"keyboards are easy to type on. Mine even clicks"

what kind is it?

will ask mr c-man if he has any.

Steph, we must have been watching HSN around the same time. I saw the Android Tracfone presentation. We didn't get our boys cell phones--"all my friends have them, pleeeeeease can I have one?" "NO."- until they were in high school and on the football team. It was so much easier to arrange pick up times, since I was their transportation. But when we finally did, we got them Tracfones. I told them they were "Track phones", as in we know exactly where you are at any given time. The best part is, they believed me. Hahahahaha! I still chuckle when I think about it. Good times. :D

I see 10-year-olds with fancy phones now. Whatever.

shelayne...fancy phones... I have a strictly dumb phone. I did upgrade to a $10 flip phone a few years ago. I pay rather a lot for good home internet, I see no point in paying more for what would be essentially the same thing. When I someday get my dream tiny teardrop camping trailer, I suppose I'll relent so I can get a mobile myfi set up to stay in touch on the road.

yikes, January is almost gone! I reviewed the initial goals for the month I posted here. It was a modest goal, so I made it. I cleaned out and rearranged my broom closet. I have two pieces of cloth still to hem before I can check off kitchen curtains from December's list. Amazingly, the house is still picked up and as clean as it was at the beginning of the month.

I still have a few days left in the month, but also a cold, so I don't think I'll be too ambitious. I would like to find LED dimmable bulbs for my chandelier, get them in, then give the fixture a good dusting/cleaning- as well as dusting the living room beams and all the high level walls and surfaces. Take account of what crystals are missing and order some replacements. And scrub out the fish tank*.

Looking ahead to February;

find a storage container that will fit under the bed, large enough to hold the feather comforter. Have the comforter cleaned and stow it away. Get one or two more that will also fit for other out of season linen/clothes storage.

find a low basket that will fit under the pie safe and stow my cookbooks in it

pickup recent clutter in the studio and get old project yarn put away and get ready for the next warp.

freecycle the 30 bottle wine fridge I used for aging cheese... I have a co-worker who might be interested in it. I'll ask her again, then post it if she doesn't want it.

refresh my wardrobe. I need some new jeans, another pair or two of good walking shoes and some more socks.

get the valve cover gasket replaced in my car before the leak gets worse.

get my dog Benson in to the vet for a dental cleaning.

*fish tank...I currently have one very large and one smallish goldfish in a 75 gallon tank, which is a bit of overkill. I'm thinking of downsizing to ~50 gallon size. Years ago I had my first goldie in a 20 gallon tank, in which I siliconed glass mosaic tile to the back. It was gorgeous, but the fish outgrew it. I made a mosaic for this tank, using tiny 3/8 inch glass tile. Even more gorgeous, but the fish quickly picked the tile off the glass and spat them out on the floor. So I want to go back to using the 1 inch glass tile of my first effort and make a fairly simple wave-like design and get in place in a new tank and move them in. Sometime this summer.

LOL at the pic of Benson. Dental cleaning? Did she say dental cleaning?!!!!

"LOL at the pic of Benson. 'Dental cleaning? Did she say dental cleaning?' "

exactly! what a face! run Benson, hide!

what a cutie!

'I saw the Android Tracfone presentation'

shelayne - did it seem like a good deal to you? I thought it was. I've seen them on qvc and hsn before for about 100.00, so figured this was a better deal than those. I was planning to just get a cheapie for like 25.00 at W or somewhere, but seeing all this could do plus the triple minutes for life (will save me on time later) and the large screen (my eyes aren't so good anymore). I really don't want to have to fumbled for my glasses in an emergency either... it comes with 1350 min. split with talk/text/internet.

and it will be handy to take pics when I'm out shopping or of something here I need to match or replace to take with me to a store. that came up some time back at HD when I need a part. the guy said 'can you take a pic of the old one and bring in?' uh, no, I don't have a cell phone... but that was a good idea. my last camera was rather small, but not small enough to slip in my purse!

and I don't plan to be one who updates a phone every yr or 2. unless I lose it or drop it in stringweaver's fish tank, it should last my lifetime...

I wouldn't be one to give a phone to a kid either. when they get to the age of activities and needing rides, then yes (that's a safety concern these day for sure!) - but they'd turn 'em in when they got home. I don't understand parents letting kids be on the phone all the time - even doing games.

can one Skype on a cell phone? that'd be fun with my gkids. (they'd be using their dad's phone)

Steph my keyboard is in my laptop. It is a Dell Inspiron but I would get a Latitude next time I think they are more sturdy.

Hahahah Good one Shelayne. Trac phones. I only carry our cell phone when we travel. We should take it every trip because even to the grocery is 20 miles one way. But we are not used to carrying it and NO ONE has the number. Well one person but he calls us on land line. Gosh did I have room in new purse to put cell phone. Have to check that one out.

Stringweaver you did great completing your January list. I will have to review my comments above to see if I managed my January list. Totally forgot now what I started out to do.

I did get to the chiropractor today and got my poor back worked over. Feeling so much better. Note to self to be more careful lifting and pulling when bent over. I really did some damage. And perfect timing to walk in when he was not bus and get right in. Such a relief to be able to stand up straight again. We were killing time between doctor appointments for hubby.

Benson is darling. Animals are always needing some thing vet wise. I try to keep a vet $$$ fund going as a little tuck away for those unexpected times.

Long day I think I will try to catch up here tomorrow.

shades - my desktop is a Dell Inspiron. I will check with the computer guy to see what he has used... and next trip to area of Staples i'll check out their laptops. went there last wk to get printer cartridges and totally forgot to look at laptops! more than 1 thing crowds my brain these days...

went to W in local town today. got new keyboard - and it's really clicking along. it's another Logitech by clickier I think. looked at curtains for my bedroom - was looking for purple (my closer W hasn't had purple) . this one didn't have purple either. they did have green but it's the slide on at the top kind. not sure I want that - will be harder to pull open/closed. I could use a tie back tho. will think about it.

Ran into my neighbor woman in W. had a nice talk w/her. we don't talk much lately - she's busy working and her son moved back home (he's in early 20s). he hurt his knee and needed 2 surgeries on it. told her to call or come over when she has a free few minutes - ha! it's harder for her than me - I'm mostly always here. J was just 6 when I moved out here. they'd just moved here too. we bought our land about the same time from same people (older couple who split it up. they live up north AZ). he reminded me so much of my oldest gson then. he'd come over to play with my dogs, toss his ball, have me throw it to him, and shoot marbles. My dogs loooved him.

by the time I got home and rested, I was done for the day. took dog out and was gonna go over and bring a few more things here and put a few more boxes in the car but my leg gave out on me and I decided not to do those things. it'd turn very chilly out - the news said it's going down to low 30's tonight. I'll just have to do more tomorrow. No plans to go anywhere tomorrow. but I did get 2 bags of trash to my sister's bin.

made chicken and noodles for dinner. Reams noodles and used cooked chicken strips I had in the freezer. Very good on a chilly night.

Steph, I bought slide on tops, but attached them with rings that have clips, instead of using the casing. They are much easier to slide.

slide on tops - oh my. never knew something like that existed... where to buy? checking amazon...

but the clip will show, right? how does that look?

found these on amazon - hooks

those are just like the clips I got at Ikea. They give a much more casual look than the slide on, but make up for it in convenience. I may end up putting up a valance rod to high the gap between the rod and top of curtain or not. I also got some rods at Ikea that you can clip onto the hanging ring and use to pull the curtains open and shut. That's convenient if there's stuff in the way of reaching the window. I want to make something like them for the kitchen window, but it's shorter than the rod.

I found some other ring clips at Walmart. They are rings, you pinch them and a sort of toothed clip opens up to catch the cloth.

The fabric I wove wasn't designed for these windows, so they are not the right size, but they'll do until I can make a set the right size.

Hahahhaaa at me.
I was reading about your keyboard Steph and some how missed a line and you were talking about slide on tops and I am thinking I have never seen a slide on top for a keyboard. Puzeld about it a bit then went off to do morning chores. Came back to re-read and discovered my error. FACE PALM. Still pretty tired from the last few days.

I used those pinch clip on rings many many times and they work well. My only concern for use on your weaving stringweaver is it might nick or cut the warp?? I like the look of them though.

One thing on needing curtain rids is we now use plain old conduit and drawer knob for ends or anything you see that would work. So much less expensive and very strong. They can be spray painted. We did not bother.

Si I reviewed my January want to do comments and totally forgot about the trunk sort through. Today I need to protect my back from the chiropractor work over. But I still have a few more days and closer to the end of January I should be able to get it done. It is more pulling lifting kind of thing so would prefer not to undo the good the chiropractor did for me. This guy is amazing with my poor back. So thank full.

Yesterday was some shopping trying to kill time between doctor appointments. Hubby found tome more glass pieces for me to use on my fun windows at a very good price. Always looking and he is good to see things I totally miss. I headed off to look for some more pants. Sigh. Seems like a broken record on the pants issue. had a melt down yesterday morning when the only pair of pants that fit me nicely were in the laundry I forgot to do. So I found three more pair and that should be enough and honestly I think this time I am going to say I am done losing.If I drop 5 more pounds I would be at my goal weight. But it is a number chosen out of a book and not quite fitting what my body actually looks like now. I did all the laundry last night and will spend time today hemming the new pants because they always come too long for me.

Not sure what February plans will be. GASP do I dare commit to really purging in my studio?? I have lots of china I rarely use now but I could use up a bunch of it if I decide to mosaic the front porch house wall. YES I am crazy enough to do that. So I will put it tentative for studio clean up. I did it pretty well a couple of years ago when I made a huge furniture move in there and gave three big boxes of stuff away then. It might not be as bad as it some times seems. I have also used up many sheets of glass and will need a trip to the glass store in the near future. But I need a couple hundred in cash to do this one.

LOL Shades, I thought they were talking about slide on tops for laptops too! :-)

OK, nobody panic, but I'm writing this from the hospital. I'm OK, actually way better than I've felt in a while. Probably going home tonight.

Monday morning I was sitting in my desk chair, working on my computer. I felt dizzy and lightheaded and all of a sudden everything was moving and I was seeing everything in double or triple and it was all jerky. The next moment I was fine. Whew! I thought. That was weird. Maybe I'd better go back to bed and rest for a while. Then I noticed I was lying face down on my carpet, wedged between my desk chair and the air mattress that I hadn't yet put away from when my DD stayed over Saturday night. It took me another moment to figure out I had passed out and had fallen out of my chair onto the floor. When I tried to sit up, the crazy dizzy triple sight returned. Oh dear. I managed to pull my phone down off the desk (it was attached to the charger so I just pulled the wire and the phone came tumbling down. I shouted for help for a moment, then realized no one else was home. It took me a couple of tries, due to the dizzy thing, but I managed to call 911. They sent an ambulance and a fire truck and a few moments later I had about 6 nice looking paramedics/firemen surrounding me. :-) The thing that bothered me most was that Joy's and my dirty dishes from Sunday night dinner were still sitting on her air mattress. :-)

I called my best friend, who's in Arizona right now, and she stayed on the phone with me until the guys got here. I know it seems silly to call someone in Arizona when I'm in Washington, but she was right there with me, and kept me talking about my class and what I was reading. She was trying to assess whether I was all there, and I guess I was, although I don't remember a whole lot about it. They did a CAT scan of my head, and confirmed nothing neurological was going on. Just a simple matter of dehydration and mineral imbalance.

Anyway, I'm OK. I take a lasik diaretic (a water pill) by prescription, of course. I had let myself become dangerously dehydrated, which can happen fast when you're on a water pill. And after I chided Shades about getting enough fluids with her cold, haha! I was also really low on potassium and magnesium. So I stayed in the hospital last night and today, and they've been filling me up with saline solution, potassium and magnesium. All my levels are OK now, and I'm well hydrated...I've been to the ladies' room about a billion times today, haha! So they're discharging me. YAY! I've learned my lesson, and no more diet Pepsi--water it is! Lots of water! And I'm picking up a prescription for potassium tomorrow.

I confessed to Joy earlier today how intimidated I feel in the presence of you all--I told her, these ladies weave, like on an actual LOOM! They sew, they make their own curtains, they do glass mosaics, they do everything!!! Joy read a few posts here, and then she told me that while I'm not a domestic goddess like y'all, I bring other things to the table. She said, mama, listen...OK it took you all of fifth grade to knit one slipper (an infamous family story!), but you know everything about computers (totally not true), and you speak other languages, and maybe you pay other people to help you, but you have a good sense of design and your house and kitchen will be beautiful too. OK, mushcreek made his own totally fabulous peninsula, and a kitchen with 30-something drawers, but your IKEA island with a walnut top will be great too!

Aren't daughters the best???!?!!! :-) I know mine is! She even brought me clean clothes to wear home!

Benson is quite the gentleman! I hope his teeth cleaning goes well.

desertsteph, shades, stringweaver, et al.--remember, it's not a race. No one needs to kill themselves, injure their backs, etc. to get these goals done. Set reasonable goals for each day and do your best to meet them. It will all get done eventually if you do something every day. So everyone take it easy and if you sort through one box today, that is better than no boxes.

And desertsteph, yes! Do NOT upgrade to Windows10 on the computer you have now; it would probably kill it. Everyone will need to get it eventually because Microsoft has announced there will be no Windows 11, 12, 13...everything from now on is going to to be upgrades you do (buy) yourself on your own computer. Windows 7 and 8 (and earlier versions) will eventually cease to have any tech support, and you will have to upgrade. No need to panic, though, it's not happening tomorrow or next week--but it will happen. My next computer will most likely be a Mac, though. Then my tablet, phone, and computer will be fully integrated, which will be nice. I hate having to physically connect my phone and iPad to my computer to sync everything.

And just ignore me if I natter on about tech stuff--it's necessary to my line of work, but that doesn't mean everybody has to be on the cutting edge. I do think, however, that everyone should always have a cell with them in the car, especially women, and especially those of you who live far from urban centers. A cell phone could literally save your life out in the desert or the middle of Idaho, or even out in Cheney, where I'm moving. I was grateful for my cell phone on Monday morning, and that was in Spokane, in my own home! :-)

Well, due to this turn of events, my day to go out to my house for pictures and measurements has once again been pushed back, to Saturday. That's the 30th, so I can still meet my January goals! :-) But it's really more about the process than meeting a goal. Goals are good! I set goals all the time. And I make lists. But taking a little better care of myself is going to take precedent over my goals. I've been slowly learning that. I was going to graduate next spring, but I decided last semester to take an extra year. My dissertation will not only be better, but I won't have to kill myself to get it done so fast. So I'm 57 instead of 56 when I graduate--in the big picture of things, I'm pretty sure that's OK. :-)

Debbie, glad you're ok. Amazing how important water is. And, well, I may weave and make curtains. You made and nutured a very wise daughter.

good heavens Debbie. What a wild ride. Glad you are doing better and home soon. I also do diuretics another long story and know the feeling of low potassium and dehydration. Gave up soda pop years and years ago just because I lost my taste for it. Never enjoyed it much anyway. but I do drink a lot of coffee. Very careful to keep hydrated and the craziest thing is I need to NOT NOT NOT restrict salt which sounds backwards but the more salt I do the less I ned to take the water pills. I use the pink salt. Hymalayan Spelling?? Never plain old table salt. IT is bad for you.

Good advice to take it easy on these goals. I only did today what I had to do. Tomorrow will be a fine day and I know we plan on going to the dump if it does not snow too much. Back is feeling great. Only a little bit sore. not the same sore as I had when I went into the chiropractor but a healing sore.

I will make sure I have a slot in my new little purse for the cell.

Also I enjoy learning computer stuff and Moccasinlanding is a pretty good computer person. She did a DL of windows 10 but it goofed up her computer so she is having it removed. I think I will be a hold out for a little bit longer. I have played with it some on friends computer and it is slightly different. I can learn it like I need to learn my tablets and ubuntu on my old old Dell. Heck my dell now will be 2 years next year. Maybr I will go to a dual boot on it with ubuntu. Too bad you can not just switch back and forth with out re-booting. IT is LXLE version of Ubuntu and it is supposed to revive old computers and so fat the old old dell D620. YES that old laptop is now purring right along. I learned quite a bit setting all of that up on it.

Time for me to finish evening chores. Debbie you get better now.

Debbie, glad you will be ok. that potassium will get ya... or lack of it. I take a liquid potassium. have for yrs. your dd is right, you may not have some of the skills many here do, but you have others. I think the combination of all the different things between all of us is what is interesting - and helpful to each other.

" She did a DL of windows 10 but it goofed up her computer "

that's what I've been afraid of and I haven't done it. was going to ask mr computer guy about it first. He redid my system about 2 yrs ago. new OS, new drive etc. didn't think this old buggy could survive it...

today I lost my phone svc - that's internet too. I noticed in on my router first - and couldn't update any tabs. didn't even think of the ph svc cause I'd already had 2 calls. figured my router was dying. I did unplug and replug it a few times. a bit later I checked the phone and it was dead too. I took my phone out to the post and plugged it in there and it was still dead. that means it's their problem, not mine. last time I messed up my inside wiring trying to 'fix' it (what wasn't broken). My hands don't work like they did yrs ago when I could do those things.

after a bit I gathered up a few things (like little notebook with ph # of co. , my bank acct #s, pen, water bottle) put it in a little purse I kept in the closet, found my walking stick and headed over to my neighbor's to use her ph to call the ph co! they put in a work order on it and said they'd be out tomorrow probably. bummer. I did request my phone man who came here last summer when this happened. I settled in for a day w/o phone or computer but about 5.30 coming in from a 'dog business' trip outside, I noticed the 'internet' light was lit on the modem! bravo! whatever it was, they fixed without coming out (at least to my house). there is construction in the area and this has happened before. once it was an accident on the road behind me where someone hit a main box or pole...

I planned to work in old place today but after walking over there and back (an acre plus each way) I had to lie down. then even when I got up to take dog out, my back hurt a lot so I decided not to attempt to bend over boxes, or lift anything much today. I did clean some things I brought over on Mon and cleaned 2 almost empty drawers out to take to the dresser in the back room (oh good - somewhere to put something...). threw out most of what was left in those drawers, went thru a few stacks of papers and carried some small things back to put in the cabinet in one of the back rooms.

I was glad I had left over chicken / noodles to eat today - cause I was too tired to think about fixing something. it catches up with us Shades and then we need to take a day or 2 off. I have an appt to get my hair cut tomorrow and don't want to miss that because of my back. my hair is way too long. should have been in there 3 months ago. so, tomorrow I'll probably just do the hair cut and maybe an hour over in old place. that'll be enough to tucker me out with all the other normal things like the dog (out, in, out, in, out, in etc), feed her, give her cookies, fix something to eat, a million trips to the bathroom for me etc.

I even had to take a nap late in the day - evening, like about 7. woke up shortly before Code Back and watched that. then dog out, in...

Debbie, hope you're home as I write. It took great presence of mind to handle the emergency well, so add that to your list of capabilities!

Steph, glad you got that internet back. Out in the country, it matters on so many levels.

Shades, I stopped drinking soda, too. Somewhere I read that the phosphoric acid in it is the same thing they put in toilet bowl cleaner!

Stringweaver, is that a harp in the dog picture? Nice (and cute dog, too)!

Steph hope your back gets better soon. Mine is pretty good today. Still plan on taking it easy. I will take a load of stuff ready to go to the dump later today. they do not open until noon or one. That in itself is a project as I have a lot to pack carefully in the car. Need to do some house cleaning I put off yesterday. I did manage to get a few hours glass work done yesterday and last night. And some studio clean up to give me more room on my work table. I need to drill holes in a window frame for hangers then I can start gluing the glass bits down in place. For a change I am doing it in the proper order. Still not ready to start big time pulling and pushing things around and dealing with that trunk. There certainly is no hurry to get this done. Sun is out right now but it is supposed to snow some time this afternoon or evening. 80% chance so I guess it might happen. 1 to 3 inches. Have a great one. I am off to get the rest of morning chores done.

scone; yes, it's a harp. I haven't played much since I took up weaving but I'm working on getting back to it.

I've already put some notes on 4x6 cards and taped them to the inside of a larger cabinet door in the kitchen (for kitchen info). things like model # for dw and stove and ratio of coffee per cup for when i make it. I have the info to reset the remote after electricity goes out on a card inside a cab door in my bedroom...

That's a great idea Steph! I need to do that, especially since I'm the only one who knows where everything is located and dh needs to be able to function when I'm gone.

I am making a collection of box tops with numbers for the LED light bulbs I'm transitioning to. I got three dimmable candalabra bulbs for my chandelier yesterday. I want to be sure I can find the same bulb when I go for the remaining three in a month or so.

And it snowed again last night, so changing those bulbs is going to entail digging out the step ladder and sweeping off all the snow before I bring it in the house. I should have paid attention to the forecast.

Stringweaver we got some pretty heavy snow last night too. Will be continuing to dig out today ourselves.

Thos chandelier bulbs are so expensive. I figured at one point it would cost about 50 dollars to do my studio. I keep the door closed to that room all the time and it gets cold in the winter so I kind of use the heat in the chandelier to warm the room. It seems less expensive than running the little heater in there. Not sure though. But it does put some heat in the room. I will say the LED bulbs are much better than the other ones. I forget the name right now. And last time I bought LED I got FLAT bulbs. What a crack up they are. Three bulbe fit in the space of two in the box and they were on sale and in the fixtures I put them in it does not matter if round or flat. HA I should have saved one for EVE's head on the lamp and painted eyes on it. OH I am going to do that. Hahahaha Will be so funny.

Off to start more shoveling. Still snowing but I need to get a start on the slide off piles at the steps on either side of the house. Then start working my way down the side of the house again. MUST deal with all of that this coming spring so I do not have to do all this shoveling.

Speaking of light bulbs, how do you organize and store your extras? I have all mine loose in a box and it is such a pain to find the right one when I need it.

I don't keep many extras on hand. I have a small drawer in the kitchen pantry cupboard where I keep a few bulbs and batteries and emergency candles (except I never remember that's where they are in the very infrequent power outages that happen). I suppose that is where I should keep my LED box labels. When I get a permanent set up in the broom closet I'll move them there.

I only kept a few extra bulbs too and batteries and night light bulbs. I keep them in a plastic basket in the cupboard above the fridge. It is not that great but we have done this for so many years I am afraid to move them and not be able to find them.

One thing I did invest in are small single puck lights with LED bulbs and I have them in our night stands and a drawer I know I can always find even in pitch dark and one by my recliner. There is a push button in the middle to turn them on. They last a long time and I use re-chargeable batteries in them. LOVE those things and especially when Joe was so ill I could get around and check on him with out bothering to turn on the room light that would wake him when I did.

In for late lunch and back out to hopefully finish up the shoveling on the next trip. WOW what a load of snow this time.

bulbs - I keep them in their original pkg and store a good supply (probably enough for over 2 yrs) in a main bathroom cabinet. More than that in cab over the fridge. had Jed put them up there. I can't reach it so it isn't useable for anything I'd need to get. when I get down to a 6 mo supply, i'll have Jed haul some down to me.

shades - you be careful out there shoveling! one reason (on my long list) why I moved to AZ. I knew as a single woman with back problems I couldn't shovel snow anymore. and it'd only be worse as I aged. of course, the rain, humidity and cold where I lived then were also major factors in my move west.

yesterday I finally got my hair cut. over due by 3 months. way too long - too much to wash, brush, push out of my face... I always feel like I've lost 5 lbs after a hair cut. Feels awesome to have it gone!

went home and rested a bit and then started bringing more things over here. After resting again (and watching the debates) I started in cleaning and moving the things in here around.

I moved more things over today and into the storage area here...

tomorrow I'll start in on the closets over there. 2 have very little in them - I never used them. the big closet has bins, boxes. stuff has been in there so long I don't remember what's in 'em!

We seem to be sharing a lot of personal stuff on this thread, so I'll pass on some sad news of my own. Yesterday, my mother passed away at 89. She had a major stroke Wednesday, and deteriorated rapidly. She died peacefully while sleeping- you can't ask for better than that. She still had her own apartment, but was being faced with moving to a nursing home soon, something she did NOT want! So, I guess she got to leave on her own terms.

I'm at peace; she had a long, rich, and interesting life. She had a stroke back in November, so we were somewhat conditioned to the inevitable. We also had started making plans, so we are ahead of the game. Still, we're all kind of reeling from the shock of it.

Sorry for weighing down the thread with this news; it feels good to write about it, though. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming!

Aw Jay I am so sorry for the loss of your Mom. It does sound like the timing was on her terms. It can be so hard to have to go to a care home for many. Some thrive may do not. So hard to give up what you are used to. I am sure none of us are ever ready for these losses even though we know they are inevitable. So sad. Thanks for sharing with us. WE are all kind of family here.

Cyber ((hug)) to you Mushcreek-Jay.

very sorry to hear of your loss, Jay. It is a blessing that she went at peace and in her sleep. Also that she lived a full life to 89 and still in her own place!

my mom died many yrs back after a number of yrs in a nursing home (at about 74). She had Alzheimer's and so didn't recognize most of us anymore. I hope to go like your mom did - peacefully in my sleep. well, at least peacefully and before I have to leave here for a nursing home.

Even if you might know it's coming soon down the road, it's still a shock to your heart (and brain) when it happens. I'm glad you're at peace with it, I was when my mom went (after the initial shock that we knew could come at any time). Don't think of it as 'weighing down' the thread, think of it as sharing with your internet family.

Jay---Sending warm thoughts and echoing the others' feelings. It's so good that you shared this with your online circle of friends. It is hard to lose your mother even when it there has a been a time of lessening health.

My mother-in-law passed under very similar circumstances two years ago (right about this time of year). She had been a nurse for many years and said she always hoped to go peacefully & she absolutely did.

I am so sorry for your loss, Jay. :(

Mushcreek, all my sympathies to you and your family.

Just saw this--Jay, I'm so sorry. Even when you sort of expect it, it's a very hard thing.

Thanks, everyone, for the condolences and warm feelings. It's nice that we can be such a great community without being in the same room!

Jay, adding my sympathies late, but heartfelt.

I'm still trying to get through this thread. I just can't read as long as I used to. But I wanted to tell you, Shades, how much I like your BOHO ribbon curtain. Do you still have the mosaic mannequin? I really liked that one. And while I can't join the sisterhood of redheads, I did have a red-headed father and my daughter was born with red hair. Did you know the genetics of having red hair? It comes from having two recessive red hair genes, one from each parent (of course). So two red-haired parents will only have red-haired children.

"It comes from having two recessive red hair genes, one from each parent"

that's interesting. neither of my parents had red hair, but each had a brother with red hair! mom might have had another sibling w/red hair but several of them died as babies/toddlers and of course no pics of them from those days - early 1900s. I remember her saying there were like 13 of them (total) but besides mom, I can only account for 3 others. 2 brothers and 1 sister.

Down the line on my half sisters side a baby was just born and he has red hair. No one else that I know of on my Mom's side and Dads side well his sister and kids have never accepted me so I do not know anything about their hair color. I was born very bald for two years then toe head blond then strawberry blond and then the red just kept getting darker until it started turning grey. And then my hair turned really dark auburn with grey and now all grey/very light silver. I never died it except in school I used Summer Blond on it to tone down the red. I never liked being teased about it and my freckles which are all now run together into old lady brown spots. LOL

Forgot the mannequins. Yes I have three of them. Two are finished, well Eve still needs grout, and Thelma is still waiting her turn. I keep doing other things. Smaller projects. I am concerned for hubby right now and I do not want to be tied into a big messy project off in the other room=my studio. I am not sure of the signs I am getting from him. He is resisting eating again even though his abdomen pelvis are clear of the cancer and just in his lungs. Maybe the chemo but this is the end of his week off so he should be feeling better. He is having some pain. But he thinks he hurt himself. But the pain is right where the tumors are. So I work on little things until I am sure he is not taking a turn for the worse. Pretty scary times right now.

I am so sorry Chris. When does he see the dr again? Do you keep a diary of things like this so you can tell the dr? Cancer seems to be so widespread now. There was someone who posted on the quilting forum (I think) whose husband had cancer and they changed his diet, the _______ protocol, and his tumors started shrinking. I can't remember the name of the diet, someone's name.

Were you not accepted by your relatives because of your red hair? My dad was the last of 7 children and the only red head though two of his sisters were auburn. He used to be teased about being the son of the postman. Dad's hair was a dark red and so was dd's when she was born. Hers lightened and became blond by the time she was 6 months. Now it's turning brown. My brother and cousin had bright red, almost orange hair.

Hubby is feeling better this morning he says. Thinking maybe pancreatitis attack. It happens with the surgery he had. And yes I do keep a running journal of issues between visits. Not as detailed as it used to be but I guess I am going to have to do more of that. It is very helpful.

I was given up for adoption as a baby so was not raised by my birth family. I found my Mom when I was 32 and father shortly after but he denied me for 14 years. Finally he agreed to the DNA test and he was 99.42% positive to be my father. But he was not a very nice person and his sister and her kids were not willing to be friendly so I let it go. Funny I salvaged photos and school yearbooks and hauled them home on a plane for them to send to them. I thought I was doing a nice thing. I called to let them know and left message on answering machine and next thing I am getting a letter from an attorney demanding all I had of THEIRS in my possession. Well Screw that. I sent the year books and a few photos and called it good. I do not think I really wanted to try harder to be friendly with a family so angry and mean.

Not sure my red hair had anything to do with it.I was well into grey by the time my father accepted me as his daughter. He dies a couple of years ago but I had not spoken to him in a few years before that. It was never a close relationship.

My Mom and I have a good relationship. Our 34th anniversary of my finding her was Feb 12th. We had a nice phone visit.

I'm so sorry that you have had trouble and pain, Chris. My husband had two major surgeries developed severe postop infections. After each he stopped eating, lost about 30 pounds and wasn't even tempted by the "junky" things. He'd just say "It's ok, hon, I'm not very hungry right now". He has had a number of health scares, but nothing worried me right down to my soul like his quietness.

I, too, had a father who didn't want to claim me, but I grew up with him. It was a long road.

Teabooks, Sorry about the father issue. I think it would be harder growing up with no acceptance. I am glad I found my father. It ended a lifetime of unrest in my heart and sole. I knew I had to accept what I found. We had a few good times on short visits I made to Arizona so not a total loss. It just was not meant to be and I made peace with it many years ago. You just can not change how some one is/feels.

Well hubby was better even had three meals yesterday. Not huge meals but all of that was lost last night. He was a sick guy and I had to put on my nursing face and just deal with it. Not sure if it was the start of the chemo again or?? This morning he is better again and cheerful but it has been just about an hour since he had his chemo and last night it was close to two hours when all hell broke loose. I am feeling very sad. We have had a blessed added three years with him here since diagnosis when most do not make it past their first year. Still trying to stay positive. Next week is oncologist appointment and blood work and decision time for him.

I'm sorry to hear that Chris. At least you didn't have to grow up with him. I'm sorry you did teabooks. My grandmother was like that. She was thrilled when my brother was born, the first grandchild and the boy she had always wanted. When I was born, she came to the hospital and my mother repeated what the nurses said about it being unusual that I had brown eyes instead of blue like most newborns. My grandmother shrugged and said all Indian babies are born with brown eyes. And from then on, she pretty much ignored me and favored my brother. Turned out to be great for me though because when we spent time at the grandparents' house, I was given complete freedom and grmother hovered over brother.

Edited 2.16.16 to add: I just read Jay's post about his mother. Jay, I am so sorry for your loss, but you are right, at least she got to leave this life on her terms. I hope we all get to do the same when it is our turn.

Shades, this might sound stupid, but I'm sure having you there means everything to him, simply everything. Hoping for good luck for you next week.

So far so good for hubby tonight. Dinner is staying put and he is feeling ok but last night it came on almost in an instant so I am staying prepared and we always keep a barf bucket by his chair. Could he have had the flu so sudden to come and go?? Bad food?? But we ate the same except the raisin bread I made. But he had that again this morning and did fine. Such a mystery. I am just happy he is feeling better today. One day at a time to get through.

shades - could be it just didn't settle right with his system. hope dinner stays down for him and he continues to feel better!

Shades, cancer nausea comes and goes, sometimes just moving the wrong way, or even breathing deeply will bring it on. Did the doctor give anti-nausea meds? That's what I had, and it does help sometimes. But what really helped me a lot was peppermint tea. Peppermint is an anti-spasmotic, and it calmed my abdomen, which reduced the nausea.

Also, during the chemo a lot of foods either didn't taste good, or gave me gas, because the chemo killed off the intestinal bacteria. Gas made the nausea a lot worse. I used a probiotic about two days after every chemo session, every day to the next chemo, to help rebuild the gut bacteria.

Some foods, even things I loved before the chemo, were just too much to handle. Many things with a strong smell brought on nausea, especially alcohol and cheese. I could not eat three meals a day, just couldn't. Instead, I ate 4 - 6 mini meals and snacks. A lot of unsweetened yoghurt, fruit, nuts, rice, broiled chicken, and tea. HTH.

How is everything today, Shades?