November Knowing

[Snoopy56]

Good morning, bright and early on my day off,

I was so tired last night I fell asleep at 9 pm so up pretty early today. I can't find one of my cake pans, so have to go and buy one. I make lots of soda bread, for dinner and for family to take home to have for breakfast. It is so good and reminds me of my grandma. This entire season is full of our ancestors, and I am filled with gratitude that I had a grandma who cooked and baked and let us help. It was so fun and a big part of the seasons: helping, seeing, smelling, tasting and being together. Love it.

Mr. G., I am at 94 days today, woohoo, feeling better and better. I see you are over 100 days, and doing well yourself. Let's keep this going. I loved your post the other day about about physical changes at over 90 days and noticed some positive changes in myself, so grateful. Still tired alot, but that is OK, I am a busy person and it is wonderful to get a good night's sleep. The difference this time is that I have changed my mindset to No Drinking, not ever. I am quickly beating down any thoughts by thinking of the last disgusting time I drank. The shame of it. No more. I love being honest, loving, and living a life of purpose.

Pauly, my goodness, Michelle is really in a bad spot, getting her home is first priority. My kids have made bad choices too and we have had to help, they are our kids and we are there for them. Period. Sending you love and support.

Cyn, still snowing? my goodness. When we lived up north the birds would hide in the trees and bushes, then come out just to eat. Be safe and enjoy the coziness. I messed up yesterday and forgot to get the turkey out, I may have to soak it in water today to get it to defrost all the way. Good grief. Thanks for the info on the turkey, that makes sense. I kind of like the drama of getting the turkey out, letting everyone see it, husband carving it, it is fun. Obviously I am easily amused.

Lav, you sound good. I agree that I cannot be quiet about the political nightmare we have found ourselves in. That is how the Nazi's took over, no one speaking up, going with the flow, taking human rights away little by little, till the Holocaust murdered six million. Yes, I think Trump and his people are capable of something similar, we have to be aware, protest, and do what we can. Sounds like you had a nice peaceful night last night, good for you. I was looking for some good old movies to watch, but fell asleep. I have never set a nice table till now, just did not care, that is why my kids are excited, we really miss my parents, and to get together and celebrate means alot to all of us. Our second set of holidays in our new home, very exciting. I hope your kids show up for Thanksgiving, sending you positive energy. You are so important in my AF journey, always there and I appreciate you.

Have a great AF hump day.

[treegirl]

Morning all -

Pauly, I have been thinking of you and Michelle's situation. I sure hope things get resolved and she can get home to you soon. Hang in there - Breathe!!

Star, I hope you are OK, I'm not used to being the first one on in the morning! I hope all your Tgiving plans are going well. Happy Hump Day.

Lav, glad that those noisy roosters will be taking a hike ! I couldn't deal with that noise - a few minutes in the chicken hall at the fair was more than enough. Thanks for your words about 'Peaceful Protest'. I was thinking in the middle of the night about how to be aware of all that's going on, but not live in negativity, fear, and worry - we don't need those emotions talking to our cells, right. So I like your phrase and in the middle of the night came up with an action plan for myself, working for the good. I must keep a centered, care-ful life in the midst of all this... Time to 'put on the oxygen mask' as well as working to assist others. Thanks for your leadership.

Off to make the Turkey and pies. Wishing all a good AF pre-holiday day.

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, Star,you're chipper this morning I feel like an extra from the Walking Dead haha,I just have not slept good for the past few nights, too much on my mind, speaking of movies, I tried to get Louie to watch The Wizard of Oz with me on Sunday, he wasn't into it at all! I think kids these days are kinda spoiled by HD and computer animation so old stuff looks dumb I dunno, maybe he's just 3 and doing his own thing, still typing from the old phone cuz on the new one MWO looks weird and little even though the screen is bigger, tried to read last night and it hurt my eyes so this will do but at least I have it on the other phone too in case I need to post,I started posting more in NN cuz I need a busier thread sometimes, I never know when the eff it's will hit hello Lav and Cyn I hope we all have a great AF Wednesday

[Lavande]

Greetings friends,

Sure glad this Hump day is over, it was a busy one, haha!

I waited for YB to load 15 roosters into the crates this morning then went out to help with the last 2, ha ha! This feels creepy to say but we now have 50 lbs of chicken in the freezer. I'm going to let it just stay there for a while, at least until I forget what they looked like before they took their ride to the farm.

Star, a little extra sleep can do wonders, don't you think? Good for you!
I also have fond cooking & baking memories from childhood that I have used all my life. Both of my kids know how to put a nice dinner together (only when they have to though). I have a super scaled down meal planned for tomorrow which is fine. Maybe next year will be more 'normal' around here. Enjoy your family

Cyn, yes, we do need to stay tuned into what is going on in the US & not become complacent. Every single day since the election this man has done or said something utterly ridiculous/dangerous. Just today with the announcement of making the Michigan billionaire (big donor) woman the new secretary of education. This will absolutely destroy our public school system because she is all about charter schools (which are nice if you can afford them). What about everyone else?
There are millions & millions of angry women voters out there, we can do something about this mess!

Pauly, my granddaughter is able to sit & watch a bit of the Wizard of Oz but not the boys. Boys need a more concrete plot I think, they just don't get it, LOL
I hope things improve for Michelle very soon. Stay clear & level headed for her & yourself, OK?

We ran out for a bite to eat tonight since I spent the day prepping for tomorrow & cooking food for the dog. Living so close to the Chesapeake bay means we can get really good crab cakes, yum. Too bad YB is allergic to shell fish, ha ha!

Peace to all tonight!
Lav

[Snoopy56]

Good morning...

Thankful for you my MWO friends, thankful for so much on this brisk Thanksgiving Day! Will focus on gratitude today and the amazing ability to be AF on a holiday, wonderful.

Lav, good idea making a scaled down dinner, you have a good attitude, hope you have a peaceful day. How cool to live by Chesapeake Bay, sounds like you enjoyed your time. I had a time yesterday where I missed my parents, and all the people who are gone, cried a bit, then moved on, this happens as you get older as I am finding out.

Cyn, I did post before you yesterday, maybe you missed it. I cooked all day yesterday too, still a few sides and of course the turkey and gravy to cook today. I love the smells and the fact it is cold out. No snow like you have, but still wintry, perfect Thanksgiving weather. Hope your family is able to get up there and you have a good day.

Pauly, I am in a chipper mood, three months AF and I AM feeling a difference physically and emotionally for the good. Hope the situation with your daughter is moving forward and you are able to have a good day. How fun to watch TV with your grandson. Ours likes certain movies, super hero stuff, but would much rather play. Excited and blessed to see him today! Have a lovely day.

Have a great AF Thanksgiving!

[treegirl]

Happy Thanksgiving all,

I am so thankful to all here on the thread - we have been together through thick and thin, and you are all part of my 'family of choice'! I'm wishing all a beautiful, soul-filling holiday. Yes, Star this holiday really brings up all the lives in our journeys - and makes me miss them, too.

I've already had some cooking drama yesterday - I'll be glad that we'll get all this cooking done and dusted today!

Happy AF holiday all ---

[paulywogg]

Happy Thanksgiving friends Cyn,what was the cooking drama? Star,enjoy your family today,Lav,I'd love to have all of that chicken in the freezer, really that's the only meat I love.. and bacon haha,chicken is just so versatile, Michelle and her boyfriend are"working it out" I about puked when hubs told me that,ugh,oh well she's grown she can figure it out, went to the doctor yesterday and she gave me naltrexone,I don't like the list of side effects yet when I googled low dose naltrexone it seemed to help people with other things like fibromyalgia pain,chronic fatigue, etc,has anyone tried this med? I need to research it more,wishing everyone a peaceful AF Day and I am grateful for our little moon group

[Lavande]

Good evening friends!

Grateful for all of you, as always! I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful

I found myself shedding a few tears this morning just thinking about happier times & folks who are long gone. I was also a bit uptight wondering if my son was going to make an appearance. I hadn't heard from him since issuing the invitation but that's not totally unusual.
Just after noon the door opened & in walked my son & grandsons! No DIL, but that's just as well I guess. We had all afternoon together, had a wonderful early dinner & they went home happy! I feel blessed today.

Star, Cyn & Pauly, I hope you all enjoyed yourselves today as much as I did. We all deserve to be happy & feel appreciated.

Have a peaceful evening everyone :hug:
Lav

[Snoopy56]

Good morning...

I am exhausted today, still waking up. Need a quieter day today to recover. Not from alcohol, but from food prep, eating too much, then clean up. I am basically an introvert and to have people around all day is fun but exhausting to me. Today I have to clean my oven again, then my house and put up my Christmas decorations, which is a joy. OK, I am really worried about my son, he has had pressure in his head for months, then nose bleeds, then he feels dizzy. He had a nose bleed at our house yesterday, and I am really upset. He has been to a PCP, ENT, and a neurologist. No one is helping, the neurologist was patronizing and offered him an anti-psychotic med which he refused. He is trying to set up an MRI. I am trying not to get too upset, but I am. Sorry to dump this on you. Never felt like drinking through all of it though. I am just done. Period. Alcohol would make it so much worse, can you imagine if I drank last night? I would have slept like crap and woke up feeling GSR and felt sick. Instead I am just tired and focusing on how to take care of myself, much healthier.

Lav, so glad your son and family came over. I still think your DIL is ashamed of herself and does not know how to make amends, and that is on her. Can you imagine your husband and sons leaving you on a holiday? That is so sad for her, what a mess she is. Thanks for sharing that you too had a time of missing your beloved family who have passed on and the good times shared. It is bittersweet, and that is OK too. We talked about my parents, and I used my mom's silver for the first time, it was meaningful to share something beautiful that was hers.

Cyn, waiting to hear about your day, and the food drama. We had a little food drama too, and due to it, I am cleaning my oven today. Oh, well, it is self cleaning so that makes it so much easier. I think of women in the past and their heavier work load with no modern conveniences. We are lucky. It is still so much work. I have vowed to make less food next year, and I will. I have cut back but it is still too much. My table looked lovely, my daughter took a picture of it, isn't that funny? She is going to a friendsgiving on Sunday and wants to show someone, I guess. She and her friends are into that stuff. I am going to Pier One today and buy some napkins for Christmas, I love cloth napkins, my new thing. Hope you had a lovely day.

Pauly, don't know what to say about Michelle, but know the feeling. You love her but want to shake her at the same time. Let's hope she learns from this relationship and figures out more what she wants, which is less drama. Let's hear the tale of the two turkeys, hope you had fun yesterday.

Have a good one.

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, I won! Hubs overcooked his turkey so it was pretty dry but we still ate some and told him it was good, poor thing worked so hard on it,Star,your son needs an MRI asap,why are the docs being such asses? Prescribing and anti-psychotic for what? So he'll forget he's dizzy and having nosebleeds? I'm sorry but that makes me angry, I be so scared hope you get some answers quick, Lav how wonderful that the boys and your son came over,jeez DIL must be a brat if she's willing to be alone on Thanksgiving, Cyn,we're hanging on the edge of our seats to hear how your day was,hello to Dill Kell and I may go to a couple of stores we shall see, hope everyone has a lovely AF Friday

[treegirl]

Hello all -

Sorry for the late check-in, but have SD here still, and had to get HB off to the city this morning. Raced around trying to get things in the mail and a whole bunch of stuff done that had to be put because of cleaning, groceries, prepping, cooking, and cleaning up! You all know the drill.
Lav, what good news about your son and the boys!! Very nice gift for the holiday.
Star, it all sounds so lovely - I love my collection of fabric napkins. SO sorry to hear about your son - good luck finding someone to help, gosh that's hard.
Pauly, my goodness what a story with Michelle; that must be hard, but I guess at this point you really don't have any control... Congrats on your turkey!!!

There wasn't much cooking drama for me; just that I thought that I was doing such a great job planning, doing some things ahead, but sometimes that doesn't work the way you think it will! I got all the groceries on Tuesday, on Wednesday morning I made the pies, (pumpkin and pecan) but forgot that they need to cook at different temps, and just as i was figuring that out, a new client called, and asked if could I come over in about an hour. So I put the pies in to bake - one in a small countertop baker, forgetting that it runs hot! Ran down the hill to the store to get a few last things, got home and just got both pies out before burning... actually on the pumpkin, I had to take off the edge of the crust, and it has kind of a 'smoky' taste! Yum, just like I planned. Sheesh. Then later in the day I prepped the turkey with butter (for the first time) and put it in. (My gas oven has no clear temp control, I have to trust the little gauge that sits on the rack.) After an hour I put foil on, as it seems like it's browning awfully fast, then in an hour and a half (for a 16 lb bird) I look at it again to rotate it, and the dang thing looks done! I pull it out and check with the meat thermometer... 170 degrees. Shoot, I think, I've overcooked it - maybe because it was a fresh one, and at room temp when I put it in. Later we go to carve it, and it's raw inside! Obviously the meat thermometer went south since last Thanksgiving. So I put the bird in again... and we take it out later, with no time to really let it cool, and it still isn't done! (This has never happened to me, never when I do it on Thanksgiving day) So I just put it away again (warm, ughh) and finally the next day I put the big pieces on the stuffing that I made and baked it all some more. Finally it turned out done, and not dry, thank goodness which was a miracle! But having all the pan fat and juices a day ahead did help with the gravy-making; for once that was not an afterthought.

So ridiculous, all this anguish about a meal. I dunno, maybe next year I'll just do sides, and forget the expensive organic free-range @#$% bird!

SD is still here (taking a bath right now) so I'll go back to being hostess tonight. HB arrives on an early train tomorrow, we'll do brunch, and then SD will take off. I'm ready to get back to a little 'normal'. (And, PS - I was getting some delayed birthday presents in the mail late this afternoon, and I took the dogs with me. I had things wrapped in the front passenger seat, just ready to pop them in to Ready-post bags; I decided to make a quick run into the local bookstore for some good cards... I came back to the car and the dogs were chowing down on some really expensive chocolate covered almonds that were part of one present. They barely looked up when I got into the care. I was MAD!!!! But I guess it really was "owner error"... I sent the gift anyway with an IOU. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night, dog-wise.

Happy evening-after Thanksgiving. Wishing all a great AF night.

[treegirl]

ps pauly: I have heard great things about low-dose naltrexone, and have had a friend with an auto-immune disease who was really helped by it. I had my father take it when he was struggling with his blood disease; the doctor was impressed with how his 'numbers' looked better while he was on it, but it make my dad have to pee a lot, and he decided to go off of it. I was sad since it seemed to be helping, but it was his decision. I considered taking it for my fibromyalgia, but never got around to getting going on it, and now that I've changed my diet, things are stable that way for me.

Good luck!

[Lavande]

Good evening friends!

I don't really know for sure where this day went, ha ha!
Got a bit of work done earlier & we went out so YB could buy a piece of reclaimed chalk board. It was pretty large so he cut it into two pieces & is going to build a frame/easel thing around one of the pieces to make a Christmas gift for our granddaughter. It will be unique, not something you can find in Toys R Us. She loves playing school.

Star, I'm sorry your son is getting the run around, that's awful.
He has had an ongoing sinus problem, right? Was he ever put in a course of antibiotics?
Has he had his tonsils & adenoids removed? I had chronic sore throat, cold symptoms & nighttime nose bleeds until I had them removed. Then all that nonsense stopped!!!
I would push him to return to the ENT if he were mine.
Don't panic although I know the chronic worriers we mothers can be :hug:
Focus on all the good things happening in your life right now.

Pauly, congrats on the turkey victory!!!
Did you venture out shopping?
I hope Michelle is doing OK & your are not worrying. Let's stay focused on the things we can control, right?

Cyn, wow, you get the prize for the most drama on s holiday I think. So sorry about all that, geez. I hope you can get some decent rest & needed down time.
Tells your dogs I said BAD DOG, ha ha!!

I don't think there is such a thing as an absolutely perfect holiday. I do think we need to be grateful for whatever we have now because it could be gone tomorrow, right?

Peace to everyone tonight!
Lav

[Snoopy56]

Good morning...

Up really early, worrying about my son, I am trying not to, but it is hard. We were at the mall yesterday and his nose started bleeding, I ran into a yogurt place and took napkins, it lasted about 10 minutes, then we proceeded to shop. I was shook up for sure. Darn it, just when things are going well, something I have no control over happens, and it is scary. No cravings for alcohol though, that would push me over the edge for sure.

Lav, how cool your husband is building a special gift for your granddaughter. I ordered two gifts online yesterday and will continue as much as possible, it is so much easier. I saw on TV where thieves are stealing packages, my front porch is hidden, so hope my stuff is safe. Regarding my son's condition, he had tonsils and adenoids out as a kid, he has been to three docs, no diagnosis, they suck. Of course they are billing him, for the priviledge of seeing them, of course. He is having an MRI on Thursday, so it is all taking time, unless it gets so bad they hospitalize him, not there yet. Do you think a neti pot would be ok? I think it might be helpful. Thanks for your input. I agree with you about holidays, I like looking forward to them, but while in the midst of the day, often feel irritated, stressed, etc.

Cyn, what turkey drama. My grandmother taught me to cover the turkey with foil, venting it, for the entire time, then take the foil off 45 minutes before it is supposed to be done, to let it brown. I always get a moist, perfect turkey. This year the thermometer was popped up when I took the foil off, and I let it brown, and again, perfect. Maybe the foil keeps the moisture in, I don't know. Just alot of work and I was tired yesterday. I cleaned my oven again, my counters were gross and had kitchen clean up for part of the day. Your doggies are naughty, hope they did not get sick. Can you relax today? Hope so.

Pauly, I am really worried, trying not to, but you know how it is. I am a catastrophizer, I think of the worse case scenarios and freak myself out. Hence, I am up at 4:30 am. This sucks. Thanks for your support, I need it. I put up my Christmas decorations and it looks so good, I love this part of Christmas. Went to a few stores with my son and experienced different levels of hell. Haha. I saw some groups of people with Santa hats, hardcore Black Friday shoppers, having fun. Long lines, crowds of people, not my idea of a good time. BUT, I am going out to the mall again today with a friend from work, I must be insane. RE: the naltrexone. I say try it out and if it works, good. Whatever it takes to be AF, it is so important to not drink, we are all unique and have to do whatever it takes to reach our goal.

Hope you all have a great AF day.

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, Star, I'd be a nervous wreck too! Thank goodness the MRI is on Thursday that will hopefully give some answers, maybehold off on the neti pot? I don't like to disturb bloody noses,when we first moved here hubs kept getting them cuz he wasn't used to the dry air,he kept messing around with his nose while it bled thinking he was helping it and he ended up having to go to quick care to have it packed with sooo much gauze,it was gross! Cyn,that turkey story sounds terrible! At least you can laugh about it now haha and the dogs,little turds! Winslowfound a brand new, unopened bag of jerky in my room, I came home from work and it was chewed open all over the yard,dogs have some turbo smelling skills haha! Lav,the chalkboard is a great idea for a gift! I want hubs to build me and Louie a doll house so we can play Barbies,the dream house is too girly to actually buy but I see nothing wrong with a boy playing dolls with his Nan! Everyone else here thinks it's weird haha,feel bluesy,I think it's cuz Christmas stress,kid stress,etc, gotta find my center, I've been exercising more to make it go away but it seems to want to linger,probably PMS, jeez I don't want to deal with this anymore wish I were a man sometimes! Hope everyone has a nice AF Saturday