Dag-nabbit!I lost my post from yesterday but that just means I'll abbreviate what I can remember-so it's a good thing from your points of view-I do babble too much lol. Deanne-raggedy ann is great! Chris and I brainstormed and we already have intact vampire outfits so we chose the goulish way before I saw your idea...lol Chris would be so charming as Andy: )!!! funny too-I am growing out the red locks and trying my natural look after 15 yrs. of sassy red(lol). I have less grey than I thought and decided now would be a good time to color closer to my real shade-we'll see how long that lasts. I guess I could have made a red yarn wig though for Annie! Wow Deanne on the pixels! And handheld shots at that!!! Very fun to rediscover your immediate world with macro! I look forward to more! Hey that hydrangea looks so fresh with color-mine are all faded to green and maroon-which one is yours?? Marian I loved your fall pics-thanks for sharing all that color. I especially like that blue spruce with the various fall colors setting off its form & blueness. Sue I'm sending good vibes for whatever your doctor is suggesting. Should we be worrying? ...this probably isn't the same thing I'm sure, but my mom who actually is great about routine check ups has been putting off the dreaded colonoscopy for many years now but is finally taking the plunge(?lol)on Tuesday;sometimes you just have to be ready for tests like that and it just took her time to go for it-she did a bit of research on the risks and it scared her. I think it's great that you are getting a second opinion.(would you do a third too?) Yeona-glad you checked in-sorry it has been so rough. Just remember to take time for yourself so you can pull yourself together. Sounds silly but for me a simple thing as mowing the lawn is something I love to do so I can be alone and think(and hopefully not run over things I'd rather not while I'm being pensive lol) The stuff with Chris' mom at times just overwhelms me so I have to steal moments for just me even if it's during meanial tasks. Taryn how great to see your homestead pics-please teach me how to get so much accompished!! Good luck with the job prospects I hope you find just the right match for all your skills. Oh so that check I was supposed to get? It came on Saturday! It was bigger than 95 bucks : ) Now I have that arduous task of deciding which places the mullah should go. I'm not used to having leeway when the end of the month rolls around so this should be a nice change of pace. We celebrated the windfall by ordering sushi: )yum! Mary-playdate? Wait-that means you would have a whole SEVERAL hours to tidy up before we got there ; ) Yes, Chris' mom is still in the hospital.While it's been a long time, at least she is being well cared for. My worry is when she's released and we need to coordinate helping her-Chris' sister is up to her old disappearing trick again. Michelle-you really did score on your trip into the city-I hope we get to see your dress-I know you will look stunning. I'm very impressed that you are onto Christmas shopping already-I always tackle AJ's Nov. bday first then worry about Christmas but maybe you will motivate me to get a move on. Aj and Ryan have been sick all weekend...I thanked them profusely for waiting for the weekend so I won't miss work! Actually one year AJ was only sick on weekends and only missed one full day...I wonder if he can pull that off again, let alone Ryan. Don't mean to skip out but I've got prep for tomorrow to do. Hi to all I missed! ~Babs

Good evening, y'all! It's been warm (up to the mid-70's) and sunny here today. I sat out in it for a few minutes this morning when dh let me off at the front door of the hospital and went to park the car. My procedure went great. Just the colonscopy, not the top end this time. All was well, no polyps or problems. YEA! Must have been all those good thoughts and prayers from my good friends. :) Marci and Jan, I'm so sorry to hear about your falls and owies. Bless your hearts. Let others pamper you until you're feeling better! Suzanne, all your photos this week have been so beautiful. The one of the pending avalanche was amazing. And, after my experience this morning, all I can say about that egg photo is "ouch" for that poor chicken that delivered the really big one! Love your photos always! Dee, thanks for checking in about Dave on FB. Still no word. I guess that things are still the same, so they don't have the heart to post right now. DH and I drove straight to Antonio's Italian restaurant from the hospital! LOL The dr. had advised a bland diet: scrambled eggs, pancakes, oatmeal. I just looked at him and said, "WHAT???" He laughed and told me to just go easy at first and to not eat the peppers in the salad when I got there. I ate about 1/4 of the salad and the shrimp & chicken florentine, then boxed up the leftovers for dinner tonight. It was definitely the thought that counted for that meal. :) I slept great last night and awoke ready to get the show on the road at 9 a.m. I got to the hospital at 10 and was in and out from the procedure at the same time I'd originally been scheduled for it. Home by 1 after lunch. No nap, but I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight. It's great to come here and see Maddie, Donna, and Marci posting, too. It's how it should be! I'll be talking to y'all more this weekend. Time for a bite to eat!

omg about choked when I saw this...unlike dave I waited till crisis mode, before rushing to the local hospital er at 3am!...my colon had finally rebelled and was scaring me to pieces! after being admitted, I was treated to a wonderful team of nurses but still was facing the dreaded decision... doc didn't give me a choice...as I hadn't had to eat since my dinner the night before, they made an apt for 7am the next day! about 2-3 pm I was given golightly product although unlike dave, mine was like being drowning in the ocean it was soooo salty tasting...the nurses gave me cups of crushed ice as if this would numb my taste buds, lol.. bright and early at 6 am was rolled down to the prep area...(out patient care) after hooking me up to yet another bag of saline, monitors, ect, was taken to the next room...after putting on oxygen, noticed the clock going around in circles, lol....that was the last thing I remember...they made necessary repairs, and finally was sent back up to my room...all I can say is just don't wait as long as I did....

The prep is the worst! I cannot drink anything I don't like the taste of so I put off doing it for years because I knew I would not be able to get that drink down. But, like others, colon cancer runs in my family. Doctor gave me pills to take. It's a LOT of pills but to me better than the drink. The actual procedure was nothing. I usually have a hard time coming out of anesthesia. I'm usually very groggy for an extended period, but I actually woke up feeling amazingly refreshed after the colonoscopy. Like I had the best night of sleep ever. Hubby took me out to my favorite brunch place after and it was the most delicious meal I ever had! My brother had colon cancer last year. He's finished with treatment and got a clean colonoscopy recently. Whew! Because of family history, I was told I need one every 3 years. I think I'm due again next year, or maybe 2026. Can't remember. The saddest story is my daughter's friend from high school just passed away a few weeks ago from colon cancer. He was 37!! It was stage 4 when he was diagnosed. So awful. My brother (a retired doc) told me that they're diagnosing it in people younger and younger and the age to start getting colonoscopies is coming down. Scary stuff.