Monday - Day Before the X-Mas Countdown Begins!

Good Morning Ladies!

Sorry I've been MIA the past few days -- mood swings up and down.  I sometimes feel guilty when I get down, because some of you wonderful ladies deal with much bigger problems than I face. My health issues are minor compared to others.

Thanksgiving Day was nice - Spent the day at Maura's and Taylor came home with me and stayed until Saturday night.  Yesterday I got up and went to church - trying to get out more often and be with people.  But I ended up having a pity party - and it was due to stupid thinking.  The church I started going to three weeks ago is nice and the congregation seems to be close.  But my "super sensitivity" sets me up for failure.  In the church bulletin is a reference to "coffee hour".  I know in my head all I have to do is follow everyone downstairs to take part in it - but then I think to myself why doesn't the pastor say "Welcome to anyone who is new and please join us for coffee so we can get to know you" or when everyone is sharing the "peace" why doesn't anyone say "You're new, aren't you - please come down for coffee after service"?  I know I'm being super stupid, but I have always been shy and withdrawn and feel ignored.  I mean, I was ready to set up a new e-mail account and sending a message to the pastor telling her I was new and didn't feel welcomed by the church.  How crazy is that.  I realize I have to "think straight" and just go downstairs next time I go.  (Can't go next week because someone is coming to help me with some projects.)  Note to Self:  Grow Up Mary!!  

I have to call the doctor this week - but I'm not sure if I should call PCP or my WLS surgeon.  I think I've mentioned that my shoulder has been bothering me for the past month or so.  I've tried to rest it and it has not improved at all.  I did exert it on Wednesday hanging two venetian blinds - but it was bothering me a lot before then and it doesn't feel any worse than it was.  I was thinking rota manytor cuff -- but then I read on another board that pain in the right shoulder could be a sign of gall bladder problems.  I read up on it, and what I read confirmed it as a symptom. So I'm thinking maybe I need an ultra-sound.  I'm sure they'll probably want to do an x-ray first, then if it doesn't show anything get the ultra-sound....three trips to the hospital 1. M.D., 2. x-ray, 3. ultra-sound.  So many steps!!  Ugh!

Connie - hope you're feeling better.

Vickie - you're so, so busy - take care of yourself.

Judy - prayers for your Mother and Sister.

Eileen - hope you're feeling better too.

Kathy - good to see you back - I know you're going through a tough time - sending prayers.

I know I'm forgetting a lot of you - sorry for my "senior CRS moment".

Ongoing prayers and good wishes to all!

Mary

I know what you mean Mary by not feeling welcome in Church. I went to the synagogue here in Bradenton and I just don't feel welcome there either so I just don't go. I'm not sure what it is. 

I didn't sleep to well last night. It took me five hours to drive 238 miles. Usually take 3 and a half. Traffic was the pits!

I went to a stitching meet then drove an extra hour to see my friend.

Now this week has me gearing up to fly to Chicago on Thursday for two weeks to see Miss Vinnie. I also have to have added blood work tomorrow for Hernia surgery on the 23rd. I might be in the hospital two days.

It looks gloomy today. I think we are getting someone's rain!!!

Carla

Carla, 

Great minds think a like...I was posting while you were posting.  I know you are ready to get on that plane and get that baby.  I love to cross stitch and embroidery and think it is time to get out my threads and patterns and get a big project going on....the last large thing I did was a huge tapestry that I made for my sister and it was of the last supper...funny, since I am an atheists that I worked for months on Christ and his followers eating the last meal but that is what she wanted for her birthday.  Geeze the things we do for our loved ones.   I hope your lab work is all normal and your surgery goes well. 

Hi Carla,

I didn't know that sometimes, church social activities tend to exclude certain groups. Isn't it God's house where everyone is included?
I envy your driving. I have driving issues with anxiety.

Have a great time flying up to see beautiful Vinnie. It is gloomy here also on the east side of FL. Oh well.

Take care,

Arlene

Hello Arlene....I don't see another post from you so I will just stop by and say "hello".

Have a good evening ....love and many hugs....connie d

Hello Carla...Sorry you didn't sleep well last night. I am glad that you had fun at your stitching meet.

It is nice that you can go see Vinnie again. Your daughter must have a large apartment. No offense, but don't you feel odd being there all the time. It kind of cuts down on their privacy. They are still a young couple. Oh well none of my business. I guess they would tell you no if it wasn't okay with them. Vinnie always love having you there!! I am sure they do too.

Have a good evening.....love and hugs.....connie d

Hi,

My daughter has a three bedroom apartment. But only one bathroom. It does get a little tight. I'm only staying two weeks and I'm not bringing Carl. He cramps my style!!!

carla

Mary,

I, for one, totally understand your desire to be invited and don't think you are being hypersensitive. I think that older folks and single parents (especially women) are often over looked in organizations such as churches.  I don't think you are being unreasonable in your thinking to be hurt that none of the members have extended an invitation to walk down for coffee. I am sort of like you in that I notice those kinds of things, and like you, I take it and say it's me.  You should send a very polite email to your pastor and explain to him how you are shy and how it makes you feel that no one has extended that personal invitation.  

And, today is Monday.  I have been off work since the day before Thanksgiving and only worked a little on Wed. because I had been traveling and arrived back and then got stuck in the Dallas airport and then had to rent a car to drive home and then had jet lag for a day but then I had that awful virus; I am ready to go back to work.  I almost went to my office Saturday and then I thought about it on Sunday but DH said, you need to rest and get your strength back, so I rested. 

Every semester, I teach an extra class for which I get paid handsomely for and I use that money to buy my grandkids Christmas.  I get paid for that class at the end of the semester instead of monthly like my regular class that I teach and like my position as the director of our center.  This year, I received a notice that the pay for the class went up and I am a little stoked.  So today we are buying a new apple TV...don't ask what it is because I thought it was a real TV but it is a computer that hooks to your smart TV and helps it stay online and it does other things too.  DH and I decided that we wanted to upgrade our DVD player and then we realized we don'****ch those kinds of movies since we streamline everything, so we are, for the first time in decades, removing our player...use to be beta, then VCR, then DVD, then DVD with laser thingy.   Anyway, this evening, we are running to the technology store and buying that for us and we are getting two of our grandkids laptops.  Each kid, every year, gets some technology that is age appropriate and this year, the two kids that haven't had a laptop yet are getting their first laptops.  Last year, we got all the little kids I5-10 tablets.  The older grandkids each get the amount of money that we spend on the little ones.  So, if we spend 500 on each of the little ones, we give the bigger kids 500...it gets expensive and that is why I teach the extra class.  I told DH that I will be so glad when all the kids are grown and we can just buy them gift cards to their favorite stores.  

I am also running to Joans to buy some more fabric and some yarn. I have a great, great, great niece about to be born and I am going to make her a quilt.  I try to make each of Mama's grand babies, greats, and great, greats, greats, quilts because if she were alive, she would make them one.  I am also crocheting her a little blanket, sweater, hat, and bootie pattern that I made for my kids when they were babies.  They live in a colder climate and have already had snow and ice so I think she will need the added warmth for going to the doctor and they are churchy people...it will be dressy for her to wear to church.  

Finally, my rant. My daughter is breaking my heart. I don't know what I can do to help her through this hateful mood she is in and really I don't know if I want to but while she is not talking to me and being all pissy, I worry that the grandkids are being stressed by her because she cannot keep her hate for me to herself.  They usually text me every single day and I have not heard from them in a couple of days.  The teenager texts me and so I told him to tell the little ones to text.  He said my daughter won't let them use the phone so he will let them use his....the middle child has a phone that is one of those phones that you put minutes on so I paid for him to have minutes...hopefully, he will text when he realizes it has time. 

I need to jump in the shower for work.  Last night my eye mask got twisted on my head and when I went to the bathroom this morning, and was washing my hands, I looked in the mirror and my hair is standing straight up...it will require wetting and drying to get it to lay down, which means I will have to use a curling iron on it to straighten out the curl and the cow lick....dang hair.  

Ladies, have a good Monday and we are just five days away from Saturday....and life breathes a fresh again. 

Hello Jeannie....I am glad you are back from your trip. It is nice that you had these days off over Thanksgiving.

That is sweet that you are following on the tradition of making new babies quilts!! They must all just cherish them!!

WOW....you do give a lot for Christmas!!! I can't afford anything close to that. I give everyone a nice amount. The only one I shop for is Gracie. The rest get cash!! They prefer cash. They are between 23 and 18 years old. They like to shop themselves. That is fine with me!!

I am so sorry your daughter is being a little brat. Nothing like the holidays to break someones heart. I am sure some of her hateful mood trickles down to the children. However, they have you and your husband to buffer most of that. 

I have a lovely image of you looking in the mirror this morning. I took a shower before bed last night and my hair was still wet when I fell asleep. I woke up with the same crazy hair!!!  YUP...I had to wet it again!!  At least all I have to do is put gel in it and then spray it good.  No dryers or curling irons or straighteners needed! When my hair was long I was straightening it everyday. I couldn't do it anymore so short I went. I am thinking about growing it out again to a chin length BOB. I miss my long hair. I could do so much with it and that was fun!! 

Have a restful evening...much love and hugs to you....connie d

Good morning Mary and all,

I hope you all had a good holiday.  I haven't caught up with all your posts but I know it was quiet for most, and sad for many.  My thoughts and prayers to all.  

I posted these sentiments quickly on Thanksgiving, but again, I must tell you how much I appreciate and value every single one of you. You've all been with me through my surgery and afterward, and your support has made all the difference to me.  Before Thanksgiving, I had not had a single day off, not even a weekend day, since October.  I was exhausted.  With my job taking up so much of my life and my time, I had lost touch with you all and had lost my daily habits like reading, posting, etc.  Though my job is all consuming I will try to do a better job of getting here to post, if not every day then at least a few times a week. 

Mary, you've been through a lot, especially this year.  I hope you will head to your PCP right away because shoulder pain could be from many things, as you know.  Have it checked and put your mind (and all our minds) at ease.  Sending prayers for recovery my dear.  

Carla, I am looking forward to many more gorgeous pictures of your Vinnie! Glad you found a good deal and will be flying this time.  

Jeannie, my heart breaks for you.  I would love to go and have a talk with your daughter... I wish I could shake some sense into that girl.  I am so very very sorry for your heartbreak and send you virtual hugs.  

Connie, sending many thoughts and prayers to you, as always. 

Judy, I've been praying for your mother and hope she improves!

Vickie, I agree with Mary - in all your efforts to stay busy and help others, I hope you're taking good care of Vickie!

Kathy, such a huge loss for you.  I reached out to my sister Linda last week.  We've always been so close, but she'd stopped talking to me over a year ago and I never knew why.  We had some contact around my surgery but still, no real resolution.  Your loss inspired me to try again and this time we were able to reconnect and heal our rift. So, from your terrible tragedy something wonderful happened.  THANK YOU for that inspiration.  Maybe your brother had a hand in that??  

So anyway... My weekend was good.  I went to my 35th high school reunion in Massachusetts (north of Boston) on Friday night and was able to blow a lot of peoples minds with my appearance.  That was not my goal for attending but it was sure a nice side benefit! I reconnected with some old and dear friends, and had a great time.  The following day I spent with my sister (mentioned above).  That was truly a gift and I am so happy to have started to heal that relationship.  Yesterday, I drove home to NY And wow the traffic was horrible! I hate traveling over the holiday.  But still, it was sure worth it.  

Now, it's time to turn my work computer on and get to work.  Boy my absence (not working for the past 4 days) must have shocked a lot of people! Well they had better get used to it,. because I am going to continue to take time for me.  So there!

Love and light to all,

Christine