Now I really did it :((

[missy]

Unfortunately, bad news on my end.
On October 28th, my dad called me in a complete panic - my mother was in the ICU due to an internal hemorrhage. I flew out the next day. When I arrived, I spoke to the doctor to receive a startling diagnosis : Terminal Stage 4 liver cancer.
My mother had cirrhosis for 5 years and had been undergoing treatments that included bi-annual CT & MRI scans. In March, the images show only cirrhosis. In late September, her liver was one massive tumor.
They gave her 3 months.
She came out of the ICU and became lucid again for the last week I was there. When I left, she was smiling, telling me that she wasn't going to die before her birthday in January. I promised to come back in December.
Unfortunately, 6 hours after my flight took off, she had another hemorrhage and never fully came back from it.
She passed away a day later, on Friday.
So 8 months ago, no cancer.
5 weeks after the initial diagnosis, she passed.
I missed the funeral.
I go back in a few weeks to try finalizing matters and I'm bringing back my father to live with me.

This year is by far, the worst year of my life.

:/
Sorry for so much bad in a thread of so much good

Oh Kelinas, I am so so sorry. You never have to apologize for sharing here. That is the purpose of the thread to be able to share the good and bad and all in between. I am sending you and your dad many hugs and good wishes. If you ever want to talk please look me up on loupe troop. I am here for you however I can be and that includes talking offline if that is something you would like to do. (((Hugs))) and love being sent your way Kelinas. Keeping you in my thoughts.

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Junebug, it is wonderful to have a good laugh sometimes. When I laugh hard I can't breathe for a little while. I am delighted to hear your sister and oldest brother are getting more involved with your mom. I am glad you are getting some help. If your husband likes Bond or Bourne movies he would like Spectre. We enjoyed it. That is really a good point that someone new visiting your mom can stimulate her and entertain her - something new can brighten anyone's day. You can tell your husband I sympathize with him on his football team losing; my team got creamed. That is awesome your brother stopped to see you and the two of you had a good visit.

Kelinas, I am so sorry to hear about your mom. It sounds like your mom had a rough couple of years. I am sure your dad will appreciate you coming to help finalize things. I am glad you are bringing your dad back to live with you. Big hugs to you and your family.

Missy, I am delighted you got to go cycling. Happy Anniversary. A nice quiet day together is special enough for me. Greg will be excited to get his shed done. That is awesome Joanne got back to you. Kristie and I were just talking about how nice it would be if we lived close to each other. All of us ladies could shop, do lunch, shop, wear bling, shop and fun things like that. Lunch in the man cave! (It's too cold for the deck).

Our snow storm / blizzard brought wind, some snow and lots of ice. Marty had to be to DIA by 9 for an 11 am flight. He left here at 6 am. It was bad to the state line then dry until he took the toll road to the airport. His flight was delayed, he got on another flight but will miss his connecting flight. Poor guy will probably get to bed about 1 to 2 am tomorrow morning Florida time. Long day for him.

Since I was awake mostly from 3:15 (thanks to Marty's chirping phone or iPad) I came to work about 30 minutes early to avoid the traffic. It was very icy around town but the sun has been out so it should be fine going home tonight.

I have to work on my astronomy program tonight. I have notes printed out but need to practice. Now that I don't teach all the time I can't recite that stuff in my sleep.

Have a great day.

Marcy

 

[azstonie]

Kelinas, that is terrible. I am very sorry for your loss.

 

[LLJsmom]

Kelinas, I am so very very sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how much it hurts and how traumatizing all of this is. So much, so quickly. I hope your dad will be ok. You will have each other. I will keep you in my prayers.

Marcy, yes a movie is super expensive. We usually get the tickets from Costco, but even now that we have to watch every penny, that seems like a lot. I splurge when I do on demand. But, still cheaper than Costco even. I'll get the kids homemade nachos and skinny pop. I am going to wait a year for Spectre. I can't afford to see it now. LOL!

Missy, how is the kitten situation? I love long outdoor pants. I sometimes wear mine even when I am not running outside. Hope you and Greg can still do some more biking before the weather turns really cold. Greg's shed is almost done?? How exciting. And perfect timing right? You want it done before the weather turns bad. Can't wait to see pics.

Jimmianne, I am SOOOO glad your DD is home with you, HERE. I am so sorry for what has happened in Paris. Does that change your plans at all? And you've definitely got bling projects going. So fun and thankfully distracting.

Junebug, I hope you are doing things for yourself these days. I am kinda trying to. I'm going to call the doc about my dad tomorrow. Everyone, even the doctors want to avoid surgery. I think another CT scan is in order, but the docs may say no to that bc he does seem better, and no sign of fever. Of course, it's only been a week since he stopped the last prescription. I don't know...

Kristie, what is your opinion? Their plan was to do another CT after the extended more powerful antibiotics regimine. If the infection is better, they will decide what to do. B/c my dad is 70, they want to avoid surgery. I do too. But I kinda think he should get the second CT scan.

Callie, my half was really just a 13.1 mile training run, meaning that in no way did I run it hard. I ran with 3 friends, one who was 4.5 months preggers. So we kept the pace slow and easy, and I came out un-injured. All the girls I ran with are normally super fast, but they kept me in line and would not let me go crazy cause they know I am running a full in 3 weeks. I am grateful to them. It was fun, and light hearted.

Girls, thanks so much for the help on the diamond hoops. I am still undecided, but I called BGD to see if they can come up with something reasonable for me in the price range I gave you all. Another thought occurred to me. My mom kinda fell for a Beverly K band. The price is pretty reasonable, just under $1K. Maybe I can get her that and the earrings from Yekutiel.

It's this one. We tried it on at Eric Trabert in SF. I must say she has the best taste. The store stocks singlestone, and this one ring was piled with a bunch of singlestone bands. She picked it out and put it on. It looked fantastic on her slim size 4 fingers. And she looks great in yellow gold. I had completely bypassed it, and did not think it was anything special. She has the best eye, even in clothing. She buys me 80% of my non-workout clothing. I would just buy 10 of the same Banana Republic shirt in different colors. She's all forward in Marc Jacobs, gets me stuff that has ZERO hanger appeal, but look so fabulous on. Anyway, maybe I get her the ring and the earrings. She is the kinda girl that like more little things, whereas I am invest in one big thing.

http://trabertgoldsmiths.com/collections/beverly-k-collection?page=4

I would like to get the ring on-line so maybe there is a discount somewhere, but I haven't found a site that carries the exact ruby and diamond version we saw.

I may to go the B&M and see if I can find something sparkly there too...

All suggestions welcome!

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!


Marcy, wow I hope the blizzard is over and the ice will be melting soon. I am sorry Marty's flight was delayed. Ugh traveling in bad weather is unpleasant at best and at worst can be dangerous and I am glad he arrived safely at his destination.
Please be careful out there on the roads. I cannot believe how mild the weather has been by us though the meteorologists are saying it is now normal for this time of year. And if I remember what you said before snow is common for your area this time of year too. So cold so soon. I hear it is going to be a brutally cold and snowy winter. I sure hope all those predictions are wrong. I would love it if it remained in the 50's all winter. Haha what are the chances of that happening.

How is the astronomy newsletter going? When is Marty due to arrive back home?

Oh I wish we could all hang out together bling and boot shopping and eating good food. Sounds like a dream. Maybe one day...

Have a safe drive into work today and hope you are almost done with the astronomy program.


LLJsmom, I love your idea of getting your mom that Beverly K ring and the IDJ hoops. Sounds like the perfect gift for her especially since those earrings are lightweight enough for her and blingy and you can get the ring too and she likes a few smaller things vs just one big thing. That's the way to go.

What does your dad want to do re the CT scan? He is feeling much better right? I was thinking about what you said and I don't think 70 is that old so if he needed surgery he could have it safely right? Is there another reason they don't want to do surgery besides his age? What are the risks of doing a follow up CT scan? Could it be they just want to limit costs because there is not that much risk associated with the CT scan that I can think of...Continuing to send healing vibes and good thoughts his way.

Another woman has contacted me about possibly helping with the TNR. Fingers crossed. It is challenging because there are 5 cats and they have to do each trapping one at a time. Not sure how the other kittens will ever come back if they witness one of them being caught in a trap. I cannot bear thinking about it and just wish it was over and done and that all the kitties were neutered and vaccinated etc and free again. Sigh. It is going to be stressful for all involved. I hate thinking of the kittens being so scared.

The kitty feral villa finally came and we just have to bring it to the beach house now and Greg has to put it together since it was shipped in pieces. Hoping that is not too difficult to do.

The cycling pants are not too flexible because of the wind resistant panels but they work. They are also lined with soft fleece inside so they feel soft to my skin. Cycling with them on was a bit more challenging at first but I got the hang of it. When I wear the blue ones I will try remembering to get a pic and share it here. I LOVE the marathon picture. You and your friends look great! I am excited for you to do a full marathon in 3 weeks and am in awe of your energy. You go girl!

Good luck to you guys tomorrow!

Kelinas sending more hugs your way and sent you a note. (((HUGS))).

 

[MarionC]

Kelinas, you have come to the right place for kind and loving support. I am so sorry to hear your news. I have been there and it is a very complex and challenging time. My heart goes out to you as you navigate your days. Sending much love to you this morning.


LLJsmom, Did you feel me channeling you yesterday? I was running my mile and asking as always how you do big runs. You said "one mile at a time". Is this really how it works? : )
I love the idea of a BK band for your Mom - the earrings are good too, but the band she can see all the time and think of what a great DD she has. Would Pearlman's give you a discount?

My DD and I had a shopping trip yesterday. Lululemon's and Anthropologie. SInce DD got her rose-gold/violet band watch she is decked in those colors and added to her collection yesterday via Mom's charge card. I got myself, the quintessential thrift shop kid, a Helen Moore navy faux fur scarf. Omg! I am in love. It's soft, heavy and warm, like having a favorite stuffed animal around your neck.

I have mixed feeling about the trip, but will know more closer to the date if it feels safe to actually go. Now because of family matters we no longer get a ride from CDG, but take the train 3 hours out and rent a car. Complications make me slightly anxious, but being outside one's comfort zone is supposedly good for "one" LOL.

Marcy, I'm glad you are both safe with this winter storm. It's got to be hard & such a pain with Marty having to travel frequently. Glad the sun is out now making the roads safer! and that Marty gets some restorative sleep at his destination. You too : )

Hi to all NIRDIs and more later.

edit: I thought the same thing, Missy. 70 for surgery does not seem old. My Mom had open heart surgery in late 70's, my 73 yr. old friend had a hip replacement last week and my French grandfather, in his 80's is having a knee replacement in Dec. But perhaps there are more health complications with our NIRDI Dad??
What is the feral kitty house? I missed that. Anyway it sounds great. You are the Kitty Meister, Missy. Wear the badge proudly!!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

LLJsmom, the movie is expensive enough then if you buy treats it makes it an expensive outing. We do a lot of PPV movies because I’d rather enjoy movies in the comfort of my own home, I like my popcorn better and you can pause that sucker! I am glad you enjoyed your half marathon. I love that Beverly K band; it’s luscious. Have you decided what to get your mom yet?

Missy, we didn’t get much snow out of that blizzard but it still keeps snowing off and on and blowing. I don’t believe they can predict the weather for the year; they usually can’t get the forecast right for tomorrow. My astronomy presentation is coming along. I updated some of the power point images and deleted / added some things to the script that goes with it. I got the program from an online astronomy resources for education and public presentations. It was a little out of date so I updated some things and now I just need to practice it enough that I don’t have to use notes. We can all secretly pick a place to retire and then strangely all end up in the same place. I am glad you found someone else who might help out with the kitties.

Jimmianne, it sounds like you had fun shopping with your DD. I hope the trip goes well and yes it is difficult but good to venture out of our comfort zones. Usually it turns out to be better than we expected. The first year we were in this house we had a blizzard every week for about 3 months and Marty was gone every time. He’d leave on a warmish sunny day and come home after things had pretty much melted. It was like magic.

Kelinas, thinking about you and your father. I’ve been there myself and know how surreal, challenging and overwhelming this can be for you.

Did I tell you I found some water damage in our den? We call the roofer on Monday but he was too busy to come out. He was supposed to call me this week but I haven’t heard from him yet.

We had wind gusts here today over 80 mph. I saw online there was quite a bit damage in town from it. I decided not to put our trashcan out because it was so bad. We had a short but intense snow storm about 3 today; you couldn’t see across the street because of the wind. My yard and front porch are sheets of ice. Didn’t I say that Mother Nature was going to get even with us for a nice fall?

Marty on the other hand had supper at a restaurant on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale.

Off to work on my astronomy presentation for Friday.

Marcy

 

[MarionC]

Marcy,

I am thinking of you this morning. When I lived out West the violence of the weather/winds/storms was impressive.
The East coast seems tame and not as exciting, the West is not a place for sissies : )
Boy! you are really getting the weather! Stay safe and dry.
I am sure Marty is having an awful time in the sun in Florida and I know you feel sorry that he is missing the excitement LOL

I hope that roofer gets back to you ASAP!

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Marcy, oh no, please be careful. I hate that it was snowing so hard even for a short time. I don't like ice on the ground. Much better in my drink. And I don't care for 80 mph winds. That is crazy. Stronger than hurricane winds. I'm with you. You should be on a beach somewhere warm with Marty instead of going it alone in a cold and snowy climate. Yes, please let's all just retire on some secret island away from self righteous people like J who is ridiculous. Not you Jimmianne..how foolish this person is and rarely do internet comments and the people who make them annoy me but she has succeeded with her "dimw*t" comments lol. She loves to label other people based on her extremely narrow view of life. She is not worldly yet I can tell she thinks she is. I can understand how some of her friends and relatives must feel now LOL. I know I am done responding to any of her threads. Fortunately for her people here seem to have a short memory.

I am with you again. Those meteorologists cannot predict today's weather let alone next month or ahead. I am glad you are making progress and pretty much done on the astronomy presentation. Tomorrow is Friday. Yay!

I hope you find a reliable and efficient roofer to come out and diagnose what is going on in the den with the water damage and then fix it ASAP.

Be safe today and have a good day!

Jimmianne, your shopping trip with your DD sounds like a lot of fun and I like what you 2 bought. I love that you are both like girlfriends and I miss that with my mom. Now that she is older and busy with the grandkids and with all the charity work she does I don't do things like that with her anymore and I am sad that we are not enjoying time together like I wish we could. Life is so busy and before we know it the week is over. It would help if we lived closer to because I cannot get to her without a car and I don't like to drive by myself in Brooklyn. Crazy Brooklyn drivers. Once a long time ago Greg said it is lawlessness when it comes to driving here. LOL. He is right.

Reserve judgment about your trip till you are much closer to the date. I think it will be safe. In fact, I can think of no safer place at the moment. I wish we were all going with you in support. What other plans do you have with your DD for the remainder of her visit here? What are your Thanksgiving plans? And how is my sweet and darling Puff doing?

Kristie, thank you so much for sending that to me. I really appreciate it and think it will come in handy. You are a sweetheart.

Callie, how are you? The weather is changing here soon and I am guessing by you too. Julio and his son planted everything this week. All the new trees and all the bunches of knockout roses we bought. Cannot wait for spring and in fact I cannot wait for winter which I know has yet begun to be over. LOL. Hope you are enjoying the week and looking forward to catching up with you.

Junie, I hope you are also having a good week and that things are going smoothly. I cannot believe it is already Thursday. Any updates for us re your beach house sale? And how is your mother doing?

LLJsmom, thinking of you and your dh and wishing you both bucket loads of dust today!!!!!! And (((HUGS))).

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs,

Jimmianne, the wind around here can be crazy. At our old house one time on Christmas morning I am in the kitchen doing dishes looking out the window and I saw the wind just blow out an entire section of our privacy fence. I am like holy crap; I couldn’t believe seeing it happen. The pole had a knot towards the bottom and it snapped it off right there. The semis get blown over bad on days like we had yesterday too. I have to agree our storms around here can be violent and extreme. I don’t think Marty is missing our windy weather at all. The brat! I am safe and warm tonight, thank you. And catching up with my NIRDI friends. I have not heard from the roofer yet. I’ll have Marty call them again next week. How is your DD doing?

Missy, I think snow is pretty but it should be on the grass and leave the streets and sidewalks alone. It wasn’t too bad here today and the sun melted some more of the icy spots. Sorry that person got you upset about their posts. Some of the threads can get kind of nasty. Are you going to the beach this weekend? How is your weather?

What are all of your plans for Thanksgiving?

I was going to stay late at work to do an update and the fire alarm went off so I left and told my boss; I will do the update when I get home. By the time I was walking out the door they announced it wasn’t an emergency but I came home and did the update on my laptop. I made popcorn for supper. Not gourmet but it sounded good.

You ladies would have been impressed at me getting a package off my front porch tonight and avoiding the ice. It was behind the pillar out there so I used our rail to get up on the porch. Very carefully walked towards the pillar and pulled it out to the edge of the porch. Then I carefully walked back to the rail and stepped down on the sidewalk then pulled the package off the porch. I am so glad the UPS guy didn’t leave it by the front door because that area is solid ice. I will dispatch Marty and a shovel out there tomorrow when he gets home.

My house cleaner is pregnant; I feel bad having a pregnant lady do my housework. She said her sister, cousin or aunt have agreed to take over cleaning our house for her when she decides she should quit for a while. She is such a deal ($20 an hour) so I was dreading having to hire a cleaning service while she took off for her maternity leave.

Marty will be home tomorrow. At least he won’t have to deal with snow or ice in Florida. He said he is staying in a really wealthily area. The area has multi million dollar homes, with yacht parking. Their yachts are larger than our house. Maybe we’ll move there after we win the lotto. They’d have to have some nice jewelry stores in the area, right?

Have a great evening and Friday. I am being a slacker and not going to work tomorrow.

Marcy

 

[MarionC]

Marcy, the wind! on a nice calm sunny day I drove from Denver to Lakewood in the foothills to rent an apartment. That night I returned with my belongings and it was so windy I literally could not get them up the front steps. I thought - this is why it was so easy to get an apt. out here - no one wants to live here! silly me. It was just an evening of Western Weather LOL

ps. I lived there so long ago that the Denver airport was just a little waiting room with all boarding out the back door & a walk across the tarmac : )

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Marcy, good going on avoiding the ice and getting safely to work and safely retrieving your UPS package too! And yay on Marty arriving home today. If there have to be business trips I like them like that-short and sweet. And yes get him going on the shoveling and deicing of your property. Go Marty go! And double yay for taking the day off today Marcy. You deserve it!

And I think you might remember I often (more than I care to admit) have popcorn for dinner. Bad NIRDIs. Well there are worse things for sure. Glad you enjoyed it. Do you put anything on the popcorn?

I think your windy weather came our way because it is way windy here this morning. We are heading to the beach house soon and I am uncertain if we are going to go cycling. If not today we will try tomorrow. Probably heading back to NY early this weekend as we have things to do early Monday morning and the weather is going to be cold and nasty Sunday anyway.

I cannot believe next week is Thanksgiving. Looking forward to it. We are having my family over as is our tradition so Greg will be cooking and baking up a storm Wed and Thurs. I can almost smell the delicious aromas now. Cannot wait to see what you and the other NIRDIs are preparing for Thanksgiving Marcy. Please share.

Jimmianne, I LOVE your snake ring. It is gorgeous.

If everyone could think good thoughts for the feral kitties I would appreciate it. Nothing to report right now but I think the TNR is beginning or at least being attempted and I am very nervous. I don't know this person and she seems to be going about it weirdly but I am grateful she is trying to help the cats. Just not happy about not feeding the poor kitties in order to get them hungry and more receptive to going into the trap. I just hope it all goes smoothly and as easily as possible for the cats and that our goal to get them all neutered, vaccinated etc is successful. Please send lots of kitty dust their way. Thanks girls.

Sending lots of hugs to all you NIRDIs and also good thoughts to you know who. Hugs and love and happy Friday and weekend girls.

 

[MarionC]

Much Kitty Dust, Missy!
I know how worried you are.
I hope all goes well with the catch and release.
Let's think positive that all will go smoothly.

 

[missy]

Thanks Jimmianne, you are a doll. ((HUGS)).
What are your weekend plans with your DD and what do you have planned for Thanksgiving?

 

[canuk-gal]

Hi NIRDIs,



I was going to stay late at work to do an update and the fire alarm went off so I left and told my boss; I will do the update when I get home. By the time I was walking out the door they announced it wasn’t an emergency but I came home and did the update on my laptop. I made popcorn for supper. Not gourmet but it sounded good.

Have a great evening and Friday. I am being a slacker and not going to work tomorrow.

Marcy

What an acceptable and yummy dinner! We've had out first bits of snow. Yanno the extremely wet, water laden stuff that immediately turns into ice on the road. SO we have (ice) ruts early!!!!

NIRDIS!

cheers--Sharon

 

[junebug17]

Hey all!

Missy, my dh and I usually don't do anything special for our anniversary either - as you said, there always seems to be a lot going on and it's just too much trouble lol. Dh and I have a good time together no matter what we're doing and I'm willing to bet you and Greg are the same way! I'm sure you guys had a good time just spending time together and celebrating quietly. Happy Anniversary a bit late!

You look great in your cycling pants - I'm glad they seem to be working so far. I was wondering if it would be harder to ride in them, but it sounds like you're adapting.

Glad to hear the feral kitty shelter is in, it's so good of you and Greg to do this for the kitties. I am hoping that the TNR goes as smoothly and as quickly as possible, it's a stressful process and I'm glad you've found someone to help you out with this. I'm with you, I can't wait until it's all over. Big hugs to you - take it one day at a time, we're here for you!

I'm excited about your rose bushes, I think it's probably my favorite flower. They will look beautiful come spring.

Marcy, enjoy your day off! Wow, the winter weather is really kicking in, please be careful and watch out for that ice. Glad to hear Marty will be home soon - what a switch for him weather-wise lol.

Ugh, sorry about the leak, what a pain. I hate when stuff like this happens, isn't there enough to worry about without extra things like this happening? Hope you can get if taken care of with a minimum of trouble.

Jimmianne, so glad you're having a nice visit with dd, the shopping sounds like fun. The scarf sounds so luxurious. It must be great having her here. I can understand your apprehension about the trip, but I really think everything will be fine. I guess you can see how you feel when the trip gets a little closer but I think you should be ok.

Sharon, good to hear from you and please be careful on that ice!

LLJsmom, thinking of you and your dad and hoping he's doing ok. It's confusing to figure out the right thing to do when a parent has health issues. Hoping the doctors can figure out the best course of treatment for him, ((((hugs)))).

Have you decided what to get your mom? You came up with great options, so sweet of you to give her such a thoughtful and beautiful gift.

Kristie, still thinking of your doggies and hoping they're ok! How are things with you?

Callie, thinking of you too and hoping all is well!

Things are ok with me, although a little rough these past few days…my mother ended up having another uti and was under the weather for a day…thought at one point I'd have to call 911…luckily she has improved and is feeling better. It's similar to an episode she had last August, but not quite as extreme. I think due to her age her body just has a hard time with any kind of illness and she shuts down for a day or two. Things are not going well with plans for my mother to visit my sister…my mother is saying she doesn't want to go and my sister seems to be giving up…I think my sister might be having second thoughts as well. Can't say I blame her, really. I'm feeling very tired and worn-out and just taking one day at a time right now. It's all I can handle lol. Sorry for being a bummer but I just wanted to let you guys know what's been going on with me.

Thinking of you all, hope everyone is having a good Friday!

 

[missy]

Aww June, I am so sorry about your mom. I am glad her UTI wasn't as bad as last time but I am sorry you are dealing with uncertainty about if she will go to your sister's house. I am still hoping she will eventually go and stay and see how it is. Please don't let your sister off the hook. You deserve a break and your mom deserves a change of scenery. It will do you both a world of good. (((Hugs))).

Did you get the emails/texts we were sending before Junie? I had you on the list but couldn't find your number so sent it via email. Let me know. I have pics re the new kitty condo and Greg is also going to build a bigger and better one in addition.

Sharon, I'm with June. Please be careful on the ice! And stay warm. Sending you hugs.

 

[MarionC]

June, I just had some happy moments looking at your rings on the new "favorites" thread, and if I may repeat myself, it was nice seeing the young & beautiful LLJs hands : )

That thread made me realize how wonderful this community is and how much fun it is to get to know people a little bit [not close like the NIRDIs exactly, but in a friendly way with everyone - - - for the most part haha]. We all share such a great love of beautiful things. When I first came to PS I thought people were bragging, but of course now I know it's a community celebration every time someone gets something new & wonderful -
and we share the not-so-great times too. It's a good place/good people.

I guess what I'm saying tonight in this mini-ramble is how much I appreciate all of you

 

[Calliecake]

Oh June, I'm sorry to hear about your mom not feeling well and about her having second thoughts. It's really too bad your mom staying with you sister wasn't brought up and happened quickly. It may be time to tell your mom she has to go visit your sister for a while if for no other reason then to give both you and your brother a much needed break. Your sister also has to consider that she needs to step up and help you and your brother. Being a full time care giver is exhausting and people need a break that do this on a regular basis. If your mom doesn't go to your sisters it may be time to look at hiring someone to help out. I'm so sorry you are going thru this June.

Missy, I can understand your stress regarding the kitties. You and Greg are doing a wonderful job taking care of them. Hopefully they will be able to get them neutered soon and this worry can go away. I hope you know we are all here for you. Have fun bike riding tomorrow. I will be thinking of you as I look at the 6 inches of snow we are supposed to have tomorrow. My husband went out today and bought hot chocolate and goodies for us to snack on tomorrow. I hope the roads are clear tomorrow night so we span order pizza.

Jimmianne, I had my nails done today and the nail tech is supposed to go to California at the end of the year. She is feeling very much the same way you are about flying. Hopefully everything will calm down before your scheduled to make your trip. I'm so glad you are getting this time to spend with your daughter. It sounds like you have been having a wonderful time with her. Is she missing her fiancé? I couldn't agree more about LLJs hands being young and beautiful.

Marcy, I hope you had a good day today. I laughed when you said you had popcorn for dinner. I used to do the same thing when my husband was traveling a lot. Let me know if you need help moving to that neighborhood in Florida! My husband traveled to California a lot when we were first married. I used to hate being stuck at home in the snow while he was sitting in sunshine!

Kristie, Are you drinking that Crystal Head tonight. I was telling my husband about the bathroom remodel costs to prepare him. He said no wonder Kristie isn't on line tonight. She is drinking her Crystal Head!

Sharon, Stay in the house and off the ice!

 

[marcy]

Hi NIRDIs!

Jimmianne, your story about traveling out to an apartment in the foothills made me smile. A typical day along the front range. I remember Stapleton in it’s simple ways. DIA is a strange looking airport but it’s out where you can see it for miles. PS is a good place with nice people. It’s nice to see everyone’s pretty pieces of jewelry.

Missy, I don’t think popcorn isn’t that bad for dinner. I put on a little butter and some salt. Do you put any flavoring on yours? I can smell the delicious aroma of the cooking and baking at your place too. I know Greg is a wonderful cook. I will probably bake cheesecake and something else to take to my nephews house. Much Kitty Dust coming your way.

Sharon, sometimes a batch of warm popcorn is just the ticket for a tasty supper or snack. Ugh for ice ruts already. Be careful on the ice. All of our storms have started as rain which just adds to that nice layer of ice under everything. Only 6 more months of winter to go.

Junebug, I’ve been checking that leak spot every day and don’t see any change in it. I imagine they won’t come look at it until the weather gets better. Marty already warned me finding leaks will be difficult. Then we’ll have to get the dry wallers in here to patch the spot and paint it again. We haven’t been in here quite 3 years yet. I am so sorry to hear your mom had another UTI but I am glad she is doing better. I hate to hear your mom and sister are both backing off your mom moving to live with her. I think handling things one day at a time is all you can do right now. i am sure you are totally drained and worn out. I think if moving your mom doesn’t pan out you can hopefully hire someone to come in with her so you can get a break. Hugs to you.

Callie, good plan to stock up on hot chocolate goodies for a snow day tomorrow. I hope the pizza delivery person can get through to you as well. I would say my most frequent supper when Marty is gone is a baked potato and raw veggies. Easy and few dishes. Our DH should take us with them on trips that involve warmth and beaches.

I had a very lazy day. I slept in until 8 and decided against running errands due to the snow and wind and ice. Marty got home about 3:30. Getting in to our neighborhood was so bad he had to use 4WD. He never complains about the roads and said they were horrid. We had our astronomy meeting tonight but decided to cancel since it was so icy.

I made homemade soup and corn bread for supper. We rented Man From Uncle tonight. It was okay not great.

Have a great weekend. Stay safe and warm.

Marcy

 

[MarionC]

Marcy, It's good to hear that Marty is home safely and that you stayed home "cozy".
I've been thinking about Man from Uncle - watching NCIS with David McCAllum. Very addictive show Whoops! did you mean you watched the old TV version or is there a new movie out?
I lived in Lakewood - moved from upstate NY with my oncology lab [and my Irish Setter!]. It was amazing there - the entire mt range out the back deck, the entire city out the front. Cactus and sunflowers and petrified logs everywhere on the hills, and while there experienced a MAJOR monarch migration with inches of butterflies on everything.
Always have fond thoughts of the West...NC is a def. downgrade in WOW factor : ) My sister is in Evergreen, CO. She moved from NYC a few days before 9-11. Need to put a trip on the bucket list!

Off to look at M's earrings....

edit: I just downloaded the app NYTVR. It's amazing - does anyone have it?? I was able to visit the memorial sites in Paris and be in the center of a 360 degree view by turning in a circle while looking at my cell phone screen. They also sell a cardboard phone holder that is worn like glasses to enhance the experience of really being there. It was very emotionally moving and at one point I had to put down the phone. A little too close to being there - shocking to see how piles and piles of flowers & candles were everywhere.

 

[missy]

Good morning girls!

Marcy, do you know how much I LOVE cornbread? You're killing me here LOL.
I take my popcorn air popped with nothing. I am weird I know. I used to enjoy putting cinnamon on it or other seasonings but due to other issues I had to stop. POD does not like cinnamon. That's OK I love my popcorn straight up. Just like my Tequila.

I hope Marty is wrong and that the roofers can find the culprit of the leak sooner rather than later. I hope that it gets fixed soon and that there is no more damage. Thanks so much for your input re the earrings. You are absolutely right and I think you saved me from making an expensive mistake. You girls are the best.

Stay warm and cozy today with Marty. It is one of those days I think. Sadly we have decided no bicycling today. It is too cold and windy and to make matters worse it is an east wind which is the coldest wind right now. Right off the ocean. Oh well. There has to be some good shopping we can do.


Callie, your plan for this cold snowy Saturday sounds perfect. Wish Greg and I could share that hot chocolate and goodies and pizza with you and your dh. How about watching some good movies? My recommendation is to stay away from Miss Julie. Watched it last night on Netflix because it was supposed to be a masterpiece. Umm yeah no thanks. I think Greg enjoyed it a bit more but the word brutal is good to describe it. Luckily I had all you girls to keep me company last night. Thank goodness group texting is not extra haha.

Kristie, I hope your bathroom remodeling goes well. I am sorry you had sticker shock but things always cost way more than we think. Sigh. I guess my main question/comments to you is 1. How much longer do you think you will be in that house and 2. Bathroom remodels and Kitchen remodels usually add more value to the house than you put into the remodels if you do it right so something to think about and it may be worth the price.


Jimmianne, I totally agree. This community is wonderful and you girls are priceless. I appreciated PS before my accident but my accident allowed me to meet some of you in a way I was not able to before and I am grateful for that. (((HUGS))).

That app sounds very cool and I will check it out. What are your weekend plans with your DD? How is the weather by you?

Junie, I am thinking of you this morning and sending lots of hugs and love. It is all going to work out. If you want to talk I am here for you as are all the NIRDIs. Online or Off. Please don't forget that. (((HUGS))).

OK some of you know this already but for those who don't I gave myself a black eye yesterday and man it still hurts a lot today (especially when I blink which is sort of hard not to do lol) and looks worse. I couldn't ice it for more than an hour yesterday (I know Callie I know I am a bad girl) as we had a lot to take care of and by the time we got back to the house I was too tired and texting takes a lot of finger action so no hands available to ice my eye haha. That's my excuse and I am going with it. Anyway how long will it take for this to heal anyone know? I am meeting some girlfriends on Monday and I would love not to look like this OMG. I am such a KLUTZ. Thank goodness I didn't injure myself worse. I think there is no more room in this thread for my injuries haha.

Kitty update-I am now concerned one of them might be pregnant because the food is going way faster than before. Like overnight it went from full to 1/4 gone in the hard food gravity feeder. I ordered another so we will have 3 thirteen lb gravity feeder going at once but that doesn't take care of the problem if one of the cats is already pregnant. I am keeping positive and upbeat though taking your advice to heart. We are doing the best we can and the animal rescue person said she is going to try TNR the cats and now it is out of my hands and I just have to wait and see what happens. I decided I have to be strong and not let it get to me as much as it was. It was making me feel down and blue almost 24/7 and Rainwood if you are still reading I want you to know I knew your advice was for my sanity and emotional well being and how much I did and do appreciate it but I just couldn't not. I know you know what I am saying but I want you to know with all my heart I know you were looking out for me. I am my own worse enemy at times and even knowing that I could not stop what I was doing. But emotionally I am putting myself in a better place. I have to for my own sanity and for Greg's sanity.

The good news is the kitty condo is in place and Greg will be building a better one so all the kitties should they choose to can have shelter this winter. I am going to send this post now before I lose it because it is too long to recreate. But I have pics of the kitty condo for those girls I couldn't find the mobile# to text you and also of Greg's new shed. Not great pics but for now pics. Have to go get coffee refill first though and then I will search for the pics as I cannot find them now. I think I deleted them by accident. I have so many emails it's crazy. OK I will be back in a while.

 

[missy]

Some pics. The kitty villa is now next to my dh's shed but we don't have any pics of that yet. Plus need more pics of his shed because this one doesn't do it justice. It came out really great. His shed looks like a miniature copy of our house.

 

[missy]

Last 2 pics of kitty condo. And one pic of the inside of Greg's new shed. I might have more to share later. It was just finished so obviously he has a lot of work to do inside to get it to where he needs it to be. But it's fun just to see it before that happens.

 

[missy]

OK more pics. Inside of shed continued in progression. First pic I already share in above post previous to this post is of inside of shed is before it was painted etc. Second pic is middle of progress and last pic is finished inside. This shed is just going to be for the purpose of working on bikes and cutting large sheets of plywood. Greg's main workspace for woodworking and such will be in the basement which is going to be dug out this winter hopefully.

 

[missy]

OK last set for today. These pics are of progress of the shed being built. Last few pics from this morning so light isn't the best but gives you an idea.

 

[missy]

And last pic. Took Julio 4 weeks to build this but he is a perfectionist and he insulated it really well. 1/2 inch insulation material on the outside. Greg has a view of the ocean from the window facing our backyard so that makes him happy. I told him as long as he is paying attention to the power tools and not the view when he is using them I'm OK with that LOL.

 

[missy]

Ok I lied...just one more pic. Greg just took this. Where we put the kitty villa next to the shed. Not sure this will work as I am doing it from my iPad.
We put it hidden from view so the cats can feel safe and protected. There is foliage in front of and on the side of the condo hiding it from public view. We added catnip and saw Sammy rolling around in front of the villa yesterday afternoon and I saw he went in for at least a short bit. Not sure they will use it for shelter from the weather but hoping they will. We added straw for warmth and are looking into safe ways to add a heating pad. Since we are not here most of the time we have to make sure it is safe proof before adding heat via electricity.

Sorry for photo bombing you guys this morning! I got carried away!

 

[MarionC]

The nice thing is that you've done everything you can. Now it's up to the cats to use their resources! I"m sure they will when the temps drop.
Good job!

 

[sarahb]

Hail to my long-time-no-see NIRDI'S! Kristie, Missy, Junebug, Marcy, Ovi aka Sunstorm, Jimmieanne, Callie, LLJ!

I had responded to a preloved post the other day, & Kristie & Missy popped in to say hello! I thought I'd bump over here & say hello to everyone--I've been doing a lot of lurking lately. I can't believe this thread is now 185 pages!!!! Wow--Love DOES overcome! The hip recovery has been coming along just fine, that side is now 3/4 inch shorter then the other leg, but have prosthetics & all is working out well. Switched cardio to swimming, which has been great, actually love it. Its all good--no more hurt, gait is good, all in all, we've gone over the bump, now its smooth road

I see most everyone has had a great year of bling, wowsers, isn't that great!! One of the SMTB threads that showcases acquisitions from the last year has many of you in the thread with some gorgeous jewelry!!! I think my earrings was my big purchase for the year, plus a few smaller pearl purchases from Pearl Paradise. Now, thats another fun thing since the PS discovery...what trouble we get into on this site!!! Ooo--la--la....

Everyone here has been well, hubby is well, son is doing great, 20 years old!!!! I just giggle at him & his friends--remember your 20's??? What a great time of life!

I truly hope all of you are doing well--I cannot thank you enough for all the love you showered on me during my time of need. The Michigan football game is on right now, & we are getting our first snow. Its so pretty, & reminds me so much of that last February laying in that back bedroom. The average temp that month here was 3 degrees, what a wild time--& you guys were there for the ride, what a blessing. I can't thank you all enough.

My prayers for a happy & healthy Thanksgiving, Christmas & Hanukkah to each of you!
Sarah