I just make a meat sauce - using either ground beef or a mixture of ground veal and beef. I don't put mushrooms in mine, though. I've never been able to develop a taste for them - I think it's just the texture. I can find a mushroom in anything...even if it's been hidden very well!! :)

Awww....she looks like such a sweetie. I hope she'll be just fine after the abx and surgery. You know I'm praying for her!! :hug:

I'm telling you I cannot keep up with you guys! Must I stay online 24/7 to keep up? lmao I read all your posts and I know if I try I will forget someone so I will just say :hug: to all who are sick, need a hug, having a good day, having coffee, having company, going away, pets who are sick, etc.

Ok, I painted half of basement yesterday. I am going to paint the other half today. Then I will do the trim on the columns in a different color I mixed up all by myself. :yikes: I love doing that with extra paint. Just don't run out because you'll never get the right match.

Jim's doing good except the Sinemet is keeping him awake at night. I have a call into the doc for a sleeping pill for nights when he can't sleep. Not an everyday thing but is annoying when he just fell asleep at 6:30am.

Renee, sorry I missed your call yesterday. I was in the basement and I have the phones unplugged. We have so many cordless phones that it causes problems around here with dropped calls. Add in wireless internet and cell phones and we have issues. I am thinking about buying several corded phones for some rooms.

Have a good day everyone! :grouphug:

Can I brag a minute? Sometimes the VA is a pain but then there are times when someone just reaches out and does an act of kindness that strikes your heart.

Last week I bought Jim a wheelchair from Ebay. It is a power chair with a reclining back. We paid only $300 for the chair and it works great! The man who sold it to us said his dad used it only twice.

So Friday I call our friend Juan at the VA Orthotics clinic and tell him I need a new back cover and gel arm rests for Jim's power chair he obtained from the VA. I then ask him to look into an elevating leg rest kit for Jim's chair I bought off Ebay. I told him we bought it for the basement and it came with a foot platform and that doesn't work for Jim. So, I asked him to look into what he could get the leg rests for and we'd pay for them.

Today I call Juan to check on the price and he tells me he did us a favor. I said "No you didn't" and he said yes he did. He ordered the back rest cover, gel arms AND the leg rest kit for us. He didn't have to do this but he did. His act of kindness will not be forgotten. Now it's time for Jim and I to pay it forward.

Kelly, LOL! Great minds think alike. Sauce is what I'm making for dinner tonight. :)

Renee, Take care of yourself and feel better soon. :hug::hug:

Weave, :hug:

Sandy, Good luck with the basement. Hope it comes out ok.

Barb, I make meatballs for my sauce. Learned how to from my MIL. Hubby would be disappointed if I didn't make them. ;)

Holly, gotta love the "wow, you're interesting" when docs say it. :rolleyes: Hope they can get down to the answers for ya soon. :hug:

Everyone, :grouphug::grouphug:

~~~~~~~

Thanks for your prayers everyone! Feeling a little better today and there seems to be some improvement, keeping fingers crossed.

Not doing much today. I was up until about 4am, and then up again around 11am. Just going to putter around the house and keep warm. In the 30s. brrrr.

Too cool !!!!!! :Dancing-Chilli:

thats fantastic Sandy and Jim, cool

good news always welcomed

It's called Karma, Sandy!! You've obviously done something kind for someone along the way and you're reaping the benefits. And you and Jim will get just as good a feeling paying it forward as you did when you received!

I love paying it forward...especially when I can remain anonymous and still get to watch the recipient!!

So....whatcha gonna do? Do you need my address? :D :p

that's cool, Sandy ....I know that you are thankful and will (and have done) do something forward ...

it's fun doing nice things and catching people 'off-guard' ... ;)

My goodness, so much has been going on with you all!!! Hard to keep up!!

I haven't been posting much lately...felt really awful last Thurs-Sat., and then was busy Sunday trying to finish up cleaning up the yard and pond, frustrated beyond measure, because DH and I were working in that awful wind...
I have been having such a difficult time dealing with spasticity and muscle pain that I can't seem to sleep well...last night was the first night I slept almost the full night. I don't quite know what's going on with the body, but I am not happy with it...but can't find a new model:rolleyes:
I am so bummed!! I live in the Chicago area, worked on the Obama senate campaign, donated and worked on his presidential campaign, and can't get tickets to the rally in downtown Chicago on Election Night...:(

So many family issues to deal with lately...I think it's really the main reason I'm not sleeping well. Son left his wife, is now living with us...we all love his wife...but he doesn't want to continue in the marriage :(. She's beside herself...
Another son quit his full time job, decided he wants to go back to school to get his teaching degree, moved with his new wife into a smaller apartment (only minutes from us), and he's not moving to get into school quickly...grrr.

Then yesterday I got a call from my nephew's wife...my sister is so sick with heart disease that she had to quit work as a nurse...they're thinking of moving her out of her house and into one of her son's houses...we don't communicate often, and when I called her house yesterday, it was not in service...tried to look it up online, but was unsuccessful.
Of course, with the messiah complex I have, I want to jump in and take care of her...but even though she's a nurse and almost died from a heart attack, she still smokes...which I won't allow in my house. So I am very worried about her, and frustrated that I can't get a hold of her. I wrote a letter to her and will mail it tomorrow...hoping she calls me.

I vote for McDonald's coffee...it is now the best...I used to have Dunkin Donuts coffee at the top of my list, but can't pass up Micky D's:D

Hope all of you have a wonderful week...and it's my baby girl's 24th birthday!! Can't believe it's been that long!!!She's a wonderful blessing...

well, checking in once today..hehehee

tired feeling blahhhh..just told my mom how I am not travelling down again to the burial...see my sister funeral was the other week..and the burial is scheduled for sat after thanksgiving....and other than work, and life...and money keeping me from travelling...really it is more my health and heart....I did my goodbyes..had a hard time walking..during the emotional time...and just cant see doing it again at a burial....

I will try to travel down to that gymnastics meet..that is in january honoring my sister.....well gotta go..hugss,sarah

Sarah, Thanks for checking in. Thoughts with ya. :hug:

Debbie D, Wow. A lot's been going on for ya. Hope things quiet down soon. :hug:

~~~~~

Not too much going on today. Mainly did some dishes, made sauce for dinner, and rested.

Trying to decide whether or not to travel for Christmas. Really leaning towards staying at the homestead and being invaded by family. :rolleyes: At least it would motivate me to keep up my cleaning, LOL. :D

Hope everyone is having a good evening. :grouphug:

ok I cut neurontin to just one a day, as I am wondering if it is affecting my moods....

hoping I could do one a day, cause it helps with my nerve pain tremendously...

but...not sure whats going on..but coming home from work I was chipper..so very happy go lucky mood....then tonight..I am full of tears....and thoughts of....(not doing away with self) but thoughts like...wondering well could my family manage without me...as I am just too tired of it all....

now most here know me...very upbeat kindof girl even when feeling uggy....so tell me do you think the meds are playing with my mind...?? and I guess I hope so..as I hope this isnt me just getting downs...

anyhow, maybe tomorrow I will call dr office, mention these moods...although drs wise...they all dont know what the heck they are doing...so far anyhow..

ok, well going to get to sleep soon...think overtired..and that isnt helping me...even my mom called once,....we talked and I think she could tell from my quiet unresponsiveness..wierd convo....cause then she called later tonight and told me she loves me so much..and hopes I am ok...(and I didnt tell her feeling down...she does know late day I started struggling with cogfog and sxs....due to humidity)

anyhow....better get some sleep...lucky I am off from work tomorrow...wish I was off from work for good...I feel so just...tired of it all.....ohhh better get to bed...tears are starting again....hugsssss and thanks all, sarah

well I hope you all had a good day

Deb D, shewwww, Would be nice if the son and wife could work it out, sorry he is having a rough go right now, and you also, I hope you feel better this week, just dont over do it, MSbs fatigue sucketh mucheth

anyone else find it so Ironic http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/shocked010.gifi am always saying dont over do it to others

not even gonna waste my time with speedy i mean Sarah, :hug: hope all is well with kiddos and yourself, dare I say it... dare dare
dont over do it:yikes:

ok yall gonna go back to me game and rock out to tunes

peace, http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/char038.gif

Dear, dear Sarah,
It might not be the meds, but just the grief bubbling up to the top.
You, my dearest, have had a major blow to your life. You no longer have physical contact with your dear sister.
Now, mind me, my theosophical bent is to believe that she is in a much better place, and can see you and feel what you are experiencing. But that doesn't help those of us here on Earth who are limited by our bodies and limited minds.
That does not help the pain you're experiencing. You know, intellectually, that she is back Home with her Creator...
yet, you are stuck here no longer able to talk to her, let her know with your voice and your hugs that you love her.

But, you can let her know...just send it up to her...smile, knowing that she is at peace...no longer constrained by this earth and it's suffering...
she loves you, knows that you love her and miss her...and wants you to hang on with love to those who are here with you now...
so kiss your DH, your kids, your mom, whoever touches your soul...that is the essence of life here...her journey is finished, but yours isn't...not by a long shot!!
We all need you here, too. If you need to vent in anger about losing loved ones, vent away. If you need to cry, let it rain. We know...and we care.
We love Sarah!!!:grouphug:

:hug:Sarah:hug:

I know just what you mean....I felt that exact same way when my DH passed. Then again when my parents and my sister passed. It's unsettling and upsetting, especially when it's not something you've ever felt before.

Our minds are capable of alot....but sometimes the impact of the finality of it all is just too much for us to comprehend. You're fresh in the grips of all this so please don't expect too much from yourself....give yourself an opportunity to grieve. And to be angry. It's OK to be angry. In fact, it's a natural emotion, especially in this situation. I've been on Neurontin and the only negative side effect I had was weight gain...but I was on a much, much higher dosage than you are. I don't know if it's having an effect on your emotions or not but it's worth a call to the doctor.

Is there is any way you could take a Leave of Absence and give yourself a few weeks to rest and regroup? I know finances are a major concern....seems it always goes back to $$, doesn't it? :rolleyes: It'd be the same way for me, too. Could maybe your parents help you out? It's just a thought but I know for me just being able to rest and not having to keep up with a hectic schedule helped me tremendously.

I worry about you....please don't push yourself too hard or expect too much from yourself....especially in these early days. It's so easy to let the hectic lifestyle take over and put yourself last. It's not being selfish to put yourself first for a while....although it's hard to do. You're like me....always wanting to take care of everyone else first.

I'm keeping you in my prayers. :hug:

Good Morning! Now, I feel like Franko cause I woke up around 4am and couldn't go back to sleep. And, Kelly.... well, she's an early bird too.

My neck is still killing me and that combined w/spasms~ well, sleep just wasn't going to happen. I'm supposed to go to Iowa City tomorrow to visit my dear friend who swerved to miss a deer last wk, rolled her car into a ravine and ended up w/8 broken ribs, broken vertebrae in her upper back, a 7 in gash on her head, punctured eye and so many other things!! She had back surgery yest. I am so upset and worried about her, but she crawled the length of a city block to another friend's house to get help.
What a strong, beautiful lady!

I just had to vent and write it out, as don't feel like I can do much else right now. Thanks!

Sarah~ I agree w/DebbieD and Kell about your grief and mood changes. When my Mother passed, I went through the whole gamut of feelings. One minute I felt relieved she was at peace and the next~ well, I was angry, sad, moody and did not feel like myself. I would just be sitting at the table and start crying.
There are so many of us here who have suffered great losses. Kelly for one, knows the pain and sadness you feel. *hope you don't mind me adding that, Kell* But, it's through her's and other's experiences that we can move on and understand that it's ok to feel the way we do.

I also know that you are in such turmoil over not having a DX, but I guess one way to look at it is~ Since MS or something else isn't jumping out at the Dr's or through testing, that could be a good thing. Some people get a DX of some sort or another right away and literally get the rug pulled out from under them, while other's seem to linger on mystery illnesses.

Maybe just sitting back and giving your body and soul time to get over all that has happened will give you time to regroup. Take care and I too, wish you could take a long tropical vacation. *if you do, take me with you* :hug:

Good Morning FRANKO? :Bang-Head:lol good morning Ladys.

DM take it easy and rest don't push yourself we don't want you to get hurt:hug:

Sarah the others are right, the after effects of someone close passing can really mess with us. And you add your job your kids and DH and other issues, and the fact your not in the rubber room suite at sunny dale farms is a great thing. But you must also find that spot in between, and try to stay there. I know it is easier said than done, try to relax and don't fret a lot over it. you are perfectly normal:hug:

Hello DM Kelly DEB and all of you that are still snoring(yes that includes the chainsaw next to me):hug:

AYUP! You heard me right FRANKO! Didn't know that's your nickname from me, eh???
Have you even been to bed yet?? I had a fitful sleep, if you can call it sleep!

Hey, wer'e having a heat wave in IL today and tomorrow. I love it!!!

How's the breathing? Have you been back to the Dr? We worry about you!!

Oh, and give Deb a hug for me, but not until she wakes up.

*channeling Nappy for a moment*

~ ~ SMACK ~ ~

:D

i finally conked out around 4 ish

breathing as I said before is overrated, no doc yet guess im doing better not sure though, deb wont agree, and is probably correct, wow thats not gonna happen often:rolleyes:

morning Kay hows the flooding ? hows them there squitter bites

Good Morning All,

:hug: to all!

Sarah I agree - check on the meds it may be just what is causing everything.

Frank - let her sleep, she needs it! Thanks for the Post Card from you both! :hug:

DM - take care of you!

I am going to TRY to make some apple sauce today with the extra apples from the tree this morning. Any tips?

I have to go to classes tomorrow but I don't have anything to do in either of them. I have finished everything just need to attend to show my support for the other classmates who need to present their projects. And then I will start new classes next week! Accounting I & Statistics (yuck)

I hope everyone has a great day! It is VERY windy here but no snow like they are getting in Jersy! You all can keep it down that way! :eek:

slow simmer it Char and then strain, its real easy to do lots of cinnamon so the house smells ohhh soooo good

Sarah:hug: I agree with what Kelly and Debbie D said. Hang in there. We all love ya!:hug:

~~~~~~~~~~

We got home late Monday night from our trip to Dallas. I felt like a slug all day yesterday! Didn't even get out of my pajamas. I'm feeling better today though.

Just doing some laundry right now. I have a follow-up appt with my neuro at 10:30 this morning, then back to doing laundry again.:rolleyes:


Hope everyone has a good day:grouphug:

Frank do I add any sugar?

im not sure char. great my first impulse was no the apples are already sweet, imagine it will depend on apples you will taste it as you cook it , but like I said no was my first thought, not sure though

I just looked Char at my recipe book no sugar if apples are sweet otherwise depending on how sour they are that will determine how much sugar you will need

Howdy Tara, been wondering where yall were glad you are doing ok today just pace yourself

Thanks Frank!

Hi Tara - glad you had a good weekend in Dallas! Get some rest! :hug:

Blues - Good luck today at the drs.

Sarah - Debbie D, DM, and Kelly have all given you great advice. Allow yourself the time to grieve. :hug:

Char - Homemade apple sauce sounds great! Growing up back east (NY & CT) my mom would make apple sauce every year at this time. Yum!!!

Frank - LOL . . Breathing is not overrated. It is essential. I hope you continue to improve.:hug:

Hi to everyone else!:hug::grouphug:

Hope everyone has a great day!

My Update: Been having trouble with my computer (maybe?). I've been phished so I haven't been online much. I think between my brother and myself we got my computer secured and working. Something I learned and am passing on to you all . . .You can't have 2 or more firewall programs running at the same time. This causes a conflict and one or both programs will not work properly. :eek:

The weather here is still HOT (upper 80's/90's). Dang it! Historically, it starts cooling down after Halloween. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be that way this year.

Hey T!!! Nice to see you!

Uh Char~ I make applesauce and yes, I do add either sugar or sweetener to taste. I also make mine kind of chunky, as that's the way my DD likes it. She says it kind of tastes like apple pie filling that way. Sounds good,, I may have to make some, as our apple trees are full.

Have a good day all~

Franko??? Listen to Deb!!! *that's an order*


*sneaking out of thread*

Thanks!

The apple are all peeled, sliced and on the wood stove simmering! I looked for a recipe and it said to add the sugar and cinn after you cook the apples down? I would think you would put it in while it simmered but the all said no. :confused:

I will let you know how I made out! :D

Good morning everyone. Let's see if I can get everyone in here. lol Thank you for the kind words. I haven't decided how to pay it forward yet but will. Thinking, thinking.

Debbie D, I am so sorry your family is in turmoil. :hug:

Sarah, allow yourself to grieve. It's a natural process and one all of us have to go through. It will get easier as time goes by but you'll never stop missing her. :hug: Rest and take care of you OK? How much gaba were you taking before you dropped to one a day? It could be playing a small part because you must ween slowly off that med. :hug:

DM, I am praying for your friend and hope seeing her today perks her up. :hug:

Char, I thought about you when I saw that snow! WOW is all I can say. Glad it didn't hit you. Don't you hate when one class ends and another starts up? Gosh, I remember those days. I am itching to get back into school and looking up online classes. :hug: How are you feeling lately?

About the apple sauce. I've never made it but when I use cinnamon I use the kind with sugar added. :confused:

Tara, good luck on your appointment! Let us know how it goes. I am in the mood for a trip. Cindy lit a fire. Now, if only I can find the money to do it. lol We almost hit the road to see Obama in MO but changed our minds. I so want to see him before the election.

Trish, hiya! I hope the weather cools down for you too. That must be hard dealing with high temps most of the year. :hug:

Frank, I don't know what to do with you. Tell Deb to tie you down and make you listen. lol

Kelly, how's the weather by you? You haven't ate all your candy yet have you? Jim and I might. lol I need the 31st to get here fast!

Kay, did it stop raining yet? :eek:


MY UPDATE:
I finished the main walls in the basement and plan to hit the side walls in a different color today. I will be glad when I am done. I only realized yesterday that painting the basement is like painting the whole house. Doh!

To everyone I missed I hope your day is wonderful and cool. :grouphug:

I'm workin' on it!! I'll eat one, then go back 5 minutes later and get another one....then another one and so on and so on. I should just get the kind I don't like but I've never been able to do that!! :rolleyes: Wait.....I don't think there is a kind I don't like!!! :eek:

Frank, with all this energy you have and all the cooking you do I think you should be the next "Food Network Star"!! :cool:

Now, to think up a name for your show..........:Ponder:

hey Kell - I have the same choc-o-addiction ... already ate all my milk duds and finishing off the mini-Kit-Kats ... started on the choco-stars (for my peanut butter cookies) .. there is never an end ... LOL

Okay - here's my update .. may be a bit deep ... but I need your help! :Red eyes:

financially, I'm struggling ... if I told you ... you'd be shocked ... and how I've made it has been a miracle! ...

about the quilt corp ...

I want to move back up north (long boring story) :holysheep: .. possibly this spring ... and I was 'wondering' .. this is the clincher:: how do I establish credit for the corp?? can I buy a house?? can I get a loan (to remodel a house for a studio and office??)

thanks - inquiry minds would like to know! :Thanx:

Vonn, I would think you'd need established income to buy a house these days. If you don't have a consistant income it may be hard to get a loan for anything. :hug:

thanks, Sandy ... I figured ... I'll make it ... :rolleyes: I'm running out of rope ... and the knot has been pretty worn!

:hug: Vonn :hug: I don't have any good answers for you....:(

The past two years have been very rough for me, too. I haven't used credit in over a year....I have my debit card and one credit card for emergencies but that's it. I use cash only. I know my credit has suffered since I've not been able to work and I don't know how (or if) people on a fixed income (SSDI) can even get a loan.

I told my son just the other day that at least I didn't have to worry about becoming unemployed! Can't fire me from being disabled!!

Maybe we should all start a big lottery pool here and buy up hundreds of tickets when it gets to be several million dollars! We'd have to get someone up north to buy the tickets 'cos it always seems like it's somebody in Michigan or Illinois or Minnesota that wins the big jackpots!

I can tell you that if I ever won that much money I'd be helping all my NT friends out....alot!

thanks, Kell ... I didn't want to get anyone down ... no matter how bad it gets, I just have to remember that I'm better now than I was in the last 8 years ...

some situations changed on me yesterday - and now I have to 'punt' and work at changing the game ... again! LOL

good morning ... opps ... i should say good afternoon everyone ...:Wave-Hello:

frank has been up since ... well i don't know since this "chainsaw" was asleep until that chainsaw actually started sawing in the house ... around 9 am ... ugh!!! nasty way to wake up ...:yikes: then our oldest comes over and proceeds to waltz into the room :icon_eek: thank god i had the blanket over me or the child would have gotten an eye full :yikes: something about my child seeing me in the buff ... just not right ... especially when you take into consideration that gravity has definitely NOT done me any favors ... anyway ... that was the start of my day ... no good morning honey ... no hot cup of coffee to wake up with ... nada ... just a lousy saw and a childs bugged out eyes ...

next we proceed to get dressed quickly and then nuke a cup of coffee in the microwave ... better than nothing and i need it NOW ... meanwhile frank and son tear up the bedroom getting to one of the walls that we are paneling ... so now i get the lovely morning sounds of saws, hammers, and loud words i will not repeat ... so i go and hide in the bathroom http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u..._computer1.gif... armed with paint and a roller ... figure i can paint the walls while i avoid the now heated temper of my darling husband :ranting:... seems his father cemented every addition he did to the house cause nothing budges easily ... so still hiding in the bathroom and am now giggling:icon_lol:... meanwhile darling son with his size 15 shoes can't seem to walk through the house without knocking something over or tripping:thud:... all in all ... quite a comedy act to listen to as i am not stupid and i stayed in the bathroom :Doh:

at the moment husband has gone to store for basic groceries and son has returned to his home ... so i can come out and play ... http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...mileyputer.gif

i hope everyone is having a great day so far and :hug: to everyone wither you need one or not