OT January Chit Chat

[Cat Dancer]

There are LOTS of choices for quick meals in the freezer section of any grocery, for far less than $4 / meal. A microwave or an oven are all you need. You can pick out your choices, try a few, if you don't like them get something else next time. You don't have to be home for delivery, you don't have to worry about the food sitting outside your door. They're WAY better than the "TV dinners" we grew up with. We have quite a few in our freezer for those nights when I just don't feel like cooking, or there are only enough leftovers for one. Zap a meal, and you're done. They have breakfast choices, too. Tom Cat loves "breakfast burritos", but there are egg mcmuffin types, of course frozen waffles, pancakes, all sorts of things.

Meals on Wheels around here are basic meat-and-potatoes fare, with no choices, and you do have to call and arrange for them, be at home when the schedule says, and there aren't meals for holidays or Sundays. You stock up on frozen dinners, you eat whenever you want.

[Cat Dancer]

PARSI: search for Tammy Baldwin on facebook. facebook.com/senatortammybaldwin

[Howie]

Yeah, that was it Nutra System. I finally thought of it, but will have to wait until payday to try it.

[Parsi]

I tried the frozen meal route with DH but he said no. It was great when we had been out and nothing in the fridge and I didn't feel up to making anything from scratch. I also liked not having leftovers in the fridge. He preferred grabbing a Big Mac or whatever. Even less work for me, but the cost adds up.

[SalpalSally]

Hello everyone..yeaaaaaaaa,

[Parsi]

Hello everyone..yeaaaaaaaa,

Hello back at you.

[SalpalSally]

Whoooopeeeeee!

[Frog42]

Hi Sally!

[Virginia]

Hi Sally!!!! You happy today?

[jendie]

I was going through the state services for the elderly and disabled and STILL can't get an in home caregiver. In my area the demand is high and resources low. The last time I talked to my case manager she asked if anything has changed, the only thing that has changed is my S.O. moved in with me so he can spend the rest of his days wih me. He can get hospice care, but nothing has been arranged yet.

His liver is failing. plus his father was dx with stage IV lung cancer and lives in New Jersey.

On the positive side, my youngest son (almost 16) was given some information for some local programs that will help him get back on track for school. This is good because I told him he's not allowed to be a high school drop-out.

[agate]

I was going through the state services for the elderly and disabled and STILL can't get an in home caregiver. In my area the demand is high and resources low. The last time I talked to my case manager she asked if anything has changed, the only thing that has changed is my S.O. moved in with me so he can spend the rest of his days wih me. He can get hospice care, but nothing has been arranged yet.

His liver is failing. plus his father was dx with stage IV lung cancer and lives in New Jersey.

On the positive side, my youngest son (almost 16) was given some information for some local programs that will help him get back on track for school. This is good because I told him he's not allowed to be a high school drop-out.

Jendie, since MS is a progressive disorder, maybe your physical condition has changed. I believe that a letter from a doctor about your symptoms and limited abilities might help to get you some in-home help. I've heard of this being done. You might want to ask the case manager first about the procedure so you won't go to a lot of trouble for nothing but if it looks as if that might change things for you, it's certainly worth a try.

[Howie]

Good morning everyone!

I got up this morning, took my pills, and headed to the kitchen. The first thing I see because of the way the sun is shining in, is what a mess the cats have made with their dry food. I was everywhere around the bowl.

So I started to clean that up, and I suddenly became aware of how normal I felt. My new med lists feeling euphoric as a side effect, but I'll take it. I cleaned the long overdue shelves, the cat eating area, and swept the floor.

It looks CLEAN in there now, and I even gave the cats a new bowl for their dry food, mostly to see if it would spark new interest in eating dry food. A while back, I gave them a slice of my sliced turkey, and now that's all they want.

They will follow me to the kitchen BEGGING, nonstop, and it's getting.....no....it's past getting old, it is driving me nuts. Maybe that's what inspired me this morning to clean not only the cat eating are, but the whole kitchen.

I think the cats have tricked me into cleaning their area. They got me again.

Have a great day everyone!

[Virginia]

Jendie, it is good news about your youngest son's possibility of going back to school, but bad news about you not qualifying for any home help. I was sorry to hear of your SO. I hope that he can be kept as comfortable as possible. Maybe you should take Agate's advice regarding the home help. It might work if you had a letter from your Doctor.

Howie, SMART CATS!!! They got you again. I didn't know you had stopped giving them turkey. That is expensive. Glad you are feeling so well and able to do some things around the house.

[Frog42]

You won't underestimate those cats again, will you Howie?

[agate]

The cats know how they want their life to be--and it has to include sliced turkey. Got that?

They really have your number, Howie. They've been whispering in a snarly way about how you keep trying to palm off that kibble on them, and they think you're just trying to make your life easier because dry food means a less messy bowl for you to clean up.