There are more recipes posted on Forum Feedback and holiday ideas.

Oh Anne, I really feel for you! The house cleaning thing is so difficult! I really hope you can get someone to help you...and that you will find a way to enjoy the holiday with your family, rather than be in a horrible flare!

It's been quite a journey for me, trying to decide what is worth getting flared up for and what isn't. If I will find enough enjoyment or give something valuable enough to someone else, then I figure maybe the flare will be worth it. And sometimes I get a surprise and don't get too bad a flare! Of course, there are also the times I get a flare from next to nothing... My daughter just had a baby last weekend, and she wanted me there for the birth...ooooohhhh, what an exquisite flare! Three days recovery for the joy of being with my daughter and the birth of my first granddaughter (she has three older brothers!)...that's one flare I will never regret!

For the holiday meals, I also try to decide what will be worth spending my "spoons" for...I used to be THE pie baker for my husband's large family dinners...made anywhere from 4-8 from-scratch pies...haven't done that for the last four years since my accident. Yesterday my husband told me that his mom was mentioning that whoever brought the pies last year, they were just not very good, so I told him to tell her we'll bring the pies. My daughters are 9 & 12 now, and the 12 yo can even roll out a pie crust, so with a lot of help I think we'll give it a shot. I also want to go back to making cookie trays for the neighbors...we live in a rural area and don't see the neighbors too often, and the holiday cookie trays were always a way to keep in touch. That's been another thing that's gone by the wayside, but this year we'll do them with the girls' help...another "worth it" thing for me, I think! That is, if I'm not already flared...that usually keeps me from even being able to try something, and that's when it gets a little discouraging...

As far as cooking a turkey...only when someone with arms is around! We had some friends over last month and I was so hungry for turkey, so we made a "Thanksgiving" type dinner, with bread stuffing from scratch, fresh mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pies. I'm not sure that flare was worth it!

We had a friend from Pennsylvania living with us one year over the holidays, and he mentioned something about the "filling" for dinner. I had no idea what he was talking about...he said, "You know, what you fill the turkey with!" So our dressing/stuffing debate became a three way, dressing/stuffing/filling debate!

I'll jot down a few ideas I've used over the past holidays...it's also my favorite time of year!

-Online shopping instead of stores
-Gift bags instead of wrap, or have family members do the wrapping...that is a big no no for me!
-Let someone else do the decorating!
-Potluck parties...or have "open house" type parties with snacks and hot drinks; you provide the cider and cocoa, and have everyone bring a plate of appetizers.
-Family newsletters instead of Christmas cards...just can't do that anymore. E-mail newsletters are even easier. You lose some personal touch, but I've always enjoyed getting newsletters from friends, and it's better than nothing at all...

Okay, better stop...lots of typing for THIS morning!

Hope you all have a pleasant and pain-free week!