@MusicCandy @SadMe70 A place to communicate

Hi! I am packing to go to my mom's for the weekend, and running a bit late. I cleaned out my chicken coop so it wouldn't look so terrible for the person feeding the animals while I am away. I am looking forward to indulging in birthday cake! Hectic week, having to sub for teachers 3 days due to lack of subs and so many people out. The class I was in yesterday afternoon had 12 of 24 kids absent. My husband's surgery is Tues and I took Wed off as well. Sorry for the short note! I will update you on my husband next week! I hope your week was good!

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OMG - You have a lot going on and it seems like I do too. School has to be a sort of joke with that many teachers and kids out... what kind of quality learning can even happen. I hope you have a wonderful time with your mom and eat all the cake you want - you can splurge once in a while after the great goal you achieved. i think I have lost 2 MAYBE 3 lbs. but I am not 100% sure how. i think i'm just not eating a lot at home - stressed out from the junk yard and basement. but I wanted to lose some anyway, so it still makes me happy for one thing anyway.

I went to therapy and she set me up with home exercises with a dowel that I can do OK. The best part is she entered me in a log in program with short videos with narration and demonstration of the exact exercises she assigned me, that is right up my alley with videos to follow along and the log in helps us both keep track. i plan to go once a week (co pay 70 dollars, sigh) for maybe 5 weeks and then do them on my own. I have good days and bad days.

Everything else is OK. We are getting a new CT scanner next week which will be a nightmare for a few weeks. Walls torn out, new equipment installed and we have to scan outside the back door in a trailer. They said we would all have help, but since I have to do 2 jobs in 2 different places - CT and x-ray - i don't see how that is going to work if it gets busy. I have not had any communication about who will be helping ME- just day shift weekdays. Nothing I can do about it. That "meeting" i tried to skip was rescheduled , I was there - and the whole 45 minutes several people argued about the CT call schedule, I told them I don't care - just let me know when I'm on call and I'll be available. Most managers would just put it together and pass out the list - but NOOO - the "lead tech" wanted to hear :"everyone's voice" kinda tired of the Admin time wasted. I'll check back in when you get back - no rush - no worries.

Hello! My week turned out pretty well. The visit to mom's was wonderful, all of us together. My sisters and I went through more of my Dad's papers that he left in the basement, which we've deferred for four years. I ate LOTS of cake and it was delicious. Also drank quite a lot of rum punch, also delicious.

My husband's surgery went well and we got a nice surprise at the checkup the next day, when the doctor unwrapped his foot. They did not amputate the entire toe! Apparently the MRI showed the infection to be only the top part of the toe bone, so they just took that section. They did not explain that to him, so all our worry about the rest of the foot was needless. He has enough bone left to support the rest of the toe so it will look fairly normal when it heals. I was not allowed into the facility due to COVID, but my son lives 10 min away so I was able to wait there (with a bathroom!) instead of in my car, which was incredibly nice. I have to rebandage it every other day. Last night was my first try. I had to use a lot of self-stick tape, but I think I got it on there ok!

I only worked two days this week, but I got stuck in a K class one of those days. There were several kids absent, but the 19 who were there did me in! They took full advantage of their teacher not being there to misbehave any way they could, all day. Talk about exhausting! I had to really yell at them several times, and I really hate yelling at 5 year olds.

I gained 3 pounds from the weekend, which is not too bad. I have not gotten entirely back on track yet with eating or exercise, but I should be back to normal this week.

Good for you losing 3 pounds! I know it's not the ideal way to do it, but maybe seeing those numbers on the scale will be a good boost for you in itself. I completely understand the stress of the junk everywhere. Especially when helping my sisters clean out my dad's stuff, I think about the wreck I will have to deal with here when something happens to my husband. And where my dad's stuff was all paper and small junk, we have collapsed sheds full of junk, vehicles, big tools, guns, all kinds of stuff that I can't even deal with myself. I don't think men get how very stressful it is to have to live around such an overwhelming mess. I hope you can channel some positive thoughts about your weight loss to help you get back to eating better!

How are your exercises going for your shoulder? The videos sound really helpful! I just got some papers with pictures, and I have not kept up very well with doing them. The log sounds like a great idea too. I am glad you can get in some visits over several weeks, to help you progress over time before you are on your own. Yikes on the copay! Insurance companies are so terrible. I have paid off my July and Aug PT visits, but they had refused to pay any for June, which would leave me owing hundreds. I have tried to reach the PT place to ask them to refile it but they didn't call me back and for now I am ignoring it because I just don't want to deal with it. Not a good strategy, I know. The visits themselves helped me so much. I really hope yours does a lot of good for you too. I am rooting for you!

It does sound very disruptive to get the new CT in there! I hope it will turn out to be worth it. Are you keeping up ok with the temp location? I hope you got some help! You work so hard as it is! Ugh on not missing the meeting! It sounds terrible. I am so glad I hardly ever have to go to meetings. I know how it is when you just want everyone to shut up so the meeting can be over, but they just have to get their two cents in and waste everyone's time.

I am thinking of you, hoping you are getting support at work and your shoulder is cooperating and healing. I am grateful for the good things that happened for me this week, and hoping you had a good week as well!

Hey, I'm trying to type this with an ice pack on my shoulder, so probably more typos than usual!

i am so happy that your husband's surgery went better than expected.. that must be a huge relief. i'm sure you are doing just fine with the bandaging. i can't remember if I told you that Rachael had a horrible grease burn when she was 8 - ex husbands negligence. We also had big bandages to soak off and re bandage every day and then those terrible compression stockings. It was a hard road to go down - but she pulled through and i will always be thankful.

I am using my precious days off to go through some of the plastic bins in my basement that are stacked to the ceiling with all kinds of stuff. Sometimes, there is one item in a bin - maybe a tool or car part or some other gadget that I don't know what it is and I try to put things that are alike together. There are also boxes and boxes of fiance's family pictures, cards and documents - some are VERY old and the pictures aren't labeled so even he doesn't know if it is his great aunt as a baby or who they are. That is sad because they are in good condition and maybe there are some of his family members who would want to keep them. He has no kids of his own so it stops with him unless he finds a niece or someone who can archive them. As I am working on my family tree, i know how precious the old papers are - birth and death certificates, war letters and such. He even has a folded flag ( military funeral) that he doesn't know who's it was - his Dad, his grandfather or Uncle, ect. His mom and aunts and grandparents kept EVERYTHING. He has his grandmothers old sunbeam mixer and a small pillow that is labeled " my grandmother made me this when i was 4 years old" , dated 1925. It is a shame, and i'll try to upload the certificates online to Family Search when I get done with the stacks of bins - which will take forever. And like you - there is so much more outside- trailers, and more tools and lumber and god knows how many fixable small boats ect. AND an antique corvette he wanted to restore 20 years ago - in my garage that I had so wanted to park my car there,but there is more junk in that garage too. It is depressing. Maybe I can lose another pound or 2 and be at my ideal weight.

The gym opens next week, and my Therapist said its OK to try some of the machines I used before along with her prescribed ones. There are some good videos for shoulder exercises online too, besides the ones she gave me. Overall - better and i expect it to take awhile, I hope yours is better too. I never thought I would have this, I have exercised my whole adult life. It is so weird that my shoulder just wont go where it used to!

I'm glad you had a rollicking good time with your sisters and Mom. It is fine to eat and drink when you are with the ones you love and you are sharing and laughing, an maybe crying too.

19 Kindergartners?? Are you kidding? I've only handled 15 in music class at the most and there are always a few that just make trouble no matter what. too bad, they get the attention that the sweet ones should get. Have you seen the little comedy videos online by Gerry Brooks? They pop up on my feed and he is SO funny, and mostly true. He has a strange accent that blurs his r's into every word, but every topic he picks is spot on what happens in classes.

I gave up trying to hold the ice on my shoulder and type, so i'll get back to that. i'm at work so it;s good to have "ice breaks". The new CT scanner will take a month to install or more. Next week we start in the "trailer" which is just outside the back ER door . It will be interesting to see how it all goes. I hope you have a beautiful Fall week - I think of you often too . till next time.

Hello! I had a pretty good week. I have not lost my 3 cake pounds yet, but I am not staying within my weight loss calorie limit (too much chocolate!) so I am not surprised! I am not going very far over though, and am well within my weight maintenance limit of calories, so I am not gaining either. I have found that my maintenance calorie limit is comfortably far over the amount of calories I consume with my basic meals, so once I get to the weight I want, I should be able to maintain it by being mindful of treat calories, and keeping them under control except for special days. The food logging/calorie counting site has really been helpful to me!

My exercise was good this week, though too little as usual due to lack of time. I just set my alarms 15 min earlier on the three weekdays when I have to also feed my animals, so I can hopefully get 30 min of exercise instead of 20. I have been sleeping well enough lately (fingers crossed!!) that I should be able to get up a little earlier. I walked for an hour after work one day this week, and hope to go on a longer one today. I am running low on my gummies, so have been alternating with melatonin. The combo seems to be working for now. My husband has to go over an hour away to get more gummies, because although they are legal here, there aren't any stores nearby. His toe seems to be doing ok. I change the bandage every other day, and as far as I can tell it looks ok. The stitches are pretty heavy duty ones, thick and dark colored, so it is hard for me to tell how the actual incision looks.

Good luck with your basement! I still can't face mine. Speaking of old pictures, my sister found some random genealogy files at mom's house. My dad was very into that and I brought home all his other files when he died. One of the things in the stuff my sister just found was a formal portrait of what I am fairly sure is my grandfather. It is also unlabeled, but it looks like him in about his 20s. I have never seen any other pictures of him that young, so it is a treasure! I don't know what I will eventually do with dad's files either. I like looking through them, but I have not felt like doing anything further with them, and my kids have no interest so far. We also have an old mixer in our basement!! It belonged to my husband's grandmother. I have no idea what to do with that either.

How is your shoulder?? Did you go to the gym? I know what you mean about body parts not doing what they used to anymore. I didn't do a great job in my 20s and 30s, but I have been taking good care of myself for the last 10 or so years, and yet I keep having problems cropping up. I hope your shoulder is coming along, and that you have less pain and more mobility. I found a fun new exercise person on youtube, emkfit. She does themed workouts (I found her by looking for 80s music dance cardio) where you do 2 moves per song so it's fairly easy to follow. She gets goofy and says if you can't do a move, just make something up and/or flail around and have fun. I do a lot of modifying in other videos anyway, so I like her approach! I have done her Grease workout, Rocky Horror, and have her Mamma Mia ready to go for Monday.

Our kindergarten classes have 24-25 kids in them. It is ridiculous. Our 6th grade just moved this year back to our expanded middle school, so we have a couple of empty classrooms. There is one on the K hall so they could add another teacher, but for some reason they won't. So 19 was a break! I love Gerry Brooks! One of the first videos I saw was K lunch duty and it is definitely spot on!!

Did you move to the trailer this week? How is that going?

There have been some truly beautiful days this week. Crisp fall temps but not freezing, bright sun, pretty mix of green and yellowing trees. I am grateful for all the beauty around me! I hope that you are well. I am grateful for your friendship too!

Hey, you know its funny that right below the text line from your message is a picture of an attractive female with the Q ? Ready to talk to a therapist ?" As if talking to my buddy wasn't enough! I's rather talk to you instead of some random therapist. We still have the little kitten, though she is 7 months now and just went in for her first check up and shots - $238.00. I just think of her as my therapist too - she is sweet and playful and will find a soft spot on my bed and sleep - and I never let pets sleep with me. The other funny think is she doesn't meow - it comes out as a squeek - sounds pitiful but the vet says she is OK.

I'm glad you are able to keep up with the weight loss without having to work so hard every day to maintain. I've never been good at logging food after a few days - I forget and just make it up! Good to find whatever works for you. I am maintaining the 3 lbs. off too . I went to the gym first time last week to see what I could do compared to when I left 18 months ago - and.. not much. arm wise anyway. i did see a path though when PT ends, and i just used little or no weights on the machines. I can still do some cardio on the elliptical too. Everything is brand spanking new, after that long it should be. i told the manager the place needed a paint job a long time ago, and maybe a fire was the only way to get it done.

It sounds like your husbands toe is on the mend - that is good news. I hope you get your gummies soon. Restful sleep is so important. I'm still waking up some with arm pain, but not as much as before. I have 3 more weeks of PT and then i'm just going to take it slow and easy , i know recovery takes a long time anyway.

Yes, we are in the CT trailer. I had one patient to take in last night, and it is creepy going outside and being in there at night. We have to have someone help with the ramps that go up and down, but the nurses are shorthanded, and then i have to wait for anyone that can come. Wheelchairs aren't too bad, but a stretcher is almost impossible - very narrow and not level. Plus my arm - things in there are not set up ergonomically well. 3 weeks, they say but I am dreading every shift and what might come up ' plus I doubt it will be installed on time.

It is pretty weather, Rachael and I enjoyed our walks last week. I don't mine Fall, i just hate winter - but i already told you that I'm sure. I saw Gerry Brooks clip "jars of love" gifts for teachers - it is hilarious. We all need a good laugh. Saying prayers for these tough times and what we all are going through.

Hi, I am not feeling great this morning. I will try to write later or tomorrow. I hope your week was good!

I totally understand my dear. Most of the time if i feel bad i can't even make it to turn on the internet. Whatever it is, I offer a prayer for you.

My last week was more of the same - more boxes and bins to unpack and toss out when "he" isn't looking because he will go through every piece of it. Work had been OK this week-end, thankfully. I have a long week-end this week - 6 shifts. The trailer set up is somewhat improved but still not safe enough for me to try to get a stretcher up that lift. A colleague sent an e-mail to my boss about how hard and hazardous it is. I won't do it. They can fire me.

I'm hanging on to the 3 lbs off and may be inching to 4. I don't want to overstate and disappoint myself if it doesn't stay in that range. Before i step on the scale, I say to myself " don't freak out if it is >>>" The candy and doughnuts are everywhere at work for Halloween, i'm trying to keep it to a minimum. I'm helping with a funeral reception at the church tomorrow afternoon and I packed individual packets of apple slices, grahams and peanut butter. We can't have anything out in the open for pick off a plate. I don't know how tired i will be so i may not stay to clean up and I will have Rachael to take for our walk. There will be enough" know it all" ladies for me to stay away.

The best thing that happened was the Great grandmother I was searching for her parents came up with a proof document of the site i use Family Search, 3 years and i couldn't be surer= - but someone uploaded a marriage certificate with her parents named. That's why i like this one - anyone can post a family find and it comes up on anyone else's tree that is attached to them. They aren't always right, but I look for the supporting first source document and if that agrees , then BINGO! It was so cool - now i can do more work since i got past that brick wall. It is funny how those families who came from England all settled in Eastern N. C. Bertie County, and they all ended up marrying neighbors so they all are related after a few generations. Lots of kids to find a mate and get on with it, at an early age. and they needed a lot of help on the farms. The g grandmother I was researching was born in the first year of the civil war, and that area was a hotbed of conflict. I wonder what her life was like.

Its Haloween tomorrow, but we are staying home. In the past, we took Rachael to the mall to walk around with her candy bucket, but I don't think we will this year. We have plenty of candy left over from the church "drive through" - which made no sense to me - but whatever.

No pressure to write back - just when you feel better and have the time. Sending you a smile.

Hello! I am improved but still not able to write long. I got my COVID booster Friday night and felt bad yesterday, similar to after my second shot though not as bad. I also did not sleep well that night, my third bad night that week, so was tired out. I feel better today, except I have a swollen lymph node in my right armpit that makes it uncomfortable to do anything with that arm. I read that is a normal side effect; just my body gearing up to recognize and fight the virus. So I am not worried, just uncomfortable. I will write more next week!