It has rained here all day today - nothing heavy, but constant.  It made for a quiet day.  Margaret and granddaughter-in-law Claire went to the Lady Vols/Baylor game in Knoxville (horrible!) and met here so they could go in only one car.  When they got back, they took me out to eat before heading home.  All in all, a quiet day.  Tomorrow, I have an optometrist appointment and then my first outpatient PT session.  It should make for a full day.

I'm surely glad we're not getting your snow, Jeanne, and I know jane is glad she's on the beach and not getting snow.

Morning, Gals!

We went out for supper last night with our Iowa friends who arrived yesterday.  Louie's does spare ribs on Sundays and Thursdays that are wonderful. 

Nothing much planned today....forecast says low chance of rain, but some dark clouds over the Gulf.  I think laundry, reading and knitting with a walk are possible. 

Jane

We got over an inch of rain yesterday and supposed to get that much or more tonight & tomorrow AM. So glad.  I don't like to be out in the rain, but we needed it badly. Sue, I'm glad you got some too, along with Mary. I hope your games were good.  IU is doing really well this year. (Men's BB)  They stink in football.

My Christmas letter is all printed and John has started the folding, stuffing, and labeling. 

Wed. is our annual Christmas bridge brunch at the house of one of our girls. So tomorrow, I will need to do some cooking. I am taking 2 different kinds of hors d'oeuvres. I got one recipe on FB and the other from Good Housekeeping. I hope they are good.

Jane, I think wifi is beyond my comprehension. I am having so much problem with my connection, but Time Warner is coming today to work on it. I surely hope they get it fixed and hope yours is too.

Jeanne, you can keep your snow!  I wouldn't mind an inch or so on Christmas, but otherwise, I don't need to see any more.

Mary, nice that you got to go out to dinner with the girls. Hope your PT isn't too bad today.

Ginny, you need to check in. We haven't heard from you for quite a while.

Hi to everyone else.  Sharon

Good morning, Buddies.  The morning is passing by fairly quickly here.  I had breakfast, worked today's crossword puzzle, walked the 3 blocks down and back up, freshened up the 2 vases of flowers Stacie and Jon sent me for Thanksgiving, and just had a lengthy phone call from a church friend who has also had a bad fall (hers happened at Heathrow Airport when she arrived in England to visit friends--she couldn't come back home until after 6 weeks).  I'd asked her husband about her yesterday at Sunday School.  Her hip was fractured, so it's been a long haul for her.

Jeanne, I saw your post on the previous page, but am afraid to go back and lose what I've already written.  I hope you're not snowed in and all is well with you. 

Mary, it sounds as if you had a good day  except for the Lady Vols loss.  I saw the last half of that game and it was pretty sad.  I'm really sorry that things have gone down hill for them. 

Jane, nice to have some Iowa friends to eat with occasionally.  Spare Ribs sound yummy and I'm sure you enjoyed your friends.  Enjoy your walk and a quiet afternoon to knit.

Sharon, we only had about 1/10th of an inch yesterday, but it is overcast again this morning and dreary looking here, so maybe we'll get a bit more.  Our Lady Tigers weren't on TV yesterday and were out of town somewhere--or getting ready to go.  Final Exams are coming up soon here--so they have to work around that.

Tim brought me some more books to read and stayed for a short visit.  He also brought some of his homemade vegetable soup which was frozen.  I had already planned to eat some Kroger brand soup for lunch, but I am thawing his soup and will have some tomorrow or maybe even a cup this evening.

Have a nice rest of the day, Buddies.
Sue

Well the snow has stopped. not much left on the ground already. I went out and cleaned it off my car. Its about 39 deg and not going warmer all week it seems.
I need to get out and do some walking. Will have to be inside someplace. Dreary out . Got to find some things to keep me busy at home. Lots I could do. Closets,drawers. Funny how when the sun is out we can jump right in but this time of year you just start and never finish anything. I could go and buy some Christmas Cards to send overseas.  Other than a few to family I have stopped sending. What people use to send have stopped now so I don't think they want to receive. Was a time when people sent cards to everyone the knew.
I do write long letters to the few In UK . I miss my Aunts and brother letters that got all the time. I always liked letter writing from being young.  Must have had at least 12 Pen Pals during the war years. Some in the Service. Then the ones in Europe stopped and never heard again after war ended. Often wonder what happened to them.

Afternoon Ladies.  Well our rain has all but stopped for a few minutes here but another storm coming in tonight. I didn't get to walk Freckles yesterday but we did one walk this morning before going to the Chiropractor and to have her nails trimmed. I am talking about Freckles of course. I have been taking her almost every place with me., the chiro, to church, sometimes shopping she stays in the car if I am going going in for 1 or 2 things at the health food store. I installed the new wooden toilet seat yesterday, and today I finally pordered the prints of the wedding for my  wedding album. Not much else is new here.

where is everyone today, Did I scare everyone off with my last post?  Freckles and I went walking in the mall today, stopped to visit the  preschool that is located there.

Sue it is good to hear that you are getting out to walk a bit.  How long will your leg be in  the brace.

MaryZ Have you been out for a walk yet other than going shopping?

Sherry I hope you have a great time at your luncheon today. Well you have already been there since it is almost 2pm my time.

The Furry friends Christmas party is Saturday. I am taking a pineapple cake with vanilla frosting smothered in flaked coconut. I use a white cake mix and for the liquid I use crushed pineapple with some added juice to make the correct amount of liquid.

Your cake sounds delicious, Marilyn.  I make a cake called a "Birdie" cake that has pineapple in it and a very rich cream cheese topping.  One of our favs.
Our brunch is tomorrow.  Today, I've spent fixing my hors d'oeuvres. Since I have to work for a while and rest for a while, etc.  One hdo is a small cheese ball rolled in crushed pecans, bacon and chives. Each one hhas a stick pretzel stuck in it to eat it with.  The other is a delicious creamy shrimp salad that is spooned into endive leaves.  The shrimp is finely chopped with all the other ingredients, so there's just a spoonful in each leaf.

I've also been to the dermatologist and she said my spot was pre-cancerous and froze it off with liquid nitrogen. I'm so glad that's all it was. It's the first pre-cancerous lesion I've had.

Heard from Melanie this morning. Her Ct scan was clear again. That makes it 3.5 years since her cancer surgery.  She will be able to go on an every 6 month schedule from now on.  She is so lucky and we all are so blessed to have her sstill testing cancer-free when it was such an aggressive one.

Well, it is getting close to dinner time, so guess I better figure out what we're going to have.  Sharon

Marilyn, you're to be commended for your furry friends work and your walking.  I'm walking with just a cane when I'm outside my apartment, and without in here.  I don't "walk" - as in taking a walk for exercise or pleasure.  I know I should for exercise, but it definitely would not be a pleasure for me.  Right now, I'm planning to go to the Y in the morning - probably not to the regular class, but just to walk in the shallow therapy pool for a while.  I know just doing that, plus the getting dressed and showering at the Y will wear me out. But no PT tomorrow.

My first time at outpatient PT yesterday about did me in.  I really hurt afterwards.  And then I got an invitation to play duplicate last night, and I just couldn't pass that up.  Unfortunately, we had to get up and change tables every two hands, and my knees were really screaming by the time I got home.  (My partner and I did come in fourth out of 13 couples, though, so that was good.) I had PT again this morning, and was still hurting, but not as bad as yesterday.

Sharon, that's great news about Lori.  I know that's your best Christmas present this year.

We had rain again all day today, but it's supposed to clear tomorrow, and then get very cold by the weekend.  At least very cold for us - around 30*.  Stay warm, Buddies!

Her I am again it is now 6:17PM, gil.bert is supposed to call me this evening and O hope it is not during NCIS my favorite program.

Sherry your cake sounds decadent just the kind I like.

Mary yes I do keep busy with the Furry Friends, I am doing about 6 visits a month the n a visit to my hospice patient.  He sure doesn't seem like he should be on hospice except for his dementia which isn't bad. But his wife could  no longer care fro him at home and he is a fall risk so he is in the Memory Care unit at on of the facilities.

Hi Buddies.  I don't know where the day has gone--my cleaning ladies came a bit after 9:00 and really hustled around.  They change my sheets, clean every room--dusting, mopping, and one thing I don't like--moving stuff to dust and sometimes the stuff doesn't get back where I like it.  But when they are finished everything is in shipshape and I'm happy about that.  So I just move the stuff back where I had it. 

Jeanne, I know what you mean about having trouble getting started on a task when you're not in a mood.  I have that problem fairly often.  39 degrees is pretty chilly--and our 5:00 weatherman said we're going to go down to about 40 tomorrow morning.  I have to walk early tomorrow as I am going to the garden club luncheon at 11:00.  This is going to be a busy week.

Marilyn, the neurologist told me that I may need to wear this brace into next year.  I take it off, of course, at bedtime.  If I have to get up for the bathroom at night, I use my cane, but take it slowly.  It takes too long to put the brace back on just for a trip into the bathroom.  Your pineapple cake sounds yummy!

Sharon, my dermatologist has been taking brown spots off my face since I moved up here from the farm in 2004.  I spent entirely too much time in the sun without sunscreen--hadn't even heard of that until I had children.  I wear sunscreen on my face daily and on other parts of my body in the summer when I'm working outside or at the pool.  Thanks for sharing the great news about Melanie.

Mary, I'm sorry the PT was so tough today.  When you were at the rehab facility did the therapists visit and start you on simple exercises?  I had visits at the assisted living where I stayed for a month when I was finally dismissed from the hospital.  Then the visits continued for almost another month at my house.  I do some of the exercises a couple of times a week but mostly, I just walk the 3 blocks to the corner and then back up.  My leg is stronger, but the orthopedist told me I may be wearing the brace well into 2017.  It's not fun--as I'm sure you know.  Does your swimming help?

I've been watching Hallmark this evening.  I love "feel good" programs, especially at the Christmas season.

Sleep well, Buddies.
Sue

GREAT news about Sharon's Melanie!!

We spent most of the day in Harlingen on various tasks and then went to a Mariachi concert tonight with Wisconsin friends and he's one of Ray's golfing buddies.  The students are all at U of Texas Rio Grande Valley....and almost all were music performance students, with a civil engineer, and biology premed thrown in...and a couple of graduate music students.

Jane

Happy Wednesday!

Ray's off to golf shortly, and I'm going to do some laundry and walk up to the store and refill some water jugs.

I then await Time-Warner ...now Spectrum, I guess,  this afternoon, and they will hopefully fix our internet mess. 

Jane

Good morning, Buddies.  I'm finally dressed for my Garden Club's Christmas luncheon and waiting for my ride.  I usually wear a Pendleton plaid skirt with a red Pendleton cardigan (bought both in 1979!) and until today still fit.  I weigh less than I did then and even last Christmas--but my tummy has expanded--so I had to settle for a pair of black pants from llbean.  We're eating at the Country Club at 11:00 and I'll eat there again on Saturday for the MOAA (military officers association of America)--and will probably have the same food.

When I come home I need to do laundry, but my Molly Maids came yesterday and my house is nice and clean, so no cleaning to do.  Actually it stays pretty nice until the return 2 weeks from now.  I just need to be more cautious about my clutter in my den where I spend the evening watching the news and then Hallmark Christmas programs.

Have a nice day, everyone.  Jane, I hope Spectrum shows up as planned and gets your internet mess fixed TODAY!

Sue

Sue, when I was in rehab, I had regular PT for an hour a day, every day, and OT (dressing myself, bathing, shoes & socks, etc., arm exercises) 6 days a week for an hour.  Then I had PT for an hour a couple of times after I got back home.  Once I could drive (a week ago), I was scheduled for outpatient PT - one hour, three times a week.  I started Monday, then yesterday and Thursday this week.  They've got me set up for four weeks.  It's pretty intense, but what's needed.  I did finally get to the Y this morning, same time, but not to my regular class.  I just did about 45 minutes in the therapy (warmer) pool, mostly walking and doing some of the same exercises that I do at PT (easier in the water, of course).  The shower and getting dressed is almost as much exercise as what I do in the pool, and I was pretty well shot by the time I got home at 10.  I hope you can get released from the brace in a few more months.  I know it's annoying, but it's certainly better than falling.  LOL

I love hearing about all your activities in SPI, jane.  My friends from here are planning to head to Weslaco right after the first of the year. 

Have a good visit with Gilbert, Marilyn.

maryz - I did two six week sessions of water therapy last Spring. The exercises in the pool were very helpful, and I felt good when each hour was finished.  However . . . then I had to go to the dressing room to shower and struggle to remove the wet bathing suit. Then get dressed in the tight quarters, damp body, etc. Instead of feeling relaxed by the time I left, I was exhausted!  

Sue - I know I would like your Pendleton outfit! We lived near Pendleton, Oregon, when my husband was in the Army, and I used to love shopping at the outlet store.  The shop had first line merchandise as well as seconds.  The Christmas that we lived there, I bought some beautiful blankets for my mother and mil, as well as sweaters/shirts, for other family members. 

Hi Gals, I'm back from my brunch and am waiting on Time Warner to fix our phone.  The brunch was lovely and I was so glad to see our member's new abode. She moved in with her 2 single daughters not too far from Sun City. She also has a new Shitzu puppy that is adorable. Everyone liked the hd's I took and the food was great.

Mary, it sounds like you're still struggling with the PT. I remember how hard it was for me too, but I was a lot younger (65).  I imagine the water walking is very helpful. I'm sure it would be for me too if I would just do it. Congrats on the bridge.  In John's clubs, if you sit N/S, you don't have to move. That might be a solution for you.

Sue, I know you are anxious to ditch the brace, but I'm sure you still need it. Just be patient.  Your parties sound great too. Isn't it wonderful to have people come in and clean for you?!  HOwever, none of them ever put things back where they found them. At least none of my gals ever has.

Jane, sounds like you're living the good life!  Keep it up.

Thanks everyone for the nice comments on Melanie. Needless to say, that makes our day to hear the good news.

Marilyn, you're really busy with all your visits.  I do hope Gilbert and family are able to come up for Christmas.

It's getting really cold at night here now and pretty chilly in the daytime, so I guess it is Christmas time.

Hi Jeanne, Darlene, Ginny and anyone else I missed.  Sharon

MaryZ.  Now Julie saying that the PT she goes to is tough but she get through. Called when she got home yesterday and was resting in Bed. Said it was some king of a bike she had to ride.
Got a E-M from cousin in UK today. He just got out of hospital after having his shoulder all worked on. Had his knee 3 months ago. Say the shoulder replacement was a lot worse. He has to go back into training again. Not a happy camper. I can tell from his E-M. Have to give them a call.

Sue. I think we have Merry Maids around here. I am going to have to line someone up. Friends who have just hired from the Paper not had good luck. Every other week will be fine for me.  Think will wait until Spring Now. Then have a complete clean done. Walls, Cupboards everything.

Think will head over to Comcast and see what I can do about the raise in my Bill they just sent me.  Still cold but will dress well. May drop into library pick up what on Shelf.

Hi everyone..finally cold in Texas. At least my area..with first freeze tomorrow night..Sue..how did the dermertologist remove brown spots from your face? I would like some gone...about done with Christmas shopping..just need some gift cards....put my little tree up and a few mantel decorations....will be glad when   All holidays are over...now that sounds like Scrooge....just not the same when you lose your spouse as so many of you know.....
Hi to all reading. CC

Sharon, sometimes they play a rotation where N/S stay at the same table, and I will usually sit North.  But it's based on the number of couples and the director decides on which progression to use.

Jeanne, remember I had a shoulder replacement two years ago - and that rehab was tough, too.  The shoulder moves in more directions that the knee.  But at least you're not trying to walk on it at the same time.  And yes, a "pedaler" (just the pedal part of a bicycle - you sit in a regular chair) is part of the home therapy.

Hi Candy, always good to hear from you.  It's supposed to get very cold this weekend - with maybe even some snow flurries. 

A lot of folks use canned chicken or purchase  chicken parts such as only thighs or breasts or even purchase a meal with chicken parts or a TV dinner. It is something to think about when we just grab and go at times.

You might want to check your food labels before relying on one of your tried-and-true chicken recipes for dinner tonight. National Steak and Poultry just issued a recall on nearly 2 million pounds of ready-to-eat chicken that have the potential to be undercooked. The recall originally included 17,439 pounds of chicken per its initial release on Nov. 23, 2016, but the most recent update expanded that total to include an additional 1.9 million pounds of product.

This recall includes a variety of ready-made meat products, from boneless, skinless chicken strips and breasts to diced and cubed chicken goods from popular brands like Hormel. Any of these items that were produced between Aug. 20 and Nov. 30, 2016, should be immediately thrown away. It has officially been labeled as a Class-1 recall, meaning that it is "a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."

Check out the full list of affected products on the USDA website, and be sure to chuck your ready-made chicken in the garbage if there's a chance it is part of the recall.

http://www.popsugar.com/food/Ready--Eat-Chicken-Recall-December-2016-42811236

MaryZ. Now I think that Julie said it was like A regular Bike they use in a Gym. Stationary. Shows milage and such.

Isn't it easier to do exercising when it is a knee than if the Shoulder? Yes I remember you having yours.  Does it feel good now.  A friend of Daughters has had Knees. (done at same time). Shoulder and now Hip.  She just now had to go and have her hip one replaced. Got in a real mess with it.  All before the age of 65. She should be like a rebuilt person one of these days.

Thanks, Angelface!  I hadn't heard of that recall, but I don't have the news on much down here. 

That Arctic Vortex sounds like it's bringing lots of cold to all the US.  I just talked to niece in MN and she said wind chill is -5 and to get lower.  She said highway 94 across North Dakota was closed for blizzard conditions, etc.

Stay warm and safe,

jane

Arctic Vortex is even reaching clear down here to the Tip of Texas....winds are howling out there and rain as well.  We're in for the day and just watching the waves crash onto the beach.  Nobody on the beach except one poor man who has a dog to walk.  He's got the whole beach to himself!!

I'm going to read and knit and catch up on our banking now that my internet is secure here. 

Have a good Thursday!

jane

Angelface, thanks for the info. I went to the site and wondered what brand NSP is. I've never heard of it.  The only precooked chicken I get is by Perdue, roasted pieces that I use to fill out a recipe if I don't have enough fresh.

Jeanne, your friend is going to be a real bionic woman!  Glad I'm not in rehab.

Mary, that makes sense about the seating.  John always sits E/W because he likes to get up and walk around between sets. It's supposed to get really cold at night the rest of the week but up to the 40's or so daytime.

Jane, good you have things to occupy you on a bad day. Nothing is colder than a beach with the wind blowing.  Glad your internet is up and secure now. Mine too.

Bunny is at the groomer. John is at a church meeting and is also going to have the tire place check out my car. It has a shimmy at high speeds + the low pressure light is still on even though they checked and aired them about a month ago.  When he gets home, I'll have to pick Bunny up (or sooner if they call) and then go to the grocery.    I really do hate that job and I need to go to CVS and the library too. Of course they are all within a couple blocks or less, but I will be worn out when I get home.

We received a gift box of smoked wild salmon direct from Alaska courtesy of Melanie.  I'm not sure what I can do with it other than the spread & dip recipe included. I'm used to fresh salmon.  Any ideas any of you?  I'm sure it will be delicious, but just not sure how to use it.

Well, not much else going on here.  Sharon

jane, it's cold here, too - but not particularly windy.  Even though it keeps you off the beach, I love watching a stormy sea.

Sharon, we loved smoked salmon.  Sometimes, if we had some, we'd make a meal of just smoked salmon on crackers, with maybe some cream cheese and some fruit.  Or you could probably put some on a salad of mixed greens for a dinner salad.  Just some ideas that we had liked.

I went to a PT session this morning.  It wasn't nearly as tough as the first two.  I hope that means I'm continuing to improve.  We'll see how it goes next week.

Thanks for the ideas, Mary.  Glad PT wasn't as difficult.  S

Hello buddies, I took Freckles walking i the mall again this afternoon. I also got my Christmas gifts for  Gilbert and family plus Keith wrapped, they are all on the bed in the spare room except for Keith's, his is under the tree Goodness we are going to have  the back of my car packed full by the time we put in the gifts, groceries that I always take to the family., our two small bags, Freckles food bag and her  bed. Every December I clean out the pantry and pack it all up and take it to Gilbert's, I only keep a few things that I know we will use fairly soon.I gave them a lot when they were here in May. 

I heard there was some snow not far from here about 45-50 miles down the coast. I sure am praying for clear weather, no rain or snow when we travel to California over Christmas.

So cold here today. I wanted to just stay in my PJs again. But as usual. Out of Milk. Going to stock up on canned milk again as I can get bye with it for a day. So got all dressed. Decided to just go to Aldi. Across the Highway. As usual got a lot more than just milk. Saw snow flurries coming down. Good time to prepare to stay indoors for days.
Have lots of letters to write and put into the few cards I send out. Mostly New Year Cards.
Got lots of movies and books from the library. Started on one with 5 discs covering the whole Series. So good. I had never heard of it. Its Australian. (A place to call Home). the name of it. One disc last for 4 hours.

Quiet day here, too.  Just a PT session this morning, and nothing the rest of the day.