Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

shuf: we cruised inside passage of Alaska this May on Princess line, the Ruby. We left from Seattle, stopped at Ketchikan, cruised the Tracy Arm Fjord, spent an afternoon at Juneau, a day in Skagway and then cruised back to Seattle. The salmon won't be running yet in May so don't expect to see salmon or bears. Temps will be in the 40's when you wake up but for us it got to the mid 60's by noon so dress in layers. That area is rain forest so take your rain gear. We lucked out and had sunny days, but go prepared. Take binoculars if you have them. We took our walking sticks, not to lean on for support, but have found they help us conserve energy when we're doing a lot of walking. Even walking with one stick is supposed to reduce your energy expenditure by 10%. We had an awesome trip.

kicks don't you have to eat them? No plans for that! shuf

Life rushes us along and few people are strong enough to stop on their own.  Most often, something unforeseen stops us and it is only then we have the time to take a seat at life’s kitchen table.  To know our own story and tell it.  To listen to other people’s stories.  To remember that the real world is made up of just such stories.  Until we stop ourselves or, more often, have been stopped, we hope to put certain of life’s events “behind us” and get on with our living.  After we stop we see that certain of life’s issues will be with us for as long as we live.  We will pass through them again and again, each time with a new story, each time with a greater understanding, until they become indistinguishable from our blessings and our wisdom.  It’s the way life teaches us how to live.
 
Rachel Naomi Remen

Alaska was the best cruise we've ever taken. Even the few days in Seattle before we boarded the ship (Golden Princess Aug. 30 last year) were magical.There's so much to see and do there. Four of us from this discussion group met for lunch with our husbands in Seattle (two of us were booked on the same cruise) and we met up with another of this group who lives in Ketchikan. So much fun to finally meet each other!

While all the ports were wonderful, the best was Skagway. Look for an excursion to Davidson Glacier where you actually walk on the glacier after paddling across an icy fjord at the end of a rainforest hike. FABULOUS experience!

Back to cool MN weather this morning! It's in the 50's. I turned the furnace on to take off the chill. Not sure what we will do today but I must DO something. Maybe we'll go bike riding. If not, I'll go to the gym.

Yesterday afternoon we played a dice game with the other folks down in the barn. It was fun and mindless. We left about 6:30 and the party probably went on with drinking and snacking on junk food. Today there was talk of a communal breakfast with pancakes but I would just as soon skip that. I know my weight is up.

Happy Labor Day to everyone.

Hmm, good morning !!!  Sounds like the MN mornings and weather are better.  We did have a few coolish mornings which were a huge surprise here in August --- but I do enjoy cool, sort of crisp mornings -- then a slow warming up.  Sort of what Fall is all about -- but what MN enjoys a lot of the time it sounds like. 

Was going today with cousin to shop but decided late yesterday afternoon  that there would be too many kids for us.  I guess we have become" ahem'  "older and fussier about things like that. So, it's on for Wednesday.  I'm not bothering to try and recall how many times we have put this trip off.  Doesn't matter to me. 

My job everyday is to get up and do what I have to do, --- one of these days??? it will include a shopping trip, so whenever I get there, it will happen.

Will be hot again today -- as it has been now for nearly a week or so.  By Wednesday it should be ok ---- but we will have begun having rain by then and that is why. 

Forgot today was a "holiday" so can't go to the bank.  I have thought about a 'debit' card.  I've gone all this time without --- mainly not wishing to try and keep up with the little slips of paper when you use your card in place of checks etc.  Obviously I don't feel like I can discipline myself properly.  I think that comes from way back when --- during chemo when I bounced a check --- which bounced another one, and then another one. 

I was fortunate --- the bank manager had undergone a cancer dx with resultant chemo so she understood perfectly how EASY at that time to make a mistake.  She then only charged me for the first bounce and wiped the rest away.  I think it was five or so since I usually paid all bills at the same time.  I was horrified ( former book-keeper ) and have been so very careful since -- though I have forgotten a time to two to put in the amt. of a check --- but at least something was written in to clue me into having written a check at all.  That is what has prevented me from doing the debit card.  Dh just jerks his out for everything and builds up this wad of little papers  --- and he has 'suffered' for that a time or two.  Sigh !!!  If I need it bad enough --- guess I'll get the money from him.  Off HIS debit card. 

Hope you all have a good day today.  I'm going to have to start exercising again too Carole.  It has become easy lately to skip it --- and since many of my plans have  gone awry, I could have gone to the gym.  I need to find some of that "discipline"  for a lot of things here.

Blessings,

Jackie

Emma, I am so glad you answered that question.  I thought about it, but also thought that maybe I was too far out.  I also had those strange twinges.  At first, they really scared me.  I never learned what they were about either.  Even now ( though pretty rare ) I might get a few seconds, three or four, and then it is gone. 

Though a mite un-comfortable ( likely from not knowing just why, as anything ) they did all pass and fairly quickly.  Now I'm wondering --- since it is from lumpectomies apparently, which is what I had too, I wonder if it is something like losing a limb that becomes a phantom pain???  Seems rather strange but who knows ?? 

Afternoon is blessed with a very small breeze but I don't think it is doing much.  Our A/C seems to be on as much as off, so we are barely keeping up today.  I'm taking the foyer apart for a deep cleaning --- not a favorite of mine, but normal cleaning all the time is just not enough --- even though for us it is more of a walk-thru area.  Well, I'll feel good when it is back together in a little while. 

I think this is a quiet time of yr. for selling houses.  So many people are concentrating on getting their kids ready to start school for the yr.  Some may be looking to use up some vacation time as well.  I always told most people ( when I was a realtor )  normally there is only one person who will fall in love with YOUR house just as much as you did.  There is no way to account for when they will turn up, but when they do --- you will progress consistently through the sale.  Hard to have patience sometimes as you often just want it over and done.  Also, it can be something of a pain vacating ( sometimes on short notice ) for buyers to come look. 

Our house sold like that --- 6 mos. of coming and going and trying hard to keep it perfect.  Mom was in the hospital and had a crisis and they called me to come.  I shoved things in cabinets, and even left a couple of small messes and away I went.  Realtor brought some people while I was gone --- and the woman said, the minute she walked in and closed the front door behind her she felt like she was home.  I was astounded.  Felt like who could see any charm with what seemed like un-presentable areas.  Not saying it shouldn't be clean and nice, but the person who REALLY wants a home, and your home to be exact, may not be as critical about it as you are.  They will feel a welcome in spite of what you think may be issues.

Ok --- back to work for me. 

Jackie

Bonnets, I occasionally get a pinched feeling in my non-existing nipple. I think it's nerves firing. I've had a few other pains which I think are from the scar contracting. MO agreed.

Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. -Thomas Jefferson

Teka, thank you.  It is hard for me to remember who is getting what and when -- but I knew a couple of the ladies ( bonnets is the other ) were having tests and so I am glad things seemed to have come out well -- now for another GOOD report.

Jackie

Bonnets, fingers crossed for good results on your test.

DGD wants a monster high doll cake so I have been practicing tonight. Here are the results There are some things I will do differently like the bottom border will be bigger. The part with the pink and black piping I would like to do the background in black. Not sure if that will work but will try. Sent a picture to her mom to see if it is okay. These cakes do not feed many so they will have a sheet cake also. It has rained off and on most of the day and is very humid. Hope everyone is having a good day.

Emma

Good morning -- it is a rainy one.  Started yesterday early evening and though slow at times, it has continued on.  I think later I'll be able to go out and try some feedings -- hope it is not too much longer.  The great benefit of this rain is that we are much more cooled down.  Temps will be in the low 70's all day today.  I'm sure glad.  Like most -- you can take anything for awhile, but at some point it just starts to feel lousy and will until there is some kind of hopefully better change.

I hope my car too is as clean as it looks.  Was getting pretty bad -- so I was getting close to thinking car wash --- pretty much too hot for me to want to get out and do it --- even though you get wet some of the time. 

So, lots for me to be grateful for today.  I hope all of you are having decent ( certainly better if it has not been so good ) weather and not to many problems.  We don't want to miss our joy.

Blessings,

Jackie

puffin, I noticed that you take arimidex do you mind me asking if you have any side affects? Body seems to hurt worse in am back and legs. Shuf. ( also thanks for the tip on the excursion)

Shuf,

I also take Arimidex, though I almost quit when I was first on it. Someone suggested I take it at night, which I do. That helped, BUT I still think my arthritis is worse. Jean

Bonnets, glad you survived the prep, which is the worst part of the procedure. Hoping for an All Clear result.

Shuf, sorry you're having so much misery with taking arimidex. The SEs vary with different women. I was one of the lucky ones with being able to tolerate the drug.

Today is another beautiful day in northern MN. About 70 degrees and mostly sunny. Last night was in the 50's and tonight's forecast is for the 40's. We're sleeping under a light comforter and pull up a fleece blanket before the night is over. Lovely weather for sleeping.

We went out fishing this morning about 9 am, probably a little late for catching. But I did catch one nice crappie. We turned him/her loose when we didn't catch any more. But we're still having fish for dinner. I took out a pkg of fillets given to us by a very nice man who spent a month here at the resort.

Happy Wed.