December chat thread: "TIS THE SEASON"!!

Can you believe that December is upon us! Another year has flown by!
Join us here with the recent "happenings" in your life. :o)
We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1228138/#new

I'll start out the month with a photo to put us in the mood for Christmas! This ceramic tree was my mother's. A friend of hers who did a lot of ceramic things made this tree for my mother back in the 1960's. It is a cherished keepsake.


This message was edited Nov 30, 2011 7:33 AM

Thanks for starting a new thread (and not waiting until half of December is over to do so, lol)! I can't believe it, but DH has done most of our Christmas shopping on-line this year!! I still have several things to purchase but am undecided. We're deep into rehearsals for the Living Christmas Tree in a couple of weeks, and I still haven't started addressing Christmas cards or decorating yet. This weekend I will get to it. Oh my I feel behind even with the purchases already made!

On the run! Just marking my spot.

Beautiful keepsake, I was just thinking about how you said " back in the sixties"--that really doesn't seem like such a long time ago, but I guess it really is.
I think I have finished my Christmas shopping, except for food. Jerry wants a new recliner, but he doesn't want to go shop for it. He may wind up getting it for a birthday gift in March, if he doesn't go shopping soon!

Marilyn, I meant to say something about your ceramic tree too...My ex-MIL used to have one of those. She made loads of ceramic pieces back in the 70s when they lived in PA. Hard to believe those are still around. Yours is really pretty!

Hello everyone !! Just trying to catch up! We survived out shopping expedition on Black Friday....not sure if you can even call if Friday when you leave home on Thursday to get there by midnight!!!! Two years ago Kohls opened at 5 a.m., last year it opened at 3 a.m. and this year it opened at midnight!!! We left my house at 10 p.m. when we should have been headed to bed ! ^_^ We had a lot of fun, and made some more silly memories and even got several people marked off the list so guess we made some progress. Of course I went to bed about 6:30 friday evening !! I was shot!

I have a few of my nativities up, and the tree boxes are all in my LR but somehow it hasn't put itself up yet and I just haven't gotten it done. MAYBE tonight, although I definitely won't get it up and decorated in one night. Too much else going on. I don't even have my cards yet and I REALLY need to send out cards this year because I haven't managed to accomplish that feat for the past 2 and possibly 3 years!

Jessi and I have been searching for scholarships and filling out applications - got another one in the mail today. I hate all the rushing to get them all filled out and then the months and months of endless waiting to see if you have any response! This year it was July before Kyle found out about some of his scholarships......

Anyone know of a good place to locate golf towels? I need some for a Christmas gift!

Marilyn, love your Christmas tree. I have a small ceramic tree that I made in the 80s and I love it. Don't always put it out, but i do enjoy it when I manage to get it dug out and in a spot. :) WHat I really hate is putting everything back up!!

Have a great evening everyone!
Genna

Genna go to yp.com and search for a golf store. LR has golf stores too.

Funny how it's always fun pulling the stuff out but it sucks putting it away.

I'd like to ask you all to say prayers for an old friend of mine. We graduated high school together. She is having her 3rd cancer surgery (bladder or kidney) on Dec 20. She is single and is raising her 12 year old grandson (don't know the circumstances of why) by herself! Like she said, she doesn't have time for things like this, she has more important things to do. She is an amazing lady! You would not believe the things she does with that kid even through her health has not been good. She needs this to be routine and no complications. Her grandson Kyle really needs her!!

Just to show the kind of person she is, here is what she posted:
classmates--need you all to practice "the power of positive thinking, plus PRAYER", to help me through Dec. 20th--it will be my 3rd cancer surgery. We gotta believe it'll be "routine", "no big deal", and successful, 'cause I got important things to do and can't be bothered w/such stuff! Thanks, friends.

This message was edited Dec 1, 2011 7:49 PM

Prayers going out for her Charlotte.

Thanks Kathy Ann! Didn't mention that she has actually adopted her grandson! She is his only parent!

Charlotte, I will add your friend to my prayer list.... do you mind giving me her first name so I have something on my list other than "charlotte's friend"..... The thought of that 12 yr old boy losing his only parent is terrifying! Praying for a successful surgery and recovery! Hoping she has someone to help her during recovery once she gets home as well....

Genna

Her name is Sandra. She is now retired and devotes all her time to her adopted grandson. She was a social worker and then taught clinical behavior at UAMS's branch in El Dorado. I'm sure she has someone to help her.

I'll add her to my list also, Charlotte!!! I pray for a full recovery for her and that is way better than positive thinking, IMO!!!!

I'd like to share this link about Jewelweed Impatient. Quite a remarkable plant!!! Isn't God good to plant the cure for poison ivy right next to it.

http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm

Charlotte, I'll be praying for your friend Sandra! She sounds like a wonderful person, and to have adopted her grandson is just very special.

Jeri, thanks for the link about jewelweed. I have heard of it but never read much about it.

My soon to be, new son in law was raised by his Grandmother, she passed away about 3 weeks after he turned 18-he told me the other day that he was in the ICU waiting room on his 18th birthday. My prayer is your friend, Sandra can live and be healthy enough to see her grandson be an adult.

That is so sad Sandra...... Praying for a complete recovery for her so she can get that grandson raised, and hopefully even live to see his children growing up!

Meant to comment on the other thread, but so sorry to hear that you are hurting. Are they sure you didn't break something on the other side?? Sure sounds like something isn't right. Take it easy today. Need you to be pain free! ( or as close as we can be !)

gotta get a move on to get to Little Rock!
Genna

I just really have this friend of mine (Sandra) on my mine! So do a lot of the others of us that have gotten back in contact after our reunion. She is such an incredible lady!! I know her grandson was having lots of problems (probably the result of whatever the situation was that caused her to adopt him) and has made tremendous headway since she started raising him. He wanted to be able to fish, so she bought an inexpensive boat and trailer and takes him to the lake to fish! She has told some really funny stories about getting the boat to the lake and the two of them launching it into the lake. She had never done anything like that before! I don't know for sure but I think her ex-husband is now dead.
I also have another high school friend who has adopted her twin granddaughters who are around 16. Her husband (the grandfather) had a heart attack and died a couple of years ago so she is also raising her grandchildren by her self. She is also another amazing lady!! She is also in the social work field. Can't remember the name of her job but she helps small children explain what has happened to them when they have been molested and helps kids that have been in those situations. Goes to court with them, etc.

Sandra I have problems with my hands and forearms due to overuse!! I can't remember the scientific names! But I was having pain and problems with my right forearm a few years ago and had that popping in the arm your talking about. I had a tendon trapped in something and when I would eat it you could feel it doing something strange and hear it pop. I went to PT for a month or so and they got it worked out. They would warm up my arm and then connect me to some kind of machine that sent some kind of impulses, then the physical therapist would massage the area to get the tendons untrapped. It worked!! I haven't had any problems with it for a while. I also worn a brace to keep my wrist in a certain position.

Hey, Sandra, I saw Cayla's ultrasound photo you posted on FB. Is it a boy or girl? I don't know enough about how to read those photos, lol! I'd swear it was a little boy from the way it looked in that position. I know the ultrasounds are so much better than in the past. Wow!

I'm off for a lunch with my high school girlfriends today. We do a Christmas ornament exchange and just enjoy each others company, so we'll also spend the night at the lake tonight and I'll try to do a little work on my Christmas cards too I guess. My sis-in-law plan to go on a tour of homes tomorrow afternoon. Busy weekend, as usual.

Elaine, that is a picture of 11 weeks, the doc told her they could probably tell the gender next month. She said they also did one in 3D and it looked as if it had its hand over its face in that one. Cayla said she could feel it was saying, "leave me alone, I don't want my picture made!"

Sandra, those 3D images are awesome. Looks like they are right in front of you.

This baby already knows it will be getting it's picture made alot! lol

Terrye

Oh yes, this baby will have all kinds of attention !

I had an appointment with my GP today to see if I could get my blood sugar down without adding more meds. I did it! I have lost 7 pounds since I was there 3 months ago and I don't have to add any more meds.
I told him about my arm and how much pain I was still having with it. He pulled up my x-ray made at the hospital the day I fell, and read off the report to me. There is also a broken bone that is pulled away from the joint on that side. He called the clinic and told them I needed to see the doctor, they made me an appointment for next Tues. they have x-rayed it 4 times in the clinic and not been able to find anything wrong on that side. I am so upset, I have been suffering with this arm since Sept 29th, in pain every day.
I have been seeing the PA, so far and if the doc doesn't make me happy Tues, I am looking for a new doc.
My GP said it would have to be surgery with a screw put into it to hold it in place.

Sandra I would not be happy at all with that doctor!!! Can't believe he missed that! No wonder you've been in pain!!

I am not happy, they have x-rayed it 4 times and told me there is nothing showing up on that side.
I am going to the appt Tues, but I will DEFINETLY have my guard up. I am going by the hospital and get a copy of the report to take with me. I would have to go to Tupelo or Memphis to see another ortho doc, so I really would like to use that clinic.

Sandra I just ordered a Christmas present from Amazon and for some reason one of those edgers like you have popped up (I was ordering head phones - can't imagine that they are related). Anyway I decided to order it for myself! Looks like something I can use edging around my rock. I've just been using a straight shovel looking thing, but I think this will work a lot better. The one I ordered is all metal too.

I think I will love mine, and you will too!

I have one of those edgers and it is great for establishing the edge and removing unwanted grass around a bed edge. You can augment with a flat-edge shovel once you establish the edge with the tool, if you get what I'm trying to describe.

Sandra, I'm sorry you'll have to go through all this again, but at least you'll get the problem fixed and be ready to go in the spring when it's time to plant...and hold that grand-baby!!

I understand what your talking about Elaine. My beds in the front are outlined with stacked stone and I keep a trench about 7 or 8 inches wide in front of the stone. Sometimes the grass creeps over before I know it!!! I keep the trench to try and keep the grass out of the beds and it also looks neater. My side bed got out of control this summer and I really need to work on my trench!! My neighbor mows that side for me (nice neighbor) and he also weed eats around the stone. But I need to cut a new trench come spring.

Exactly, Charlotte. Have the stacked stone in a places and have to do the same thing!

Oh yes, I am really looking forward to both of those activities, holding the baby being the most exciting, and being able to get those beds cleaned out in the spring. I am also hoping that if I do need surgery, he can get it done before the end of the year as I have met my deductibles.

I'm behind as I was away from my laptop for 5 days and it is a lot of trouble to try to post a lengthy post from my iphone (poor me--lol) Anyway, I just wanted to tell you Charlotte, that I will be praying for your friend Sandra. The Lord healed me of a medically incurable disease 8 years ago and He is able to do it for your friend. That boy needs his grandmother and God knows! Nothing is impossible with Him!

Sandra Mills (so nobody will be confused as to the Sandra I am talking about), so sorry about the trouble with your arm but glad to hear about the weight loss and no new meds! That's progress! I know you are eagerly awaiting the birth of Cayla's baby and can hardly wait till you get to hold that little one in your arms!!!

Thanks Marilyn! I just can't get Sandra and her grandson Kyle out of my mind. Yes God knows how much that child needs his grandmother! Here's a picture of her grandson Kyle.
Please keep praying for them!!

LOL... he looks all boy for sure playing with those turtles! :)

Sandra so sorry to hear about your arm! Looks like the dr would have gotten a copy of that report to begin with??? Hope that he is able to get you on the road to recovery...doesn't sound fun.

I am contemplating having my thyroid removed because it is getting harder and harder to swallow and it has really been a lot worse since they did the needle biopsies. The dr said I could have it removed if it was bothering me, or otherwise they would ultrasound it again in April...... I told her I did not want to be cut on again - but I realized this morning that I would have another deductible and more co-insurance to meet if I have it done next year,....... I have met my deductible and come close to maxing out my co-insurance with all these dr visits....unfortunately I have also used up most of my sick leave! Not sure what I am going to do.


I have a dilemma and I am SURE one of ya'll can tell me where to find what I am looking for.... I am searching for a container of dinner mints, buttercream mints, hospitality mints... whatever you want to call them. I remember they use to be in stores beside the nuts etc bc we used to serve them at showers, weddings, etc. The last time I purchased some was probably for my parents 50th wedding anniversary when Jessi was a toddler...... BUT, I have a friend and co worker who had NEVER had one until recently when he picked up one of the individually packaged ones that one of the local restaurants has...... I told him you could buy them in a can like nuts, but NOW I can't find them. Does anyone know if they still sell these in packages or cans at the local stores?? Or are they old fashioned and no one uses them anymore??

Thanks!
Genna

This message was edited Dec 7, 2011 10:24 PM

I think the mints come in a package now. I believe you can buy them in the candy section at drugstores, grocery stores. Maybe not I haven't looked. But I do know Party City carries them. I bought some to put in gift bags for my class reunion last year. Also remembered that Sam's has big plastic containers with the soft butter mint ones (peppermint).

Genna did the ultra sound show a growth on your thyroid?? What did the needle biopsy say?
I had mine removed because there was a large tumor. You could actually feel and see it just by looking at my throat. I had a raised area that as my doctor called it "a thickening" right at the base of the throat where the indention usually is. I didn't have an indention. When I had my right thyroid out years ago you could actually feel a knot in my throat by taking a finger and pressing on the outside of my throat.

If you have your thyroid removed it will require almost weekly visits to an endocrinologist for some time afterward. It takes a while afterward to get various levels corrected. It can effect your calcium level, potassium and vitamin D levels. There is a gland right behind the thyroid that controls all this and the surgery can put stress on that gland. I went almost every week for a couple of months and had 5 or 6 vials of blood drawn everytime. I have to take nine 600 mg's of calcium (5,400 mg's) every day now and also a prescription called calcitrol (or something like that) that helps my body utilize the calcium as well as a 50,000 mg vit d pill once a month. I go back to the endocrinologist in Jan and I hope I can cut back to a reasonable amount! There are some people I know that have not had problems with their calcium and other levels - just one of those things I guess you never know about.

I was in walmart the other day Genna, saw some buttermints in the wilton cake decorating section, and they were in with the wedding stuff, along with thejordan almonds, I almost bought some of those buttermints, I love them .

genna, have you been over to the other thread to post your recipes for that candy you made?

How's everybody doing, I haven't been on here in a bit, HI SANDRA I sure miss talking to you. Going to a christmas party tonight after work and deer camp tomorrow. There's talk of us not putting up a tree this year, I'm sad, but maybe I can still get one up. I got it up early last year,

Genna: I'm certain Charlotte knows what she is talking about since she has had personal experience with the same problem. Any kind of surgery bears serious thought and prayer! I will be praying that God will give you the wisdom to make the right decision about this. Hugs to you! About the mints--I have also seen them at Hobby Lobby. I don't think you will have any problem finding them after all the suggestions you have received here. :o)

Kathy Ann: Have a good time at deer camp this week-end.! It's still not too late to put up a Christmas tree. When I was growing up, we always waited till around the 15th of the month to get our tree and decorate it. Of course, "way back then" LOL everybody had a fresh tree, not an artificial one. :o~ I miss the smell of a fresh tree but the artificial ones of today look so much more lifelike than they did when they first came out with them and they are much safer, too.

No Kathy Ann it's not too late the put a tree up next week end. I didn't used to put my tree up until the middle of the month (that is when I put up a tree) LOL. I also always had a fresh tree until about 12 years ago. My son and family still put up a fresh tree every year. They go out to a Christmas tree farm and actually cut their own tree.

We have put up our tree but I have no decorations on it, lol! I don't know when I'll get to it...maybe part of them tonight. It's artificial, so it does have lights! DH put it up Monday and I finally put out all the other stuff that I'm going to do this year. It's a pretty big tree so it will take a while to get everything on it, but most of my ornaments are pretty big too.

Marilyn, I miss the smell too, but not the headaches of getting the tree, putting on the lights and taking that sucker down and cleaning up the mess. We always ended up with a mess just getting it drilled and straight and into the house and decided it just wasn't worth it. And then the time it took me to put on about 6 strings of lights 'just so'....Well I don't miss that I can tell you!

I'm doing a little shopping after work today, we have my company Christmas party Friday night, a dinner with some friends on Saturday night, Christmas with our kids in Birmingham on Sunday, Living Tree rehearsal on Sunday night. No time except tonight and part of Saturday to decorate the tree. Our youngest son and his family are taking their 3 kids to NYC for Christmas...leaving on the 18th after oldest grandsons wrestling match and coming home Christmas Eve night. The kids are really excited...that's their Christmas gift this year, so we're giving them their gifts before they go and then doing adult gifts a few days after they get back. They will be able to use the gifts we have for them on the trip so it will be good!

I miss your posts too, Kathy Ann. I think I told you all about our "real tree" last year, but I will tell it again.

Charity and Faith were here for a few days before Christmas and I wanted them to know the thrill of going into the woods and picking out a tree. So on Sat, here we go-Pap Paw, Granny and the 2 kids, Pap Paw with the saw. We finally settled on one and Pap Paw cuts it down and drags it out of the woods. He got it in a 5 gallon bucket and the girls carried gravel from the driveway. This tree is to stay on the front porch, in front of a window, so we can see it lit up at night. Cayla helps them put lights on it and promptly breaks out in a rash. That night we popped popcorn and I gave them a needle and thread and showed them how to string it. We put those on the tree too. We noticed in the morning the popcorn garland was hanging down from the tree, we thought the cats had played with it. Monday night when Pap Paw comes home from work after midnight, he caught the culprit, we had skunks getting the popcorn off and eating it--
I think one year of nostalgia should be plenty for them!

Happy Birthday to Marilyn !!!!!!!
Much love to you today and every day!!

Happy Birthday, Marilyn!! Hope you have a wonderful day today.