December Determination ~ Week 3

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Someone couldn't wait to get here with my birthday present - EB made his mother take a picture & send it to me ahead of their arrival



And this lovely centerpice also arrived this afternoon from a wonderful friend



I am feeling loved today, thank you everyone!
LBH, you must live in a magical place ~ at least you make it sound magical

[Kaslo]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Happy Birthday Lavande, What an inspiration you are. You are an example to follow, and have shown us the way. k

[Stargazerlily]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Good morning...

Lav, hope your birthday was great,thanks for the pictures. Sorry you recevied a nasty email, what is with some people. It still hurts, if not stings though, to have meanness sent our way. I loved your centerpiece and want one!! They are so festive. Hope your birthday turned out great!!! Thanks for all you do, taking the time to care and post, sharing your life and experience. There is no greater gift.

LBH, what an interesting scene at the post office...there is always a line around Chirstmas. Lucky to avoid that this year, but you made it sound fun. You soundwell and in the Christmas mood.

Chill, parents are off safely and the visit was a success, does it get any better than that? Good luck on your business hopes and have funat the party.

Dill, I don't care if youare progun, we can all have our own views on everything. That's America. I agree with you that having guns in the house with someone who has mental issues was such poor judgement it is beyond words. She paid with her life. I really appreciated the story about the incident in the 20s with bombs. If people are determined and want to hurt and kill, they will and they have.

Well, the weather is nasty this morning, rain turning to snow and I get to drive through it am and pm. Darn. Oh well, after tonight, four days off.

Hello to Rusty, Cyn, Pmom, Rustop, Cat, Blondie and all...have a good day.

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Good morning everyone,

No rain here yet just darkness, yuck.
Hope you don't have to deal with too much snow Star!

I have very strong feelings about guns that go way back. My concern is primarily with the easy access & volume of street guns but also with some of the so-called 'responsible gun owners'. My BIL is one of them unforunately. He was found to have a hand gun lying on his desk in his gargae weeks after his son was killed in an auto accident. A concerned neighbor walked in, removed it then called YB. YB went over to talk to his brother & found that his brother had been sitting there contemplating suicide. Very sad but also very reckless as any kid could have walked in there at any time. My BIL remains depressed 9 years later & recently made an attempt on his life via Rx drugs & AL. This man should not own guns & I am sure there are many more out there just like him

Well, I wish everyone a terrific AF Thursday!
Lav

[dill]

December Determination ~ Week 3

OMG, Lav! What a story about your BIL. I understand where you are coming from.

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Well ~ at least one of the brothers is perking up a bit.
YB came over this afternoon wanting to go outlet shopping so off we went to Lancaster.
Everything I looked at he paid for including a new set of T fal pots & pans for my kitchen :H
Guess I should have been looking at diamonds & gold :H
I know he is finally starting to feel human after his incredibly long journey to depression-ville & I don't want to take advantage or anything BUT my old set of pots & pans is just 6 months short of being 40 years old!!!!

Dill, I think my BIL is permanently stuck inside his head. He has always had a miserable personality but when you add a lifetime of chronic severe back pain & surgeries & the loss of his son, he just doesn't see any reason to hang on. He has an 18 month old grandson & just doesn't seem to notice

The rain has arrived but the temp is still above freezing. Hope Ms Rusty is OK in her neck of the woods. How about the rest of you??

[cyntree]

December Determination ~ Week 3

So glad you had a good bday, Lav - so deserved. Rain, rain, rain here, though I am still wishing for snow, oh well.

I will be thinking of you all tomorrow morning just after 6 am when the Solstice arrives and will pass us on into a new light...

[papmom3]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Evening dearest friends!!

Lav, I am sooooo sorry I missed your birthday!! I didn't mean too but yesterday was a killer and I just ran out of time to hop on here. I am so happy to see that YB treated you to a day of outlet shopping. It really does sound like he is coming around. I'll keep praying. I also was horrified to hear what your BIL has been dealing with all these years. May he find some peace here on earth, not in heaven, not just yet anyway.

Rusty, LVT, Dill, Star and anyone else out in the midwest-I just heard about the storm late this evening Please let us know that you are OK.

I have lots to tell you all, hopefully even more tomorrow but I just can't get into it right now. Its too late, I'm too exhausted and besides, I want to be able to tell the whole story, not leave it open ended.

Lav, I just want to reiterate what everyone else has so eloquently said, especially Cat. You are the anchor of this thread and without you, I know my journey would have been twice as rough. I do hope that you will somehow honor yourself this holiday season. We all need to do that but you especially. You have no idea how much you are loved, not only by your family but by everyone on this site.

Sweet dreams all!

[Stargazerlily]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Good morning to all...

Lav, shopping at an outlet mall and new pots andpans. Wheweee. Seriously, kitchen stuff is something used daily so it is great to have nice new shiny pots and pans for everyday use.

Pap, we have a little snow this morning over ice as it rained all day. Oh, well, such is winter. I have to meet someone for coffee this morning so will be really careful. My son just called on his way to work and numerous roads are closed.

So, off to drink coffee and get ready to roll. Have a great day all.

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Good morning all!

I'm seeing pictures of treacherous roads out west ladies, please do be careful
Had a boatload of rain here last night & enough wind to knock out the power for a few minutes. Just love having to go around & rest all the clocks, oh well. At least we are stil here despite the Mayan's predictions :H

Papmom, sure hope your news is especially good! I'll be waiting to hear.

Cyn, we have entered into a new age of enlightenment, right? I am so happy we are all prepared & traveling together

Star, it's funny that my old set of pots & pans came with a lifetime guarantee. We bought it in 1973 right before we were married. I've loved it but just recenly the handle's have been breaking off of the lids & the pot handles can no longer be tightened, etc. So I thought it was time for a new set to welcome in this new age of enlightenment

Be careful out on the roads everyone. I'm off to Curves then back here for some cookie baking that I just haven't been able to get done.

Lav

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Good Morning Threadmates!

"It's getting to look a lot like Christmas...." I think we got about 8 inches of snow overnight. Lucky me, I don't have to drive far at all today!! And I don't have to be on a plane, either!

Lav, thanks for posting pics of your birthday bouquet and EB's present. What was in the box he was holding? I am flabbergasted that YB took you out and you got new pots and pans. Good for you! I have T-Fal cookware, too. It lasts forever. Sorry to hear about the nastygram. Did you the blow the poster off or reply in kind? I was shocked to hear that your BIL left a LOADED gun in his garage when he had kids around. When you mentioned that his son died in a car accident, it reminded me of my former co-worker, a self-described alcoholic whose drinking escalated after his son died in a car accident, too. His life ended that day, and despite having 3 grandchildren now he doesn't want to live. At the age of 59, his liver is shot and he has become extremely reclusive. He is living in his son's basement and no longer works. He was soooo good looking when I met him 7 yrs. ago. Not anymore. I have called him, emailed, and he never replies. He goes off on AL binges for days and nobody knows where he is. Just a year ago, he told me, " I don't need any help to stop drinking!"

Pap-Thanks for asking about us Midwesterners who got pounded by the blizzard.:h I am soooo glad I got new tires on my Explorer. Today will be the ultimate test, I think. Do you get a long Christmas vacation?

Star-be careful this morning, and hope you have a nice coffee date with your friend.

LBH-"simple and gentle patience." I need to practice that.

Chill-how is your ill friend? I will pray for her. good luck on the business possibility.

Dill-what are your plans for your holiday vacation? Are you and Mr. D doing anything special?

I just want to let everyone know that if I don't post every day, it's just because I'm working on other things....like paperwork, etc. and I am really trying to stay away from the computer because it makes my neck feel soooo much better when I do, so please don't worry about me.

Oh, hey....I forgot to tell you guys something. Remember a few months ago, I was telling you that I was really upset because I had tried to reach one of my biggest consulting clients, and I left VMs, emailed him, etc., and he didn't respond? Well, I accidentally called him a week ago because I mistakenly touched his number on my contacts list. As soon as I saw his phone ringing, I hung up. Well, do you know he called me RIGHT back, and I asked him why he hadn't returned my numerous calls, and he just casually said, "I've just been really busy." Well, guess what, he wanted me to quote him for 4 days of work in February or March. I hope he accepts my quote....I talked to him on Wednesday and he said he's on vacation this week but will look at it after the holiday. Why not just send me a quick email saying everything's ok, I'm just busy? ARRRGGGHHH. I think men are far more guilty of this then women. Phew, that felt good. I am done with my rant. Thanks for listening.

A cheery hello to Rustop, LBH, Jolie, Catbuddy, Nurdl, and anyone I may have missed....happy AF Friday.

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Oops, sorry, Lav, x-post!

[nurdl]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Lav, I am sorry to have missed your birthday. From your photos it looks as though you were treated well and loved. New pots and pans!!! :woot: a wonderful gift and you should have meandered over to the jewelry counter, cast your eyes upon something really lovely and expensive and let out a long sigh... (giggle)

It's all been said so eloquently already but allow me to also say what a help you have been to so many people, me included. We are living a better life because yo care enough to encourage, to scold, to make us laugh, to share your own stories and your chickens, lol. You're da bomb as the kids say.
xoxo

[Kaslo]

December Determination ~ Week 3

Good morning all. Happy Winter Solstice! Where were the Mayans a couple of months ago when everyone was talking about the end of the world. hmm?

Pap dont keep us in suspense!

Lav, when YB buys you pots do you think he misses your cooking? I BET!

LBheart... I loved your story about the tired man with the baby. I could see the poor fellow, what a sweetheart he must be.

Rusty, you sound very centred in domestic bliss. I love that.

Dill I dont subscribe to the idea that more guns are a solution to the problem of guns, but I respect your right to have an opinion in it. I also think the adadge that guns dont kill people people do is a bit facile. I was aware of the bombing. I am hoping we can take the Mayans advice and make this a new age of enlightenment. I myself have a shot gun I needed for work, when I was often in grizzly bear habitat. I have a similar project coming up this summer I think (its not been awarded yet), and I have to think about whether I want to start packing it with me, or get something smaller and lighter. My problem is, I am a bad shot. Its a miracle i havent hurt myself or someone else with the damned thing. I personally hate guns, but for me they are a necessity. The idea of leaving my sawed off shot gun loaded out in the open in the garage makes my blood run cold. In Canada we MUST conceal, disarm, train, register yada yada. AND its a good thing. We still are second to y'all in episodes like the recent disaster, however.

I fervently hope that we do not flag in the current dialogue and that we take action, many different ones are needed to prevent these horrific things, so many so awful. I hope that the debate does not dissolve into more acrimonious name calling and retribution. We all need more support for human mental health and I think we SHOULD ban assault weapons, who needs more than 5 consecutive firings? ban them! Even consider a voluntary disarming of assault weapons, across both nations. Is it realistic to think we could effectively take up arms against our governments? Do we need civil wars in our future? Hunters and gun lovers must consider others over their fondness for them. We need increased school security, registries, public education, communication, and above all, ahead of all of this, more love. More support. More caring. More understanding. My daughter is a student teacher. I want her to survive. I want us all to make it to the end unmolested. Is that too much to ask?

here is my photo from yesterday. Those of you who saw the most recent photographs will perhaps remember how much less snow there was on this rediculous bird feeder, which is actually quite large.



We are leaving for Vancouver Island tomorrow....must finish a tox paper I am writing. Bless this day.

K

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ Week 3

NOW THAT'S A LOT OF SNOW KAS :H:H:H:H

Wishing you a safe trip to Vancouver (I'm just a bit jealous)......

Police departments here in the biggest & nastiest cities on the east coast sponsor 'turn in your guns days'. They ask no questions & actually end of with with loads of illegal weapons turned in. I'd like to think it helps but.....
I agree that we really need to do something about the lack of services available for individuals with severe mental health problems.

OK, time to bake cookies :yay: