Hi folkvictorian, Some months ago I spoke of having what I thought to be a problem ... that some of my old underwear briefs had developed elastics so old and tired that they were inclined to stretch things ... ... and would slide down around my knees on the outside, while hung up by the crotch of my pants, putting me in a bind so to speak ... ... but that when I realized that, were I a female, gone shopping downtown in a dress, and had such a situation befall me - that would be a PROBLEM! My situation was merely a dilemma! One responder said that she'd done such, they tripped her, she fell with her forehead hitting a wooden container in the store, with blood flowing, ambulance called, etc. - costly! I'd thought to install short pieces of elastic, but that would cause bunching, and stretching between them (with possible rips), and were I to install a new elastic all round each of the nearly a dozen pairs ... it'd be darn near as costly as buying new! So I thought that I'd get a single stretchy elastic and make a belt, which would work for a half dozen or so of the briefs, but came to ask how to fasten it, as a button wouldn't do in an elastic. Everyone said that I should merely buy new ... but I said that few were holey ... and the one(s) that were, were mainly in the middle of the back, not under the hip bones where they should be - so I wondered whether I must have been jet-propelled at some time (that I'd been unaware of). And they were scarcely discoloured, so I felt that they had a substantial amount of potentially useful life remaining, given some alteration. Someone made an intreresting offer - that if I'd send the affected ones to her, she'd replace the elastic in each of them ... ... for $10.00 a pair. One or two others felt that to be a wise offer ... to a frugal old fella like me. Someone came on to suggest that this seemed a rather frivolous post ... someone wondered whether it was for real ... and someone else said that she'd been having rather a dreary day .... until she'd come upon that thread ... and that it'd made her day! My landlord, a busy sod farmer (though not so busy last year, with fewer houses being built, as we've had a major plant closing, with a major Ford assembly plant nearby about to close next year) said that I have too much time on my hands. 'Nuff said. ole joyful

I'd picked some tomatoes, feeling that whatever didn't appear at the churches that day were totally shot, and dropped them off along with things that I'd made ready on Sat at the second just as the choir was ready to process up the aisle at 10:30. Actually, I could have signed in at the ER and gone back, as it was nearly 2 when they got me into a cubicle, but I'd had little discomfort during the wait. Had an interview, then took a blood test and had an X-ray later and I was having a comfortable time while these procedures were going on. The nurse came to say that they'd found something in my blood, were going to give me a shot, and that if I cut myself that night I'd bleed more than usual. Shortly after that, around 7:00, they released me and as I was walking I had a bit of discomfort if I took a deeper breath. I had a little under a quarter of a mile to walk to the car and the evening was rather chilly, so I thought that it would be a chilly process, as I hadn't brought a jacket ... but when I got about 300 feet from the door, I took a bit of a deper breath and there was a bit of a click or something in my chest, then I could take a deeper breath, so was able to walk to the car more easily and quickly than I'd expected. From then, or just after that, I was able to carry on life mostly as before, though I was rather careful of what I did for some time, keeping watch for any difficulties. Still do, actually, though rather routinely so. ole joyful

A slight reduction in the warfarin, according to my hematologist, and altered after I had some antibiotics prescribed following the camera angling into the bladder (quite a few varying camera angles, actually). Thanks for the info about the cranberry juice, as I've been using it, trying to take a glass some time before breakfast, to let it get some good work in, as well as at other times. Will have to ease off some. Some more blood since yesterday, but my retired doc. relative tells me not to worry unless I feel light-headed (no comments, please) or otherwise a bit off, for the weekend ... if so, head to emerg.. I asked her whether, if I smiled pretty, I could drag her kicking and screaming out of retirement for about 5 min. - she smiled as she said, "O.K.". ole joyfuelled ... with some fuelling help from cranberry juice

Happy 89.5 Ed. And I hope we are ALL around to wish you a happy 90th. edited to add: yes you can freeze the cake. I wrap fairly large pieces (uncut) in plastic wrap or a ziploc getting as much air out as possible. Then wrap again in foil. Label and freeze. Depending on how much you have left, you could freeze multiple packages to enjoy later, just don’t wait too long or it will be dry.