
being with you and DH... You are getting a Jeep? You get a car before I do?
Ha! I'm happy for you guys!You two always keep busy! That's what keeps us going, I think.
Carole, When I fly, I wear compression stockings.... Keeps your legs more comfortable.... And since my one ankle swells for no apparent reason, I wear them around here, especially when we are going for walks. I know we are told to watch that one side of ours, but I've not had any problem with LE so far.... And when I had that broken hip and additives in it, I had more holes, and needles & drains, and everything ELSE they could find, all hanging out of it, on that SAME side, I never had any problems..... Not to mention shots everyday to stop any blood clots that might pop-up.
Morning Ohio and Minus! Doesn't that sound good? We used to make
Chili-mac when I was a kid! Or Chili-etti! We always made it with beans.....
(Homemade beans.... not the play-beans.... Even had to soak those things for 3
weeks I think.....)And then put grated cheese on top! I'll have to make some.... It's only
45 degrees out this morning. Going to be chili weather soon!Sandra! Your name is so "normal!" Ha! And I'll bet no-one else on
BC.ORG has the same name! "Your heart tries to quit?" Is that what you
said? Tell them you want no more anesthetic.... just give you a bottle of
whiskey next time. Like they did in the old days.... I mean WHAT did people
DO when they had to have a tooth pulled, or any kind of surgery?I think it was TWO bottles of whiskey!
And reading ON, you talk about your Ox-like pain level? Well, we are
women! You talk about Tylenol.... Or like me with Aleve.... all those other
drugs just do so many other things to you! And most of them just screw your
head up something terrible.... and with me, that's a problem!So you are your little typing-kitty take it easy this weekend!
Jackie, did you see that cat that Teka posted? That is the prettiest cat I
have ever seen! She looked like a Silver-Tabby Persian, like I had when I was a
girl...! So beautiful! Thank you Teka.... I mean Teka2!Morning Wren! Okay lovelies..... going to go stir up something.....
BBL...........0 -
I, too, thought Cammi's name was Cami legal. I wondered if she was Hispanic and was NOT illegal! LOL!
Jackie, I am careful not to have blood drawn from my protected arm and same with blood pressure cuff.
Today and tomorrow I will be working at the Wooden Boat Show in Madisonville. It's a "scenic scene" with the riverfront lined with wooden power boats and sailboats. Lots of food booths and bands playing and booths with people selling stuff. I'll be working at the Woodworkers' Guild tent. All year the members, including dh, make little wooden boat hulls and other parts. The children line up and design their own boats. The men assemble the boats: sailboats, trawlers, military boats with guns and then the children can sail their boats in a huge tub of water. Some of the boats are very "unboat" looking because of the choices of parts.
The women helpers, including me, do tasks like glueing on a mast with a sail and writing the name the child decided his or her boat will be called. The kids are cute and it's fun but it's also hot so today will be a long day.
It would be the perfect place for Sweet MImi!
Happy Saturday!
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For chevy what ever the hell she was talking about.