[stevem53]

Hi Everyone..Welcome to new community members!..Please feel free to joins us and contribute..Get to know the great folks who visit here

Weather is still fairly mild here in New England, with the exception of yesterday and today

I got out fishing a couple of days this week, but its starting to wind down and I suspect this may be the last week in this season

My brother went for his prostate biopsy yesterday, and I could tell he was afraid, but all went well and he didnt experience any pain so that was a relief for both of us..We got to the appointment 20 minutes late because of construction on I-95, and an abandoned vehicle in the middle lane, so I got on my cell phone and called the Dr's office to tell them we would be a little late, and they gave me 20 minutes to get there which was almost how long it took..Then the 2 nurses were sarcastic about us being late, and I felt like telling them where to go, but instead of getting into an explanation I just decided to let it go and let it be their problem..It takes 20 minutes to get to the Dr's office and we left a half hour prior the appointment time..Figures..when you are early or on time they make you wait sometimes up to an hour..but when youre late, they are on schedule..

My Newport support group had its X-mas party this morning, and it was good..plenty of food..most of the members showed up..and they had a choir concert of X-mas carols..They had a sing along as well and they had me singing.. ..I cant sing..but I must say it was fun..Not something I would usually do

My boat hasnt left for Cape Cod yet so I still go down there twice a week to check it, and the new owner has been doing some work on it, and the last time I went down there I finally felt like it wasnt mine anymore..It was bittersweet..it was a feeling of letting go, and the feeling of the newness of moving on to the next chapter in my life..Some excitement in that feeling..and some feeling of letting go of the other end of the towel hesitantly..That kind of fishing had been a part of my life since 1978..But the excitement of the adventure of the new kind of fishing is like being a little kid all over again..I guess my inner child wants to come out and play..

So that was my week..How was your week?

Steve

[ol'cs]

more difficult to post

[jeanb]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for starting this thread.

We had a holiday party last night for some friends - only 11 in all ... 3 couldn't come because they were sick. Anyway, I had thought about how to do it that would be nice but would not exhaust me. So we bought all the food except the chile - which I made. We bought bbq pork from "Famous Dave's" plus salads from the grocery store, and cookies & dessert from the bakery. ALso used all disposable plates and utensils. We had a grand time - it was beautiful mild night. We ate outside on the back patio and afterwards brought our chairs around the firepit and talked and drank hot chocolate. And at the very end, my husband, bless him, did all the cleanup after I'd collapsed in bed.

I sent the "stem cells from baby teeth" information to my niece, who has a young child, and to neighbors, who have grandchildren. They said they'll be sure to follow up and donate the teeth when the time comes.

I forgot to add ... this past week and this coming week I'm working on a photo project. I'm scanning in old family photos for a Christmas gift for my father. My older brother died many years ago at age 15. He collapsed and died from an undiagnosed heart defect (possibly Marfan's) while playing basketball . My father, who now has Alzheimer's, now grieves continuously and simply wishes to die and go to heaven so he can be with my brother. So my Christmas gift to my dad will be one of those digital photo albums. My project now is to scan in old photos of my brother for the frame. It's bittersweet - you never truly recover from a loss like that. I'm happy to do this for my dad, but oh it's so sad for me as I do it.

Best wishes to everyone!

[heyjude5050]

Steve,
Was your boat recreational or was fishing a job. I hope that in the near future I can relocate. I am the surgery grunt at our hospital here. I do many, many things and refer to myself as the "Chief of Surgery" maid.
It sounds so much better. Actually, I do play an important role in the department and it takes all of us to keep things running smoothly.
I just received my bachelors in social work at the young age of 49 and have had to stay at my current job due to my many medical issues.
It is a bit frightening to give up a position with 11 years seniority to go the bottom man at a new job. Insurance is a must and right now I better stay put.
I reason I mentioned all of the above is because I was checking out jobs all over the US and I am extremely attracted to the N. E. states. I can see myself working in a city but living in a quaint fishing village somewhere along the coast. To me it would be idyllic. My other option is to work in London.
I have contacts over there and Saturday I received a letter and app from a social worker friend there. She wants to get me over there as soon as possible and she has cut through some red tape for me. I am going to send the application because I believe that Mayo is going to find out what my problem is and fix me up.
That is my story and I am sticking to it. I will stay positive, my pride and positive attitude (most of the time) is about all I have left. I guess those are pretty important things to hang on to.
I would love to hear about what it is like where you live. I have imagines of some places there as being lost in the past and I would love to be lost in the past also. LOL
I could be a social worker on a fishing boat................ That would be cool, hey?
So that is my week, only left the house 3x for groceries and a doc appt.
Whew, what a social butterfly I have become!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sure many can relate. I sure am glad that I am comfortable with myself, but there are days that I don't like me very much and would like to beat the tar out of me.................but neither one of Me's has the energy. So, I just agree to agree with myself. HA HA
This is how a person sounds when they spend too much time alone and begin thinking of yourself as your own roommate. Scary............
Hope everyone had a great week and that things are either getting better or at least staying the same.
God bless everyone here or your higher power of choice,
Judy

[stevem53]

Judy..It was a 47' Dragger..a commercial fishing boat

[stevem53]

Originally Posted by ol'cs

more difficult to post

Im sorry to hear that old buddy..Drop us a line when you can and let us know how youre doing..You have certainly been missed!

[DaleD]

My parents are 87 and 85 and all I hear from them is how many of their friends died each week so didn't checkin last week as the only news I had was two friends died the day after Thanksgiving and I found out the wife of a best friend for many years had inoperable brain cancer.

Things are a whole lot better this week as the temps have been in the 40's after the third coldest November in history which makes my PD very tolerable. We had a beautiful Christmas postcard type snow storm yesterday and I went out and scooped my steps. I shoveled going down, all 16 of them!!

Figured I'd give the kids money for Christmas and know what I'm getting the grandkids so that is not a concern. My son from Phoenix, and his girl friend, will be here for the first time in nearly 2 years so am excited to get to see him again. His girl friend is from California and has never been in this extreme weather so should be an experience.

A friend is taking me to the memorial service of one of my friends tonight. I figured two hours of night driving was beyond my limits.

Hope you all have a G R E A T week.

Dale

[Stitcher]

Let's see...I celebrated my birthday last week with a homemade BD cake that my three youngest grandkids decorated...so you can imagine...8, 6 and 4 yrs. My prized gift was a funkie ink pen, which the 8 yr old gave me. It is one of her prized possessions, but being the warmly generous person that she is, she loves to give away her possessions to people who express an interest in them, which I had done a couple of days earlier.

Friday I went into D.C. with a friend. She came in from WV and I from PA. We met at the Shady Grove Metro station. Walked to the boarding house Lincoln died in, and went across the street to see Ford's Theater...learned a lot there, the Ranger spokesperson was great in telling the story...saw the box they Lincoln's were in. Then walked to the Natl Archives...such a silent, somber place to visit. It is like being in a chapel or someplace reflective like that. Then the Metro to Arlington Cemetery to watch the guard change at the Unknown Soldier grave...another somber thing to witness...but incredible. Oh, yes, we did also visit the Natl Portrait Gallery in Chinatown...where all the president and first lady portraits are, and other exhibits.

Sadly, the Natl Museum of American History is closed until 2008. So, we didn't get to see Dorothy's shoes or Archie's chair!!

Back to watching grandchildren all week...normal week that is.

[stevem53]

Happy Birthday Carolyn!!..

[paula_w]

Jean,

I've been thinking about something similar, only sticking to the present. I can't imagine losing someone that young - what a heartache for you all. But we did lose our mother when she was just 56, my age now.

Good luck with it. I know you will do a good job.
Paula