Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[emma675]

I have an odd body, I'm 5'8" and used to be waif thin (until my thyroid was removed), but I've always had sausage fingers, big boobs, and a round face. No matter how much I weigh. Plus, I'm long waisted. I feel sometimes like I got the leftovers and nothing really goes together, lol.

I've totally fallen off the healthy eating this month, as usual. I'm hitting it hard in January and getting back into shape so my clothes aren't so tight anymore. The lack of thyroid makes it more challenging for me to lose weight so I have to work harder. Luckily I have still been working out as usual this month otherwise I would be a total blob.

[Scarlett45]

13 minutes ago, emma675 said:

I have an odd body, I'm 5'8" and used to be waif thin (until my thyroid was removed), but I've always had sausage fingers, big boobs, and a round face. No matter how much I weigh. Plus, I'm long waisted. I feel sometimes like I got the leftovers and nothing really goes together, lol.

we are like opposites. I am 5'7, very thin face/neck/fingers, body like a fertility statue (my boobs are a pretty good size but my hips are BIRTHIN)- I can wear straight sizes up top even though im a 38F and in pants im an 18W. I feel like I have to lose 40lbs before my pants are too big. Granted cause my hips are so big my pants get LONGER as I get smaller because they sit lower, lower, lower- bodies are so weird!

[CouchTater]

18 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

Are you looking for a sugar cookie that you roll out and use cookie cutters, or a drop cookie?

Drop cookie, please and thank you!  😃

[MargeGunderson]

4 hours ago, CouchTater said:

Drop cookie, please and thank you!  😃

This is the recipe I’ve been using. You do roll the dough into balls and then roll the balls in sugar, but much less time consuming than rolling out the dough and using cookie cutters. I think they benefit from a short chill in the fridge before baking, otherwise they spread a bit thin. Also, check at 13 minutes. Take them out when they are puffy and just a bit brown around the edges if you like your cookies on the soft side. If you let them go a bit longer they will be crispy. 

[Scarlett45]

I’m feeling kinda down. Things are not looking good got my godmother (bile duct cancer), her last scans show the tumor is 2x the size it was at diagnosis 15months ago. There’s an immunotherapy experiment at University of Chicago (we live in Chicago) that she may be able to do but it’s not looking good. She says she can feel her abdomen getting bigger, and she’s so thin her shoulders are gutting out. 
 

She did get a Christmas tree and decorate it yesterday- and she was happy about that. 
 

This entire situation sucks. Last year she was so sick at Christmas she couldn’t do anything but look at her lights, and this year with Covid-19. She says she is waiting to open her gifts until Xmas- I got her hand cream that she loves and some candles, I thought she would enjoy those. 
 

 

[BetyBee]

6 hours ago, emma675 said:

I have an odd body, I'm 5'8" and used to be waif thin (until my thyroid was removed), but I've always had sausage fingers, big boobs, and a round face. No matter how much I weigh. Plus, I'm long waisted. I feel sometimes like I got the leftovers and nothing really goes together, lol.

I've totally fallen off the healthy eating this month, as usual. I'm hitting it hard in January and getting back into shape so my clothes aren't so tight anymore. The lack of thyroid makes it more challenging for me to lose weight so I have to work harder. Luckily I have still been working out as usual this month otherwise I would be a total blob.

My thyroid was removed as well (42 years ago!). I agree that losing weight is a challenge for the permanently hypothyroid. I never gained until they cut my medication dosage many years ago, but I felt a lot better on the lower dosage. As the years go by, losing gets harder! I lost 40 pounds on WW a year ago and have gained 20 back during pandemic. I feel pretty good though. I walk a lot, stretch daily, drink a lot of water and recently gave up coffee.

My Mom (90 yo) told me yesterday she thought she had a UTI (for 4 days before she mentioned it to any of us). She thought she was getting better and was scheduled to go to the doc today anyway. Well, she couldn't walk AT ALL today. She went to ER by ambulance, had a ton of tests and it turns out that it's a compression fracture on her spine and she doesn't have a UTI. Thankfully, she was able to go home. Another stay in the hospital would have been very upsetting to her. She's supposed to take it very easy for a few days. She's staying home for Christmas, so no problem. Whew!

[Scarlett45]

42 minutes ago, BetyBee said:

My Mom (90 yo) told me yesterday she thought she had a UTI (for 4 days before she mentioned it to any of us). She thought she was getting better and was scheduled to go to the doc today anyway. Well, she couldn't walk AT ALL today. She went to ER by ambulance, had a ton of tests and it turns out that it's a compression fracture on her spine and she doesn't have a UTI. Thankfully, she was able to go home. Another stay in the hospital would have been very upsetting to her. She's supposed to take it very easy for a few days. She's staying home for Christmas, so no problem. Whew!

I’m so sorry to hear about your Mom! UTIs can be scary, especially for older people. I spoke to my sister’s former weekend caregiver today, it’s her bday, she’s 87 yrs old and her daughter who is her caregiver filled me on in her health. She’s very sick with an UTI right now as well. So weak, no interest in eating. It was good to wish her a Happy Birthday though, she sounded happy to hear my voice. 

[DangerousMinds]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

I’m so sorry to hear about your Mom! UTIs can be scary, especially for older people. I spoke to my sister’s former weekend caregiver today, it’s her bday, she’s 87 yrs old and her daughter who is her caregiver filled me on in her health. She’s very sick with an UTI right now as well. So weak, no interest in eating. It was good to wish her a Happy Birthday though, she sounded happy to hear my voice. 

I’ve read about older people and UTIs. I wonder why they are so serious in older people but not younger ones? I’ve had a couple and though they burned like hell, I wasn’t otherwise sick.

[emmawoodhouse]

7 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

I’ve read about older people and UTIs. I wonder why they are so serious in older people but not younger ones? I’ve had a couple and though they burned like hell, I wasn’t otherwise sick.

My MIL gets them rather frequently. Her nurse told me it's due to her holding her urine rather than going to the bathroom when she needs to. This is due to mobility issues (she requires a walker). At any rate, it gets diagnosed later than with younger patients which of course means the infection has progressed. I'm sure @doodlebug can explain it with more clarity. 😀

[ozziemom]

Speaking of UTI’s my mom who lives at an assisted living facility, recently had a UTI. She’s 85 and was acting very strange, delusional and just off. Once tested, it was determined she was dehydrated and had a UTI. Very common apparently with older women. They don’t drink enough water and forget to mention any symptoms until it’s serious. So I think that has a lot to do with why UTI is harder for older people.

[emmawoodhouse]

Yeah, I forgot the personality change. MIL becomes very difficult. Thankfully, they know to test for the UTI when she gets nasty. 

[Brookside]

 

10 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I am a solid 9.5, in the summer my feet swell a tad so I have some shoes in a 9.5W (I have some Clark's sandals that I call my "Disney World Shoes" in that size). Now that I am losing weight I may stay a 9.5B this up coming summer. I am 5'7 so I feel my feet fit my height almost, slightly bigger but I have never felt I had "big feet". I do have exceptionally cute toes and I am rather proud of them, I love to wear sandals in the summer and always have a pedicure because you have to work with what you have!

Am I the only one who finds naked toes extremely unattractive? The only ones I can bear to look at are my own and my children's.

Thankfully I live in a place with a moderate climate where socks are acceptable with Birkenstocks.  🙂 

[jcbrown]

On 12/20/2020 at 10:33 AM, Jynnan tonnix said:

Random curiosity...Has anyone else been having Covid-related dreams/nightmares these days? I am not all that prone to recurring dreams, or ones which directly connect to something going on in real life, but last night had the fourth very similar dream within maybe the last two months where I was in some situation where I did not anticipate carefully enough, and suddenly found myself trapped in a confined space, shoulder-to-shoulder in a huge crowd of people, none of them wearing masks, and I couldn't get my mask to even stay on because it kept slipping, and my hands were all but pinned at my sides from all the people pushing to get by. And the dreams are so real - I get so panicked in them, and so angry with myself for being stupid enough not to realize that wherever I was going, there were apt to be crowds. In one dream it was an airport, in another, a convention, and another couple, including the one I had last night, I had to walk home from somewhere, but got lost and ended up having to cut through a theme park or such like. So happy to wake up and realize I had not basically just doomed myself to getting Covid.

Oh, yes. I have regular nightmares involving crowds of people without masks. I've been keeping a journal for the 283 days since we went into stay-at-home orders and I am hoping at least to get some raw material for writing out of this at some point in the future.

On 12/20/2020 at 2:33 PM, lookeyloo said:

Hello everyone.  thanks to all who sent kind thought to us.  I don't have any real good news for today.  My dreams have been frantically searching for something I lost.  No surprise there.  I'm not sleeping well and I understand that.  I'm really happy I don't have to function at a job, since I am retired.  Son in law is really suffering.  His house is empty.  Sweet son was the "do-er".  Son in law is having to learn about the automated house, all the things Sweet son did.  I try to leave the house every day, although there were 4 days in a row I didn't. Covid has put a real crimp in doing anything distracting outside except walking and infrequent trips to the grocery store.  I try and shower every day.  I have quiet time for remembering and my spiritual rituals.  I am keeping a journal.  I talk to Mr lookeyloo and son in law and some good friends.  Sometimes I don't want to talk to anyone.  I find my misery is helped if I am wiping something so my house is pretty clean.  I can't walk into my quilting room.  Which is interesting because Sweet son was only in there once a few years ago.  I don't have any bad associations with the room or quilting. He was the one who encouraged me to quilt when I had no interest or desire.  And now I like it a lot.   I guess the reason will come to me one day.  Maybe that is the reason.  Son in law and Mr lookeyloo and I have become a lot closer.  We always loved each other, but Sweet son was so much in contact and son in law isn't exactly a phone person, that we have said Sweet son handled it all.  But now we are all better at it.  I talk to son in law in the a.m. and Mr. lookeyloo talks to him in the afternoon and then I talk to him again at bedtime.  Or any time in between.  I don't mean this as political, but, Biden has done some videos on grief and I find them comforting.  We say he has gotten through a lot and functions, so maybe we can too, one day.  

I'm so sorry and thank you for checking in there. I like the advice of other posters to consider making a quilt out of some of Sweet son's clothes, when you're up to it. I'm  sure it would be heartbreaking but maybe it would also be cathartic. Hang in there, sweetie.

On 12/21/2020 at 5:17 PM, Jeeves said:

Oh yeah. As a hot 29 year old in the late 70's I had a sweet pair of high Frye boots. Lovely leather. Wore them for years. **Said the no longer hot, no longer 29 year old, with a reminiscent sigh.**

I love love love my Frye boots. I have a pair of them in plum and a pair in red and a pair in black. Back when I still wore shoes, they were among my favorites.

On 12/21/2020 at 5:34 PM, CouchTater said:

Hi all.  Does anyone have a simple, tried-and-true sugar cookie recipe they'd be willing to share?  I am a chocolate chip/pecan cookie expert, but can't master a darn sugar cookie.  Grrrr.....

Oh, I did until you said you wanted a drop cookie but here it is anyway--you could probably roll them in balls and roll them in sugar and flatten them with a glass and have them work, as well. This comes from the first edition Betty Crocker cookbook which is one of my prized possessions. It is the sugar cookie of my childhood. I use butter rather than shortening and you could easily add some citrus zest if you were so inclined: https://www.almanac.com/recipe/ethels-sugar-cookies

[Olliesmom]

53 minutes ago, DangerousMinds said:

I’ve read about older people and UTIs. I wonder why they are so serious in older people but not younger ones? I’ve had a couple and though they burned like hell, I wasn’t otherwise sick.

I am 71 years old and have never had a UTI.  My doctor is amazed 😀

[DangerousMinds]

2 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Yeah, I forgot the personality change. MIL becomes very difficult. Thankfully, they know to test for the UTI when she gets nasty. 

I wonder why the personality change? When I get them, the burning is overwhelming but I don’t think I get confused. I just find it interesting.

1 hour ago, Brookside said:

 

Am I the only one who finds naked toes extremely unattractive? The only ones I can bear to look at are my own and my children's.

Thankfully I live in a place with a moderate climate where socks are acceptable with Birkenstocks.  🙂 

I am not fond of feet, and I really do NOT ever want to see men’s bare feet 😆.

[iwantcookies]

2 hours ago, Brookside said:

 

Am I the only one who finds naked toes extremely unattractive? The only ones I can bear to look at are my own and my children's.

Thankfully I live in a place with a moderate climate where socks are acceptable with Birkenstocks.  🙂 

Me. I cannot look at feet at all. I wear socks year round. I cannot be barefoot. Ever. 

[DangerousMinds]

This is just sociopathic. He’s sickening.

Ignoring warnings, Kirk Cameron hosts 2nd caroling event as COVID-19 surges in SoCal

 

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Dozens of people, most of them not wearing masks, showed up for a second caroling event hosted by actor Kirk Cameron in Thousand Oaks, as all of Southern California deals with a dangerous and massive surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

The crowd, appearing to be about 75 to 100 people, was caroling outside The Oaks mall - right next to a COVID-19 testing center.

 

https://abc7news.com/8989700/?ex_cid=TA_KGO_FB&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0zSoI1SeQPwwa2uSRK51ywaXMoYoG3HeRZu2dUboAykCn9CuTq3VJ-Lfk

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, Brookside said:

 

Am I the only one who finds naked toes extremely unattractive? The only ones I can bear to look at are my own and my children's.

Thankfully I live in a place with a moderate climate where socks are acceptable with Birkenstocks.  🙂 

No- my college roommate’s husband HATES feet. Hates them. Hates his wife’s! I mean they have sex but he doesn’t want her feet on him! And they live in Guatemala where it’s a tropical climate. 
 

Ive found feet are very polarizing. Some people think they are very cute, other people hate them. I love mine so when sandal season comes WATCH OUT Y’ALL. But crusty dry feet? No. Please please MOISTURIZE PEOPLE!

[Minivanessa]

7 hours ago, Olliesmom said:

I am 71 years old and have never had a UTI.  My doctor is amazed 😀

I'm 72 and I've never had one either. I haven't discussed it with my doctor, though. 

Nearly 20 years ago I read an article that stuck with me, about how as we age, we tend to not drink enough water. IIRC that article focused on the fact that the thirst response decreases in the elderly. ("The elderly." Hell, now that's me. WTAF?) I found this more recent and broader discussion of dehydration in the elderly on Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/symptoms-of-dehydration-in-elderly#causes

The article makes sense. As @emmawoodhouse and @ozziemom mentioned, behavioral factors and mobility issues can lead to someone getting a UTI and it not being diagnosed early. I've had temporary mobility issues (in a cast, post-surgery, etc.) and using the toilet can be a hassle if you have some limitations. 

I admit: I don't sense thirst the same way I used to. I have some big thermal drinking glasses, the kind with screw-top lids and straws, and I keep one of them full of water on my desk when I'm working, and put a full one on the nightstand when I go to bed. Often I will drink some water not because I feel physical thirst but because I see how much is still in the glass and I know I need to drink it.  I'm sure I could do better at staying hydrated than I do - and I don't have mobility problems, nor am I bashful about finding a bathroom when i need one, when I'm not at home. Some people seem to be inhibited about that, but I'm not that person, lol. 

tl:dr: Old age ain't for sissies, Chapter 295: dehydration blues.

[Minivanessa]

31 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Ive found feet are very polarizing. Some people think they are very cute, other people hate them. I love mine so when sandal season comes WATCH OUT Y’ALL. But crusty dry feet? No. Please please MOISTURIZE PEOPLE!

From your keyboard to God's ears!

It's winter in Denver so my feet are in socks (they get cold easily), I live alone, and nobody but me is likely to see them. But still. Last week I realized that winter is taking a toll. So I've been exfoliating the poor old tootsies at bedtime, applying lots of Vaseline and massaging it in, and putting on lightweight white cotton ankle socks. A few nights of that has brought them back from Crusty World. 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Jeeves
spelling. it's a thing.

[MargeGunderson]

48 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Ive found feet are very polarizing. Some people think they are very cute, other people hate them. I love mine so when sandal season comes WATCH OUT Y’ALL. But crusty dry feet? No. Please please MOISTURIZE PEOPLE!

I have very dry skin on my feet and combined with my hatred of socks (seriously, I hate wearing them so much) my feet are a mess unless I tend to them religiously. I have a impressive collection of tools and treatments to keep them respectable. This thread has reminded me that I need to do an exfoliation mask on them. I do one a couple times a year, and my last one was May or June. I prefer the Kokostar foot therapy rather than the more popular Babyfoot (doesn’t hurt that it costs less). It’s gross when your feet start peeling, but the results are very satisfying.

 

[QuinnInND]

9 hours ago, Brookside said:

 

Am I the only one who finds naked toes extremely unattractive? The only ones I can bear to look at are my own and my children's.

Thankfully I live in a place with a moderate climate where socks are acceptable with Birkenstocks.  🙂 

I hate feet. Baby feet toddler feet are ok but after that, no. Ick. Had too many customers when I was working who had a foot fetish. I've always hated feet. I've got long ugly toes and always got mocked and bullied about them. Probably contributed to it. 

[louannems]

On 12/21/2020 at 7:12 PM, Absolom said:

I wonder why that advice.  The CDC says you can get Shingrex and flu or pneumonia vaccine on the same visit so waiting isn't required for all vaccines.

I received my Shingrix vaccine and the flu vaccine on the same day.  I thought it was the flu shot that made me feel so awful afterwards, but after the second Shingrix shot, I knew it was definitely that one!  This was in October.

[Liddy52]

Before my mother passed away almost 2 years ago, she had an ongoing problem with UTIs and dehydration.  We did everything we could to get her to drink enough water. It was a constant battle and she was insistent that she drank lots of water. (We measured out her water and knew differently.) However,  I think she honestly believed she was drinking more than she was. Her last two hospitalizations were due to UTIs and dehydration which led to falls. After her last fall,  she completely lost her will to live . Many of my friends' mothers have also had a problem with UTIs. 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Liddy52

[jjane]

Hi Guys, 

I've been away for a while. Just stopped in to wish Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my people. For those of us that have had challenges this year, I hope we all have a much better 2021. I am still trying to get my great-niece to safety. The new lawyer can't get DCFS to budge. They are so entrenched in the idea that the best person to have a child is the natural parent, despite evidence of abuse. He is working on a new plan. I am at the point that I cry if anyone even asks me if we are making progress. I have no idea if she is in  a facility due to lies from her mother about her behavior or if she has been hurt yet again. 

This is just  information for those of you who have offered comfort, not an offer to debate me about the situation, which is why I had to step away. There was someone on here who for some reason accused me of changing my story. 

Anyway, much love, virtual hugs, and wishes for love, good health and peace of mind to all those who have given me a safe place to come and talk about the situation in the past.

Janet

[Absolom]

Another bit of educational news from me:  as we age the classic burning signal of a UTI goes away for many women sometime around age 65.  So our elderly mothers aren't contending with that which would encourage them so speak up and announce the problem.  Instead they generally feel no symptoms until it's progressed to causing smell, behavior problems, and falls and is sometimes harder to treat because it's been around longer.  

[Minivanessa]

18 minutes ago, Absolom said:

Another bit of educational news from me:  as we age the classic burning signal of a UTI goes away for many women sometime around age 65.  So our elderly mothers aren't contending with that which would encourage them so speak up and announce the problem.  Instead they generally feel no symptoms until it's progressed to causing smell, behavior problems, and falls and is sometimes harder to treat because it's been around longer.  

Wow, that's good to know. Depressing, but useful. Several years ago my late aunt and uncle took a vacation that was a tour around Canada. I think it was partly by bus and partly by train. My aunt who was probably around 80 by then, came home with a horrible UTI. She was so ill she was taken straight to the ER from the airport when they flew home; I think she may have been hospitalized overnight. It took her weeks to recover fully, it was that bad.

She was pretty tuned in to her own health, but she was also by nature and nurture not someone who would want to "make a fuss" and she probably wouldn't have wanted to tell the tour director that she had a UTI and needed to see a doc and get a prescription. She realized she was having a problem and tried drinking lots of cranberry juice - but it was way past that being helpful. She had a strong personality and I can just see her forbidding her husband from mentioning it to the tour director. I've been on some guided tour trips, and the tour directors were always responsive to anyone having any kind of health issue or injury. I've always wondered whether if she'd had some less "embarrassing" kind of illness she might have finally said something and asked for help. 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Jeeves

[Brookside]

1 hour ago, MargeGunderson said:

I have very dry skin on my feet and combined with my hatred of socks (seriously, I hate wearing them so much) my feet are a mess unless I tend to them religiously. I have a impressive collection of tools and treatments to keep them respectable. This thread has reminded me that I need to do an exfoliation mask on them. I do one a couple times a year, and my last one was May or June. I prefer the Kokostar foot therapy rather than the more popular Babyfoot (doesn’t hurt that it costs less). It’s gross when your feet start peeling, but the results are very satisfying.

 

This is very very wrong, and I think we need a different thread for anything involving feet.  🙂

[jjane]

My mother had this problem too at the end. She was bedridden with Parkinson's and had a feeding tube and a catheter.  Everyone was told to give her plenty of fluids and watch the catheter to see if the urine was cloudy. It was a constant battle. 

[ozziemom]

All this information about UTI is reminding me why I love this thread. Learn something new every day! I’m off to drink a big glass of water. Thanks all my fellow Small Talkers.

[DangerousMinds]

4 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

No- my college roommate’s husband HATES feet. Hates them. Hates his wife’s! I mean they have sex but he doesn’t want her feet on him! And they live in Guatemala where it’s a tropical climate. 
 

Ive found feet are very polarizing. Some people think they are very cute, other people hate them. I love mine so when sandal season comes WATCH OUT Y’ALL. But crusty dry feet? No. Please please MOISTURIZE PEOPLE!

Women’s feet are mostly ok 🙂. Men’s need to be covered!

[GeeGolly]

I'm finding out I'm a foot snob. I'm fine with clean and attractive feet. No problem touching or looking at those. Clean so-so feet are fine too, even in sandals, as long as I don't have to touch them and they're not in my face all day long. Dirty, gnarly, ugly or unkempt feet gross me out to the max.

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, jjane said:

Hi Guys, 

I've been away for a while. Just stopped in to wish Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my people. For those of us that have had challenges this year, I hope we all have a much better 2021. I am still trying to get my great-niece to safety. The new lawyer can't get DCFS to budge. They are so entrenched in the idea that the best person to have a child is the natural parent, despite evidence of abuse. He is working on a new plan. I am at the point that I cry if anyone even asks me if we are making progress. I have no idea if she is in  a facility due to lies from her mother about her behavior or if she has been hurt yet again. 

This is just  information for those of you who have offered comfort, not an offer to debate me about the situation, which is why I had to step away. There was someone on here who for some reason accused me of changing my story. 

Anyway, much love, virtual hugs, and wishes for love, good health and peace of mind to all those who have given me a safe place to come and talk about the situation in the past.

Janet

Much love and hugs- am so sorry for all you and your great niece are going through. Knowing that you are fighting for her can make all the difference in her emotional well being.

 

I had to make a run to my friend's house to borrow her hair dryer- the repair men wanted one to defrost the ice cube formation mechanism, and I will take it back after work (yay for WFH perks). Looks like the ice maker is FIXED Y'ALL, my sister woke up as they were finishing their work and made an "appearance" to put it mildly. She was mad mad mad that the fridge was not in its right place. I did prep them when they got there, my speech "there is a mentally disabled adult in the home, she is afraid of strangers and hates change, she may yell and scream at you, please just ignore her and keep going about your work". They handled it well so they got a big tip. YAY FOR ICE Y'ALL.

My sister's caregiver asked if I wanted her to work on Friday, I told her no, she should enjoy her 3 day weekend, but after thinking about it for an hour or so I told her if she wanted to work New Year's Day she was welcome to, that would be a big help FOR ME and she likely appreciates the money since during these pandemic times theres no where to go and nothing to do. But we all deserve time off from work!

[Oldernowiser]

@Scarlett45, I don’t want to embarrass you, but I just want to say you really are one extraordinary individual. You handle more shit in a day than most do in a year, yet somehow you keep strong.

👏🏼

[Minivanessa]

7 minutes ago, Oldernowiser said:

@Scarlett45, I don’t want to embarrass you, but I just want to say you really are one extraordinary individual. You handle more shit in a day than most do in a year, yet somehow you keep strong.

👏🏼

I agree!! 

[Scarlett45]

21 minutes ago, Oldernowiser said:

@Scarlett45, I don’t want to embarrass you, but I just want to say you really are one extraordinary individual. You handle more shit in a day than most do in a year, yet somehow you keep strong.

👏🏼

 

13 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I agree!! 

You guys are so sweet. These last 10 weeks have just been NUTTY between Mom's surgery, the pandemic, working and dealing with the worlds most spoiled and "almost Tallest Toddler".

 

Although I was discussing with my friend that I borrowed the hair dryer from, that one of the benefits of having older parents (she is her parents' vacation baby) is that at least when they are old, you are still young and have your health. When I was speaking to my sister's former weekend caregiver yesterday/her daughter, she is 87 and her daughter will be 66 tomorrow. I COULD NOT imagine Mom having to deal with grandfather right now (he lived to be 89). I was exhausted dealing with grandfather and my sister together 20yrs ago, NOW I couldnt even imagine. My Mom is 72!

Of course I am not telling anyone when to have children, and on the flip side of that, if your parents have you when they are young, you did get them longer and they have more energy to help you raise your kids (rather than being sick and needing care when you are trying to raise kids like my Mom had to deal with). All situations have challenges. Total rant, makes no sense. 

But we have a lot to be thankful for. I checked in on my sister's former full time caregiver who retired last year, she and her husband are well.

Two more sleeps until CHRISTMAS. Yes I am a tiny child.

[Suzn]

18 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

 

You guys are so sweet. These last 10 weeks have just been NUTTY between Mom's surgery, the pandemic, working and dealing with the worlds most spoiled and "almost Tallest Toddler".

 

Although I was discussing with my friend that I borrowed the hair dryer from, that one of the benefits of having older parents (she is her parents' vacation baby) is that at least when they are old, you are still young and have your health. When I was speaking to my sister's former weekend caregiver yesterday/her daughter, she is 87 and her daughter will be 66 tomorrow. I COULD NOT imagine Mom having to deal with grandfather right now (he lived to be 89). I was exhausted dealing with grandfather and my sister together 20yrs ago, NOW I couldnt even imagine. My Mom is 72!

Of course I am not telling anyone when to have children, and on the flip side of that, if your parents have you when they are young, you did get them longer and they have more energy to help you raise your kids (rather than being sick and needing care when you are trying to raise kids like my Mom had to deal with). All situations have challenges. Total rant, makes no sense. 

But we have a lot to be thankful for. I checked in on my sister's former full time caregiver who retired last year, she and her husband are well.

Two more sleeps until CHRISTMAS. Yes I am a tiny child.

Scarlett45@, I just wanted to add that I think you're wonderful.

[Scarlett45]

5 minutes ago, Suzn said:

Scarlett45@, I just wanted to add that I think you're wonderful.

Guys im black, I am not supposed to blush this much! (that's a joke- plenty of people with melanin blush)

 

Also, I wanted to say, I know a lot of people have had to change holiday plans (whatever holidays you happen to celebrate) and be a part from loved ones this year. I know people have had work and health challenges. I am very sorry and I see and hear you, please please know that everything youre feeling is okay, and dont make light of how much it sucks because "some people have it worse". If you need a place to hang out for the rest of the year the Small Talk thread is a good place to be. 

I love chatting with you guys here, its a nice break from the rest of world. 

Also special love to @lookeyloo missing Sweet Son right now. Thank you for keeping us updated on how you are doing.

[iwantcookies]

Age when your parents have you is irrelevant.

My mom had me young and she died young. If she had me at 40 I’d be an orphan barely out of my teens. Sadly no one knows how long they will live for. I met people who had parents at 60. I never even had grandparents! 
 

Went to see my disabled cousin yesterday (it was her birthday ). Evil ex aunt didn’t let me in. I could hear her so I know she is alive. She took my present and slammed the door in my face. 
 

 

 

[emma675]

If it helps you feel less embarrassed, Scarlett45, I think you're just okay. 🤣

But seriously, I don't know how you do it sometimes. I'm not a patient person by nature, though I've worked on it, but I don't think I'd have nearly the patience and calmness you have with your sister. I'd probably had had a breakdown by now, especially with all of the appliances breaking down at once and your mom being unable to help mobile-y. I hope you get a nice, long vacation in the new year. I hope all of us do!

[iwantcookies]

3 hours ago, Brookside said:

This is very very wrong, and I think we need a different thread for anything involving feet.  🙂

Thread title

Foot discussion: enter at your own risk.

Edited December 23, 2020 by iwantcookies

[Scarlett45]

6 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

Went to see my disabled cousin yesterday (it was her birthday ). Evil ex aunt didn’t let me in. I could hear her so I know she is alive. She took my present and slammed the door in my face. 

I’m so very sorry you were treated that way. Is your disabled cousin being cared for properly? Is the Evil ex aunt just evil or do you think she’s being neglected?

Youre a great cousin to check in on her. 

4 minutes ago, emma675 said:

I hope you get a nice, long vacation in the new year. I hope all of us do!

I miss vacations so much!!!! A warm tropical beach, and room service!

[iwantcookies]

@Scarlett45 my cousin is well taken care of. Her mom lives to take care of her. She loves her kids. She is just evil to everyone else. I would love to see my cousin every week or watch her if her moms needs help. For free. I am not welcome. It sucks. 

 But her mom is just nasty to me. Tells me to drop dead, burn in a fire etc. It’s not my cousins fault her mom is mean. 
Ex aunt knows me since birth. She has treated me like crap since I was a kid. Used to kick me, hit me etc when mom wasn’t around or was in a different room. 

 

Edited December 23, 2020 by iwantcookies

[Scarlett45]

1 minute ago, iwantcookies said:

@Scarlett45 my cousin is well taken care of. Her mom lives to take care of her. She loves her kids. She is just evil to everyone else. I would love to see my cousin every week or watch her if her moms needs help. For free. I am not welcome. It sucks. 

 But her mom is just nasty to me. Tells me to drop dead, burn in a fire etc. It’s not my cousins fault her mom is mean. 
 

 

No its not your cousin's fault her mother is mean. (nor is it your fault) What a person! Its a reflection on her not you that she cannot be kind to someone who did something thoughtful for her child.

[GeeGolly]

Not to take away from @Scarlett45, because I too, think she's amazing!

I wanted to add all the Small Talkers to the kudos. So many of you show your strength, share your wisdom and offer your genuine support. Wow and thank you! I know some of you are more shy and quiet about your day-to-day and random struggles as well, and like Scarlett said, we know you're there. Wow and thank you, too!

From what I understand havens like Small Talk are rare online. Thanks for letting me be a Small Talker too.

[Oldernowiser]

[Scarlett45]

1 minute ago, Oldernowiser said:

I love meerkats! did anyone else watch Meerkat manner back in the day on Animal Planet?

[iwantcookies]

2 hours ago, DangerousMinds said:

Women’s feet are mostly ok 🙂. Men’s need to be covered!

Is it the hairy toes? Or long gnarly toenails?

[DangerousMinds]

36 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

Age when your parents have you is irrelevant.

My mom had me young and she died young. If she had me at 40 I’d be an orphan barely out of my teens. Sadly no one knows how long they will live for. I met people who had parents at 60. I never even had grandparents! 
 

Went to see my disabled cousin yesterday (it was her birthday ). Evil ex aunt didn’t let me in. I could hear her so I know she is alive. She took my present and slammed the door in my face. 
 

 

 

Maybe because of the pandemic? 

[dargosmydaddy]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

did anyone else watch Meerkat manner back in the day on Animal Planet?

Yes!!