Rainy day here today. Woke up to the sound of gentle rain hitting the roof. If the kitties had not been sitting in a row beside the bed waiting (impatiently) for their breakfast I would have probably stayed in bed a little longer. Now that I'm up and they have eaten......they are all three snoozing in their respective spots. :rolleyes: :)

Dej, at least he didn't tell you to do some laundry! Mine suggested that once when I had the flu. :mad: Hope you feel better.

I'm so glad I don't feel like I have to get out in the mobs of frantic shoppers this weekend. I've had my Christmas shopping done for a while now (all online) and will just watch old Christmas movies on television. I watched White Christmas yesterday for the umpteenth time. I just love to listen to Bing Crosby sing.

I hope everyone stays warm and cozy today. Next Saturday will be Christmas Day!

:grouphug:

Still cold here (20 degrees) but at least the sun is shining. Hopefully, more of the ice will melt. I am going to try to go out in a little while. I need a few things from the drugstore for my trip. Leaving on Monday.

Dej -- the cold makes my spasticity worse too. Sitting here it feels like my ribs and back are being crushed

Kelly -- I have been watching some Christmas movies too. Most of the new ones are pretty cheesy but I enjoyed An Old Fashioned Christmas. It has been playing on the Hallmark Channel.

I did laundry yesterday. Changed all the beds in the house, and even washed the shower curtains, which get musty smelling after a while. DH suggested that I could open a Christmas pressie if I wished. he pointed to a big box that I know has a "cusinart Grill" in it. Like that would motivate me to cook or something. HA! I said no thank you, and went back to bed for a nap. I feel better now that I got more rest behind me, but still not my best day.

Why is it that if only 2 people live here, we have this much clutter? Do the cats throw parties at night? I spent 3 days not putting things away and now I regret it. There are magazine everywhere, coupons, christmas wrappings, and unopened christmas cards. wads of note paper from scribbles after phone calls, and simple things that simply were not put back where they belong when someone was done. I think I am going to have to conduct kindergarten soon, and review basic rules of clean up when done with your toys.

I am stressing out big time about the weather. We are supposed to get snow showers tomorrow night and snow showers/freezing rain on Monday. A friend is going to pick me up at 5:00 am to drive to the airport. She is a true friend indeed. She said if the weather isn't great she will have her husband drive. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the airport in good weather. We were figuring it might take about an hour since it will be dark ... My flight is at 7:20. I have always been a bit of a worrier, but it is getting out of hand. I seem to be anxious about everything anymore and usually its about things I have no control over. I am even worrying about the return flight since I have to fly to Chicago and then downstate and I haven't even left yet.:rolleyes: I need to figure out a better way to calm myself down. Checking the forecast every hour does not seem to be working for me.:o

Barb, I read this in Karilann's signature line in one of her posts.......

If you obsess about things that may happen and they don't come true...then you've wasted your time. If it does come true....then you've lived it twice.

I hope the weather cooperates with you and you have an uneventful flight. :hug:

This IS an MS thing. Please know that its not you, its the MS and the best thing you can do is tell it to "calm down!" it will be what it will be, and you will be fine no matter what. Anxiety is a hard thing for me and it got wild with the onset of MS. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and allow the world to be what the world will be. You CAN do things to be helpful like ...leave early enough to not be late. Dress in layers so if you are hot, you take a layer off, or if you get cold again, put it back on. Have your electronics charged and ready. Have your bag packed before your time to leave for the airport...but you CANNOT control the world with worry. The only thing that will happen is that you will arrive exhausted, and stressed, and full of cortisol. So, dont forget to breath, and let it wash past and thru you, dont let it stick. :hug:

Didnt sleep well. Kept dreaming and then would pop awake. it bugs me when I do that.

DS and his less than precious g/f have decided to skip coming for lunch today. Since there is a cold in the house and she "works with medical equipment" she refuses to come. (she works in the office of a plant that makes equipment and I bet your bottom dollar that they sterilize the stuff before it goes out the door, but ...im gonna swallow my hurtful insults and deal with the free day. I wont get to see him for Christmas, and I didnt get to see him for Thanksgiving, and I wont get to see him for his b/d. This girl makes sure that her family comes first, and there is no sharing her time. Since he is blindly in love with her, he will let go of all of his friends, family and jobs to be at her beck and call. I keep having to remind myself that its HIS lesson and I cant learn it for him. We all have that one dumbo in our past that we jumped hoops of fire for, and then they laughed when we got burned. She will be his.

im off to write.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I don't know if I will be able to check in while I am gone. I have a feeling that my niece is going to keep to pretty busy. The temperatures in Austin for the first past of the week are supposed to be in the mid 70s so I am really looking forward to getting there. I may just decide not to come back to Illinois.:D

I hope you have a nice holiday, Barb. Wow, temps in the 70's. Nobody would blame you if you stayed! Our temps this weekend and for the next week will be in the 50's and that seems warm compared to what we just had.

Have a safe trip, relax and enjoy yourself. You deserve it!

Sending :hug::hug: and prayers to all who need them. Everyone who is not feeling well, hoping that you feel better soon!

Just checking in real quick. Good news is that the V2 ecigs we're using are working. We went over to a friend's house Friday for poker night. Both hubby and I broke down and bummed a cig off a friend. We both couldn't believe we used to smoke those things, tasted so awful.

So that is some good news. We're not gonna be tempted anytime soon to go back :) Plus we're starting to see some of the benefits of not smoking, which is a double plus. :)

Bad news is that my emotions have decided to rollar coaster the past few days. hoping that stops here soon. :(

Stay warm everyone!!!!!!! :grouphug::grouphug:

Hey everyone. Jim was featured in Montel's new video Faces of MS. Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Rek...layer_embedded

Jim can be seen 4:07 minutes into the video. I am currently waiting for Montel to tell me if he's accepting more images and will let you guys know. A great way to get the word out about all of you!

Ok, if you want to try and get your image into the video, send your picture to Eric at eric@Montelmedia.com with the following release by tonight:

“I hereby grant permission to use my likeness in a photograph or other digital reproduction in any and all of its publications, including website entries, dealing directly with the campaign “I am the Face of MS” without payment or any other consideration. Additionally I am the sole owner of the picture attached and I am 18 years of age and am competent to contract in my own name."

Then sign your name and send. if he gets it by tonight it may be enough time to get it into the video by tomorrow. From what Montel posted they are adding more tomorrow and then that's it. Hope you guys get in and please spread the word! :hug: