Newbies Nest

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

Glad to hear all the 'made it through New Year's Eve' success stories. I think I made it to midnight somewhere in the mid-Atlantic before heading to bed.

I loved all of Kensho's suggestions for Wags - fun and healthy ways to relieve stress. In a pinch, though, I go with the old reliable stuffing my face approach. When I'm full, I have essentially no desire for alcohol. This might be just me because I pretty much only drank on an empty stomach so if there is any food in there, it doesn't have the effect I was looking for and I just don't want it. I used to avoid going out for lunch because I didn't want anything to disrupt my daily 'hit' later in the day. At this point, I find it hard to believe I did such a stupid thing - purposely stoking the addiction. Geez.

How is your pup, Wags? Ours is being spayed today.

Well, we've got another grandson with covid - both are too young to be vaccinated. Crazy that they got it given how careful these families have been. Since their older vaccinated brothers are fine, it seems like the vaccines really are helping. Luckily, neither seems to have had serious problems. And it doesn't seem like any of the adults who have been around them have been affected. On the other hand, the home test kits are hard to come by and like you were discussing, of unknown sensitivity, so it isn't like we know for sure.

I'm quite jelz of your walks, Pav! I do think I'm making progress, though. Ava and I will catch you one of these days!!

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Our big snow storm turned out to be a coating of snow, noting needed to be shoveled or plowed, yay. It’s windy & below freezing though so things will ice up overnight.
Got my refrigerators cleaned out & my car scheduled for an oil change next week & that’s about it for the day, Lol

NS, sorry to hear Covid is still getting your family. Our’s is finally clear but we’ll see how long that lasts.
Looking at some of my past behavior now makes my head spin. Strange how we convince ourselves it was OK to do the things we did - nevermore!

Hello to everyone getting back to work after the holidays, I feel for you
Wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

NS - sorry to hear about the young ones with covid, but that's fantastic that the older ones who've been vax'ed seem to be staying healthy. It sounds like cases are exploding everywhere. Keep it up with your PT and walking - you'll be lapping Pav in no time!

Slo - your daughter the swimmer is in a great time of life. It will be interesting to see what she thinks about off-campus living after she gets a taste of it. The dorms are a great experience for a bit, and then I think almost everyone is grateful when they're able to move to a shared house or apt off campus. Just reading your posts about her takes me back to my college athlete days (soccer). I hope she stays well and has a wonderful winter/spring at school.

Pav - I wish we had winter weather here that lent itself to as much hiking as you've been able to do. I guess technically we could go in the rain or snow, and we definitely do sometimes, but it always is a bit harder to get out the door and wet weather makes it much more difficult to take our pup. My wife and I just decided to commit to a new 6-week fitness program that we can do at home. It will take us through about mid-Feb and by then we should be able to get outdoors at least a couple of times per week.

Kensho - can you possibly turn down the work you've been postponing the call-back for? Maybe you're procrastinating for a good reason such as self-preservation? It sounds like you've had a lot on your plate for quite awhile. The fires in the Boulder area were really devastating. I saw a video on twitter that one woman had posted -- it was from a camera mounted on the outside of her house. It only lasts for about 2 minutes, and in that brief time you see nothing, then smoke billowing into the frame, then flames flicker, then a huge surge of flame, and then everything is burning. It really captured just how freakin' fast that fire was moving. And in December!!!


I'm glad to be on the "made it through NYE without drinking" list, especially considering how unexpectedly challenging that turned out to be for me this year. It was really surprising. I think a combo of not enough sleep (pup's ER trip) and deep fatigue (last few years), plus the socio-political climate in the world and in our country, plus menopause just all hit me badly at the exact same time. Time to craft some new tools and to sharpen a few rusty ones.

Take care everyone. Hope January is treating you all well so far.

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

I, too, love the suggestions, Kensho. I signed up for an art class this winter which I am excited about - trying something new.

Slo, that does sound like a fun time for your daughter. Weird that they would have swimming practice but not open a dorm or something. It must be so challenging to be a college athlete! Wags, do you still play soccer? I'm sure there's a team up there for you to join! Did you and your wife sign up for a class or make your own program? I need to commit to a fitness program (I ALWAYS say that, and yet I never do! :cuss: I'm trying to add more (light) weight lifting into my routine to keep my upper body going. My ankle still can't handle yoga. No one knows what is wrong, but it continues to hurt if I practice (isn't age the best??), so I have to find some other forms of stretch, strength and relaxation. Bummer.

NS, sorry about your grandbaby. It really is everywhere, but it seems to have peaked here and is on its way down, at least the last couple of days according to the counts the county does. We'll see. I hope he continues to have it mildly, and that the adults stay safe.

Glad you're not snowed under, Lav. Take it easy on that ice!

Off to work. I'm dragging this morning - I have jet lag from my holiday sleeping patterns of staying up later and sleeping later. Trying to adjust is HARD!

Happy SOBER Tuesday,
Pav

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Trying to get back to healthier eating after the holidays, finally. I made a pot of vegan soup I love Tuscan White Bean soup & baked a large loaf of sourdough bread today. Only one slice of bread with my soup for dinner, haha!

Wags, you made it through the holidays unscathed but it took some work. You did everything right, be proud.
Good luck with your 6 week exercise program, sounds good.

Pav, just heard we’re in for more snow on Friday, We are bound to get dumped on sooner or later
I hope today wasn’t too bad getting back in the groove.

Hello to everyone & wishing a safe night in the nest for all.

Lav

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hola evabody,

Pav, i hope it has peaked and is heading south. It will eventually, but sooner the better! Here infections are rising, but we also have a 92% double vax rate. Hospitals are feeling the strain (as they did even before covid), but stats say over 95% hospital admissions are unvaxxed. Governments everywhere should be supporting hospitals and health workers everywhere but slow to do so as usual.

Big waves to all. Take care and wishing all touched by covid a full and swift recovery.

Surf's up.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

No one else here today? Hope everyone is good & having a good AF day.
Nothing special going on with me, just wanted to say hello!

Wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

NS - how did your pup's spay procedure go? Our little girl is feeling a lot better, thanks for asking.

Lav - I guess it's just you and me so far today. Hope you had a good one!


Well, add the Wags family to the list of those hit by Covid. My aunt tested positive yesterday and is hospitalized so she can receive oxygen. Please keep her in your thoughts. I am especially concerned for my cousin -- my uncle/her dad passed away just last August, and I can't imagine how hard it'll be if she loses her mom so soon thereafter.

Stay safe everyone!

[Slo]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good morning! I am up with the larks, as they say.
I decided to stay another day up here at daughter’s house; realizing that it’s their 4th wedding anniversary today, so I should stay and babysit so that they can go out to dinner together tonight and celebrate.
Daughter has been kind to me too: she celebrated my birthday today a couple days early by bringing Thai food home for dinner, buying me a game from them (“Deer in Headlights”); and they played a few rounds of the new game with me after the babies went to bed.

Sorry about your aunt, Wags; so soon after your uncle died. I bet the extra oxygen will do the trick and get her through.
Yes, I can see where the confluence of deep fatigue combined with acute fatigue and menopause plus the turbulent times could make you wobbly. That’s why the T in HALT stands for “tired”.
H = hungry? A = angry or anxious? L = lonely or bored? T = tired?
I’m with NS: I always address hunger first when I feel wobbly in my quit.

So you were a collegiate athlete, Wags?! Good for you! I can’t imagine, being as un-athletic and non competitive as I am. It is HB who supports & encourages the daughters in their swimming with his avid interest in sports. Their dad’s deep interest gives them a lot of drive.
It turns out daughter could have stayed in her dorm for these few weeks if she paid an extra fee to do so. But staying at the house with the upperclassmen while they all stay at college to swim will give her an opportunity to practice feeding herself and that sort of thing.

I can’t get motivated to do much exercise this Winter. Just my bare minimum of a little strengthening or stretching each day, and 10 minutes or so of biking or walking each day. The dump of snow and the frigid temperatures are scuttling my walks now though. I guess it’s like hibernating in the Winter.

Wishing you all a pleasant day!

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Wags, sending positive thoughts to you Aunt. How scary.

Not much to add. More covid positive cases in and around school - luckily so far people have found them before they came to spread it, and so far people are ok.

Lav, I, too, made white bean and kale soup - but I put a bit of Italian sausage in it, so not vegan. Yum!

Happy SOBER Thursday!

Pav

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

Cold today with a little sun. Awaiting an overnight snow storm once again. So grateful I don’t have to go anywhere in the morning haha.

Wags, sending thoughts for your aunt, hope she recovers soon. This virus is awful & doesn’t care if it wipes out entire families
Glad your pup os better now.

Slo, Happy early birthday to you!! That was nice your daughter treated you. I always watched grandkids so my kids could go out for anniversaries. Both of my kids celebrated their 15th last year. Crazy they got married within 2 months of each other, Lol.
Lots of exciting changes are coming to you this year, hang in there & stay positive!

Pav, I love soup no matter what’s in it really. I cook a lot of vegan recipes to help my health issues along, so they make me happy.
Many Schools in this tristate area are going virtual for now to try to slow down transmission of the virus. Stay well!

Hello to all & wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Slo - happy early birthday! It sounds like a very nice time with your daughter. I hear you on having trouble getting motivated to exercise. I love to workout and I'm still having some trouble with that myself.

Pav - I hope the case numbers at your school stay low and that people keep on staying home before they can transfer to others in the school community.

Lav - you and my wife would get along great with your love of soups!


Thanks for the support and good thoughts everyone. The latest update on my aunt is that she's stable and was able to at least talk with a case manager about what things could look like after she's discharged. It sounds like they think "when" not "if" on the question of her going home, so hooray!!! Thank goodness everyone in my family is vaxxed and boosted - I'm sure that is helping keep her symptoms manageable. Her main risk is that she's currently in treatment for a blood cancer so her immune system is compromised. Fingers crossed that she'll have a full recovery.

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Glad your Aunt is on the mend, Wags. What a scary situation.

Lav, I'm in for any soup, too. I like to make a big pot on Sunday and eat it for lunch throughout the week.

This has been one of the longest weeks on record! There is a saying - the days are long but the years are short. My time/space continuum is all messed up. The presidential election was only a year ago??? I feel all messed up in that way.

TGIF.

Pav

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

We had about 4” of snow overnight then the temp dropped below freezing so it really feels bitter out there. Only 2 of my chickens were brave enough to go outside today, Lol

Wags, that’s great news about your aunt & you can be sure when the discharge planner shows up things are moving in the right direction
I’ll always be a soup fan for sure. The challenge these days is keep the flavor while decreasing the salt but I’ve been doing OK with that.

Pav, cooking once & eating many times was my motto when I was working full time haha!!
I agree think the time/space continuum has been messed up over the past year +. Hopefully it fixes itself soon!!

Hello to everyone & wishing a safe night in the nest for all.

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Quick sober fly-by. Hope you all are doing well!