Tuesday is upon us!

Hi,

Tuesday is here! The week is flying by! Im getting ready to go camping on Friday for the weekend! Maybe Carl will catch a fish or two!!!!

Bentley has never been camping before. I wonder what he will think of the tent??????

Connie prayers are with you in what ever you do. 

Talk on. Ill chec back later.

Carla

Carla

Hi Carla and my OFF family:

It's my weekend and I'm not doing much today ... back and knees are hurting too badly. Just started my new antidepressant (couldn't afford Cymbalta anymore, not at $549 for a 3-month supply). Hope Efflexor is going to work OK in place of it. It's only my second day.

We are going to have hot weather for the next two days and maybe some storms. We have some rain overnight. I slept through that, but got up way too early this morning. 

Carla, hope you, Carl and Bentley enjoy the camping ... not my thing, but I know plenty of people who like it. Camping for me is in the hotel with a TV and shower. 

That's all from me. Have a good day.

Hello, hello, hello!  I am back from the land of the deactivated!  Finally.  OH shut down my account because they said I had opened multiple accounts.  Really?  I have only ever had the one account, but they sent me a list of SIX different usernames that they said were associated with my email account!  WTH? 

Anyway, all is well now.  Thank goodness!  I have missed all my sistas!  (I did post on FB about my deactivation, so if we're FB friends, you already knew about it.  Not FB friends? I'm Vickie Gibson Poe on FB.  Friend me!)

So we are back from Mexico and Carrie is doing great!  We flew back on Friday.  We had a bit of a rough flight landing in Salt Lake City for our connection, but other than that, no problems.  I have to say I was very impressed with the Obesity Control Clinic, Drs Ortiz and Martinez, and the Marriott hotel.  We always felt well cared for and never had a minute's problem with any of it  If you have friends who are considering WLS but can't afford it, message me and I will be happy to give them a first hand account of things there. 

Carrie and I drove back to her home in Waco yesterday.  I'm going to spend a few days here this week, just to make sure she's back on her feet again.  I'm here to walk the dogs and go grocery shopping for her and just generally provide a little safety net while she's recovering, although she's feeling great.  She is on a liquid diet for another two weeks and then she can start on soft solids.  We have a couple of soup recipes that we're going to try.  I will cook the soups, and then puree them and freeze in small amounts that she can just defrost and enjoy.  She's also on protein drinks, drinkable yogurt, and waters. 

Well, I haven't been able to post, but I have been reading the thread each day.  Oh, Connie, my goodness!  I am praying for you daily to be able to move away from your sister.  What a mess. Stay strong, sweetie.  God has a plan for you, although at times it's hard to see what it might be.  I wish you could come and stay with me for awhile.  It is going to be okay.  Just keep your faith in God and things will work out. 

I'm not sure if I got to tell you all that Christie got promoted to a full time position at Hobby Lobby.  This is wonderful news!  This means that she will have BENEFITS!  Health and dental insurance for her and Benny, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, and even a retirement program.  We are so thankful!  One of the reasons that Butch has been so hesitant to actually retire is the burden of supporting Chris and Benny.  We have enough money to cover ourselves for retirement, but weren't too sure about also covering Chris and Benny, too.  Hopefully now she can take over paying all her own bills (I've been helping her out every month to the tune of several hundred dollars a month!) and we can get on with our lives.

Well, I need to get a shower and get going for the day.  I am enjoying my time spent with Carrie, but I have to admit, I'm ready to get home to my husband.  Gone all last week in Mexico, and now gone all this week in Waco.  I miss my bed and my pillow and my hubby--not necessarily in that order!  LOL!

Love you all!  

Vickie, so glad Carrie is doing so well after her surgery. Welcome her to the losers' bench for me. And congrats to Chris for her promotion. For her being bipolar and doing well on a job says something great. 

I have been dealing with my own financial mess but have been digging myself out of it slowly with the help of friends. I worry about Connie and the pain and problems with her living arrangements. Wish I could help her.

Thanks, Eileen.  I will tell Carrie.  She is very excited to already be losing weight. 

The thing about Christie is this: she can do one thing at a time and do it very well, but she can NOT multi-task.  Sends her into a downward spiral every time.  She is quite intelligent, but just does not have the emotional stability to deal with stress without having a melt down.  That is why I moved down to Canyon Lake to be with her.  If all she had to do was be a stay-at-home mom, she could do that with no problems.  But throw in a job on top of mom duties, and I knew she would wig out.  Likewise, she can go to school and make all A's, as long as that's ALL she has to do is concentrate on classes.  But add in a job or a kid, and she won't be able to do it. 

Well, obviously, real life doesn't allow for those kinds of scenarios very often.  She is always going to need a lot of support to function.  Butch and I have accepted this.  It's just like having a disabled child.  She is always going to need a little extra help to get by.  So for now, I am Benny's main caregiver while she works.  The part time job was nice, but it didn't begin to pay all her monthly bills.  Hopefully that will get better now.  We surely do need her to be able to support herself and her child financially.   She can live with us rent free, but she's got to be able to manage the rest on her own. 

Financial problems are never easy, are they? 

I am worried about Connie, too.  I think we all are.  She is in an untenable situation.  I surely wish I could help her out, too.  I have plenty of room at my house.  Like Debbie A., I could offer her a place to stay, but Texas is a long way from home for her.  All we can do at this point is to pray. 

Hello everyone!

Had a great day yesterday went to help Michael pack up his apartment. School is over for him on Thursday. We went to Target, I got a sun dress, went to CostCo and then he took me to a place called the Pita Pit for lunch. You can create your own pita with all kinds of meat, veggies, cheese and sauces. It was so yummy!

Connie, I'm so worried about you. If you can get to my house in California you can stay here for as long as you need it. I do have 3 cats and 3 dogs which would probably put you in the hospital. But If you could deal with it your more than welcome. Prayers and hugs coming your way.

Hope you all have a great day, thoughts and prayers for all,

Debbie

Afternoon OFF family....busy as heck here trying to get ready for rural development tomorrow for inspection...sweating it out lol its hot as heck here working to make sure all is neat and clean and also planting some flowers in that hot air and some sun....wow!! Looking pretty though!!! :-) After they are done we are going out to dinner and celebrate or drown our sorrows....lol.

Trying to move 4 people in right now on the goverment side omg all the paperwork and also doing recerts at the same time...YIKES!!!!!!!! Talk about paperwork!!!!

Vickie happy that your daughter got her WLS and is doing good!!! Tell her welcome to the losers bench!!!! :-) Also congrats to your other daughter on her promotion to full time!!! WOW!!!! Now tell that hubby he CAN retire and spend some quality time with you for a hange instead of all those men over seas!!! LOL

Ok time to get Bandit on his potty walk and me back to planting the rest of those flowers before it gets hotter or the rain****!!!

Thoughts and Prayers going out to all those that were hit by that awful tornado in Oklahoma yesterday!!! So sad!!!

Thoughts and Prayers for ALL that need them here also!!

HUGSSSSSSSSSS

Thank you, Judy!  I will tell her!

Good Morning Carla and OFF-

Carla, I used to enjoy camping but now I like staying in the motorhome better.  Something about a firm bed that makes the experience nice.

Connie- I hope that you get relief from your situation soon.  I reiterate what Vickie said, there's a reason for these trials and tribulations and someday you will look back and smile.  Sending you lots of positive thoughts.

Vickie-  Hope your visit in Waco is safe with all this lousy weather that is taking place in northern Texas and Oklahoma.

Another dreary day today in Maine but I'm not complaining.  Forces me to stay inside and slowly unpack and clean up the cabins.  We'll need several days of sun and wind to dry out the leaves before I can tackle those.  As usual theres a reason for this weather and the actions just not always clear.

Positive thoughts to all of you in need.  Hope everyone who has friends and family in Oklahoma have heard that they are safe!

Cindi

Good Afternoon Carla and OFF,

Carla, I no longer camp.  I stay in hotels.  I can't get up off the ground easily, much less sleep on the ground.  

Vickie, congrats to Carrie, and welcome to the Losers Bench.  Also, Christie's full time job is awesome.  There was a time I when I couldn't handle being a Mom and going to school or working.  I eventually grew out of that and developed some organizational skills.

Connie, I'm also worried, and praying for you.  I have a spare bedroom, and an air mattress the height of a twin bed.  Problem is, I'd have to get permission from Colleen and Trent, as they're my landlords.  Plus, I have Utley.  But, if you need a temporary place, I'm here, right outside of Lansing, Michigan.  Hang in there.

Can't remember who else posted.  

I am fighting off a killer sinus headache today.  It just keeps going on and on.

Prayers and Hugs,

Trish