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Rossella, I'm with you on X-mas! We love a snowy walk through the tree farm to find just the right tree, then cut it down and drag it out to the car. I have 8 1/2 foot ceilings, so the tree is usually 8 feet tall. I have been collecting silvered glass ornaments most of the past 40 years, as they are my favorite, so the entire tree is very colorful and shiny! I put on 10 or more sets of tiny white lights and a lighted star at the top.
We used to get big fat trees, but in recent years have put it in the dining room instead of the living room and now get them tall and slimmer.
I gripe and complain about decorating it every year, but love to look at it and hate to take it down! I use it in the yard for bird shelter the rest of winter. I don't buy too many gifts. The family is too large and no $. So I have been making gift baskets or bags for everyone for many years now. My father always said X-mas was a time to give, not to get! So when the sibs decided to draw names years ago, I still gave a basket to everyone that had something in it for all their family members. Homemade jam, tea bags, hot cocoa, chocolates and always a handmade ornament that I signed and dated. It's time consuming but not too expensive, and no one is left out!
I used to do a huge ham dinner for the family, about 15 to 20 people every year, but passed that job onto my youngest sister last year. Can't do all the work and watch Mom too.
Going to try to add a picture of my tree from last year!
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I almost got the tree out in July... I love Christmas too, though I understand the hassle. I love the music and what happy memories of it I have loved ones long gone and music and smells and food and gift giving...I listen to Christmas Music on youtube when I feel down and it always helps...Maybe I am too immature still to know ..no I DO KNOW rush rush and hassle in the form of everything I show my mom in a store as how about this one she rejects outright I stopped thinking "Oh we are gonna go Christmas Shopping this will be fun" ten years ago..to her everything is a chore and as serious as a heart attack...I kid you not...I try to remember she is determined to be pissed and fine some pleasure in picking out a nice something for someone.

I never remember soap either..I get out and get too into stuff and then blecka Borax o it is...

When CLEO does the fur thing I always call it puffed, mad puffed...

Hope everyone is doing good today...

Grandpa just back from center...last one on first one off..lucky me...the grousing starts the second he is at the steps..Oh Joy..Youtube......
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Tell us more Jen!
What's he like when he comes back home?
Happy?

HA!
Share his grouses?
I'd still like to create a comic strip about Care Giving.
Cranshaft & Pickles are close to dealing with eldercare ... but would a syndicate pick up a comic about what we do?
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It depends how well it is drwn how topical and the characters I imagine...

When he gets home he is polite till strangers are gone then pissy as ever...

He is having issues i the bathroom here, I mean I see the fall coming where we can't get into him because he is up against the door bodily....
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Hey everybody! Hope eveybody is having a great evening!

Bobbie, Love that you have KC! What color is she?

miz, are you feeling better? Hope Sassy will be better soon!

Kathy, how about you? Feeling better?

Everybody else, hugs to you too! I'm just laying low & trying to get some junk done in preparation for the golden child to make her appearance this Sunday. They'll be here until Friday sometime & since she'll need the computer for work I may not be on much next week, but you'll all bein my thoughts & prayers! And I'll miss you!

Hope everybody has a great evening! Hugs to all...
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Jen, at least you have some free hours for yourself... I hope you convince him to go there every day or so!
Deef, what a nice Christmas! I guess you often have snow there, which is the top, for Xmas. I think I had two or three white Christmas all my life! I hated the shop rush too; (when we made presents for everybody) but it was part of the game. I have started to do small food presents, too.
GP are you ready for the visit? Try not to get too much tired!
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Hi everyone,

Christmas is a beautiful time but I think many have lost the true spirit of the season. I think it has become way too commercialized. I love to be able to bake and share with friends and family. I know some of you online here are great cooks. Please share any special holiday recipes you may have.

HOORAY!!!! The first miner in Chile has reached the surface. I pray for them and their famlies that have endured these last few months.

I'm hearing this wonderful news yet feeling down for myself. I should be ashamed since I have a roof over my head, food in my belly and clothes to wear. Yet here I sit feeling so down. It may just be the aftermath of the migraine headache I have had all day.

Bobbie, I think KC and you are going to be best of buddies. My kitties Remus and Tuxedo bring so much love and laughter to my life.

Castoff and Miz, the only way I have managed to slow my fast eating habit is to eat with chopsticks. Of course that doesn't work with everything, but I do eat much slower when I use them.

Have a good night everyone. Rosella, I guess it is good morning where you are.

Diane
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Flex!

Flex it's ok, don't add guilt on top of feeling down! You are allowed! It's all about getting up again! C'mon Flex! we're rooting for ya!
Chopsticks are absolutely the way to go! Really worked for me also. Takes me 2 hours eat a bowl of soup....but hey....
Truly chopsticks are miraculous when combined with CHEWING.
I have had the cranky digestive system forever. Now as I look back over the arc of my life it was due to the stress of our family lives together. I also ate quickly to get away from the table because of either some disagreements or hearing about nuclear holocaust. (Defense contractor. Brilliant man, funny man but omg I had nightmares just about every night about mushroom clouds)
I think I was the only kid in school who knew how close we actually came during the 'bay of pigs'.
When my clueless homeroom teacher asked my why I was absent during that time I was dumbfounded. i couldn't understand why the school was even open! Thought they were nuts! I had also refused to participate in the 'duck and cover' drills because they were a joke when matched up to the reality of a nuclear strike. (Philadelphia was/is a secondary target.) Was in trouble in school a lot. people hate hearing the facts, especially from an 11 year old.

11 miners are on top and the wheel keeps turning. so cool.
Lot of man hugs going on. The President of Chile has been standing there to greet each man. As far as TV production goes, Chile has really done a great job of presenting themselves to the world while saving these lives.
Well done on both counts.

the Cat (I'm realizing that I am not calling her KC, just Kitty or, the Cat, as in: whassup Cat? almost starved to death right in front of me this morning. there was only a few bits of dry food left in her bowl and I got chewed out properly. She must have knocked if all off while I was sleeping.

OK: today is a court day so thank you all for your angels and prayers.

lovbob
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GP! so good to see from you and we love you very much!

I thought that she was a garden variety tabby cat but the girl working on the boat said, I'll bring you a book. She's a purebred cat. I'm thinking oh please.

She has some stripes but more like leopard spots. Charcoal and black with all the eye makeup, big green eyes and white socks and bib and belly.
I only saw part of her at the adoption place. i put my hand in each of the cages and she was the one who put her paw on top of my hand, meowed and looked genuinely happy to see me. i didn't realize how pretty she was until we got back to the boat and she stepped out of the carrier.

lovbob
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Bobbie, Kitty sounds just like my Butterball that we captured and took in this past February! Vet thought he was female because he is tri-color. But there was no mistaking it was a him! There is a good picture of him on my Facebook profile. Charcoal gray with circular stripes on his sides with an almost solid back. White bib and stockings, classic "M" on forehead, four white socks, knee highs on back legs and little footies on the front. Pink nose and ivory around the eyes. His eyes are green too! The vet said he is definitely got purebred in him and is one of the most beautifully marked cats she has ever seen! The best part is he is such a love!
I hope Kitty brings you much joy in the boat! She picked you just as Butter chose us. Cats are the best!!!
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I imagine almost all the miners are out now, I hope they are healthy and well.

Rossella, he GOES two days a week now and is getting used to it if not liking it especially...but like mom said it wont kill him.

Hope everyone has a good day.
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There once was a cat on a boat.
She promised to keep it afloat.
She pat Bobbie's head and slept on her bed and
don't expect Bobbie to vote.

(I am open to suggestions on that last line. I couldn't think of anything else.)
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There once was a cat on a boat
who knew semaphore by rote
she waved and she twisted
in code she insisted
the swordfish be grilled and not poached
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AND then he took a fall forward and tore skin off his arm...again....wonderful...Taped it up with Neosporin...lets see what fresh hell we can get into today..He is now bitching about how hard it is to get a shirt on..you know they make them harder to put on now!!!!
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Very cute, J. :)
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You're both geniuses!!

lovbob
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Jsome-you may have to take the door off the hinges and get a folding door but the people at 911 probably deal with that a lot.Flex I am sorry you are down I have been lately then decided to join an online dating site and feel better my life was too bland I am going to start walking again. So KC scolds also my cat lets me know when he is not happy the funniest was when he scolded a home care nurse and she thought he was talking to her and was cute-he knew we did not like her and I had to fight not to LOL and did after sne left.
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I don't doubt it. one more adjustment...The hinges are inside so if he was in there it would take some serious fiddling or damage to the door to get him out. A folder might work but mom would balk.
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Milwaukee Sawz-All. Unlock anything.

lovbob
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jsomebody . my dad cant go to bathroom alone cuz if i leave him he will fall over . best bet is to keep the door open and stand by if he wants privacy . dad has a hand rail in front of the toliet and he hangs on to it when he has his leaning days .
this morning he sure was leanin pretty bad , had to tak ehim to urineoligst , sat in waiting room almost 2 hrs then got inside the exam room another 20 mins of waitin . i thought shit just a quick chit chat i wish we could have done this over the phone !
getting dad in the van was awful , glad my oldest daughter came over and help me . i ask her if she could just go with us cuz i ll have to get him back in the van after dr s visit . whew so glad she did ! now my both hips and hurting and my shoulder blade is havin charleyhorse
well im glad i made it home just in time , its thudnerin and lightin and pour down rainin and a lit bit of hail ! wowowow just what we needed , hope it rains all night . so i can see green grass instead of brown grass .
bobbie ur cat sounds like a wonderful blessing cat . yes dont let them starve ! they will attack u cuz food is not in the bowl .
i had a cat one time she tore my legs up and bit me cuz i kept injorin her , she was beggin for milk , she loves milk , so after that i made sure when i see her and if i hear her meow i know to get her milk right away or eles i ll piss her off bad ,
now i have a male white cat , he has no claws , so i dont worry about him attackin me , but he bites , but not hard just one fair warning then i know its food , he doesnt like milk so thats good .
praise the lord for those guys comein out of that hell hole . guess theres 30 of em in t here and only 10 came out . they said its going to take over 36 hrs to get them all out , theyre worried about the pully givin up . lets hope it gives up once all the men come sout . 69 days oh gosh ! they all look good . mm wonder what did they eat ? maybe its the water pond down there , spring water makin us feel young and zoomin ,
ok need get off here and go sitin thegarage to smoke away , nap time then , everybodys gone nappin but my brain wouldnt let me . took a zannie a bit ago so hopefulu that ll make my brain calm down some . wish me well ! xoxoox have a good day u all .
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Geez...My father in law has been with us, five years this month.

"He has yet to take a BATH OR SHOWER"! He washes in the sink, and covers himself in Musk colonge....and uses Hair Tonic on his head & ARMS!!!

When he goes out the door, his arms streak hair tonic across the glass outside door....I go through windex like crazy, gross.

And urinating is now an issue...."no aim what-so-ever"! (I wanna get the garden hose, and hose down the bathrooms, I can't keep up cleaning the bathrooms & toliets"! (Give me strength...gross)

Toothbrush huh? Oh hun, well...shes trying to get it brushed, hope you can hide the toothbrushes & set a few Hair brushes around, and maybe she'll grab one of those instead ? Good luck!
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Hey Everybody! I love you guys, too! And I needed to hear that today! Thanks Bobbie!

Bobbie, Kitty sounds beautiful!!! Can't wait to see photos. You guys will bond & have your own little language & games. I'm glad that you have each other!

I'm slowly, but surely getting some stuff done for daughter coming in. Still very nervous about the visit. Haven't seen them in about 2 years. Haven't had a good relationship with her in years. I'm afraid wahtever I do won't be good enough. Walking on egg shells sucks!

At least I'm feeling better physically. I stopped taking the medicine night before last for the over active bladder & only got up 1 time last night! YEAH!!! It's been a LONG 6-8 weeks! Rest...it does a body good! Now if I could just get there mentally & emotionally...It'll come.

I really enjoyed reading about everybody's Christmas & how much you love it. I don't have the same good memories as you guys do of Christmas. When I was 12 my sister's youngest daughter, Sandy, was killed in a car wreck on Christmas Eve on the way to my grandparents home. My sister was driving the car. Wasn't her fault. Someone was passing on a hill & hit them head on. Seems like the whole family just stopped celebrating altogether. Christmas never was the same for any of us...still isn't. When I had my daughter at home I tried to make it fun & festive, but it's hard when the rest of the family don't want to participate. Guess it didn't matter to them that there were other kids involved that wanted to participate in Christmas. Kids that didn't understand what had happened & why Christmas was now taboo. It's gotten better in the past few years, but still not what it should be. Maybe this year...

Hope everybody's staying away from the dark hole. Tie a rope & hang on! I know that there were several that were fighting illness of their own & I pray that y'all are feeling much better! And I hope you loved ones are well tonight, too!

They're about to send the last miner up in the capsule to the top! Then gotta get the rescuers out! It's almost over! : )

Good night everybody! Love & hugs!
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GP That is a very sad painful tale, I can see why that would sour family on Christmas...Loaded with pain and loss. I mean, even to want to "do for the others" but still it is harrowing. A tragedy forever tied to the Celebrations of Christmas. I am sorry to hear about that in your life.
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We found our cats(2) four to five years ago.I had to beg mom to get them. They were on the side of the rode with their family. Sadly, a few days after, the boy got killed by our dog.The girl cat disapeared a few months ago,but some of her children remain.

Lil Tenny
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GP - glad to hear you're feeling better FINALLY! I suppose all of us teetering on the dark hole should think of those miners just coming out of a REAL black hole. Sometimes I find it so hard to remember that it could always be worse because life just feels so dark and difficult. My daughter moved out this weekend. It hit me hard to realize I'm completely alone again but I am trying to hang on as best as I can. I would never want to deprive her of her happiness but I also know that she is my only true savior when I need it most. And one of the few other than all of you who truly knows how hard I work in and out of the house. I just hope I have succeeded in not letting her know how I have been feeling. I told my b/f that I think I'm jealous that she can so easily move on and have her own life and I'm so stuck where I am for now. I know in the long run I will not regret this situation but it does get very difficult at times to maintain that perspective. Funny, as I was baking some chocolate chip cookies for my dad tonite, he asked if they were for someone special. I first said, "No, they're for you." Then said, "Actually I should say yes, they are for you." He laughed. It's so hard to keep from letting him feel like a burden. Bobbie, I'm so glad you have found your kitty companion. I have 2 kitties and 1 dog. They always make me feel like I am the most special and wonderful person ever! I can only hope your kitty does the same for you. I used to love Christmas but it was really becoming a chore until I had a revelation last year. My sister, however, was very upset with me because I changed the routine. We had decided year before last to do a grab bag. Last year everyone thought a grab bag was a good idea when I brought it up but noone else did anything to get it together. About 2 weeks before Christmas, I decided it was ridiculous to do a grab bag drawing and think everyone would want to run out looking for a gift. My sister in law and I discussed doing a white elephant type grab bag and I thought it might be fun for a change. I bought all of the gifts for everyone and foolishly thought my sister would appreciate it. She was highly offended that I did it all. Had she done the same, I would have kissed the ground she walked on. Anyway, I bought goofy, fun gifts, and wrapped them to disguise what they were. On Christmas, we drew names and chose gifts with the option of stealing a gift from another person. Everyone had alot of fun, some actually got gifts they enjoyed. It was so much more fun than buying some stupid thing for every person and yet allowed all to get a "gift" of some sort. I'm hoping we do the same this year. Who needs more "stuff"? Not me!!! Anyway, although I have not written anything this week, I have read all of your posts. I'm sorry I have been so negative in my posts and am doing all I can to get to a better place. Thanks to all for being here and understanding. Love ya
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kuli ! what a great idea , instead of name drawing we should have just buy a gift and we ll have a grab bags ! wonderful !!!idea ,
im about ready to go to bed , am so tired , my daughter and i put dad in the van , oh my gosh it was hell ! liftin him up there oh plz . i told dad that it be the last time i do this , he was leaning so bad and legs just didnt work . :-( daughter looked at me after we got him in the van and said gosh mom ! that was hell ! i said oh i know i am so glad u were able to help me .
seen urine doc . said will call me with the date to bring him back up there and run the scope thru his penis and will find out what he see s thats causin the bleeding and clotin .
then i gotta make an appt for him to go see cancer dr . he s got another cancer growing on his nose and ear . :-( . shit man ! that is just bad ! poke me cut me , and it never ends !
anyway after we got home i put him to bed , and i went to bed and tried to sleep , my body ache like a toothache and my mind was runnin and headache . took me a zanie and i finaly went to sleep .
now i gotta look forward to tmr again . pullin and tuggin on pa, carry my big baby huey :-)
goodnght love u xoxo
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Good Morning lovely ladies,

Linda! my heart goes out to you and everybody working so hard for your pa. body aching like a toothache, man that is some sore.

Kuli! don't worry about being negative. You just vent vent vent. that's what will work and when you feel better, and you will, you can vent about other stuff. We're here for ya, kiddo so no worries. btw, thinking about those miners is a great way to try and put our stuff in perpective.

GP, that was an awful, sad Christmas and I can understand why you guys just don't wanna.

lil Tenny, good to see from you! Miss you guys on this here boat and my pet kid at the marina is always telling me to tell you both hi! give your mama a big hug and kiss from me and tell her that I got to experience a betrayal with the 'system' yesterday. Just makes you shake your head.

Miz, how's it going? Avoid Dark Hole!! anything beats the alternative! What's the alternative you ask? Working at Wal-Mart!! arrrrgggghhhhh.

Jen, I am really enjoying your posts. anyone who can work 'semaphore' into a limerick deserves a boat trip!!

Cast, Tenny, Tenny, Jr, everybody!! have a great day and love all you guys and ThinkOfTheBoat!! She'll be here when you need her!

lovbob
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Well, I had to find something boat related and I am not up to snuff on my nautical...

L, What did the doc find out? Could it be scare tissue maybe?

Ramp guy coming in an hour to give full on estimate and then it is a done deal, unless he is deceased in there and I don't know it...He is dropping a bit more here and the sooner that ramp is in the better, he can't take more than three steps and that while holding onto things or people, I mean he is almost disabled...Mom noticed he never got out of the wheel chair last night. Yes well he was worn out from having to go all over town to get to my doctor appointment...the cabbie in a fit of usefulness rolled his chair to the cab and out it in the car 20 feet away!!! We had to almost carry him to the damn car! Bud I had it locked facing the steps for a REASON!..

Sun coming up here on what sort of day I know not, but dreams of him with child porn really set a bad tone to the day so far..that and mom trying to be mad at me because her father is in deteriorating health AT 89! Oh Go to work ma just go get paid....

Hope everyone has a decent sort of day....
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Linda, I'm so sorry you're going through such bad stuff with your dad. He's so lucky to have you. I worry about you and your health. You're putting so much strain and stress on your body. You're such a good person.

I'm out of the black hole I would say. Or maybe I go in and out of it on a daily basis. You're right, Bobbie. I would not want to work at Wal-Mart. I need to count my blessings.

I'm sorry. That's all I can write right now.

love,
miz
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Think of something funny Miz!

Here's one:

I'm not used to cat stuff around.
It's a boat.
I'm barefoot.
Have stepped in water bowl 3x.

lovbob
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