Party room- a place for fun, pity, commiserating, or any other thing you come up with

[sandi1016]

Hi Mark and Julia,
We got hit this time with the snow.........it didn't miss us at all. All totaled we got about 11 inches, plus a good half inch of ice. We are now in the deep freeze.....LOL They delayed school for two hours this morning so that the temperature got to 4 degrees before they had to go out to catch their buses.
I was supposed to have another consult on Monday, but with the storm, that became impossible so I had to reschedule.......another month to wait. There was no way that I was going to attempt to drive with almost 8 inches of snow on the roads and no plows hitting them yet.....around here, they seem to wait until the majority of the storm is over before deciding to bring out the plows.
Oh well, I am not in a hurry for another surgery anyway, so a month bys me a little time.
My MIL is home, after another almost week in the hospital. Thankfully, they were able to manage her with antibiotics, hoping that it stays good with another change to her diet.....combining three different diets really makes what she can eat challenging. diabetic diet, no fat diet and ibs diet......but we'll figure it out, we always do. Whatever it takes to keep her healthy.
The puppet theatre sounds cute..........I remember those days with my kids, and I think that I even have their old puppet theatre here somewhere.........we made it out of pvc pipe, and fabric for the curtains, along with a shelf and front for them to hide behind of plywood, painted with bright colors......
We are supposed to get more snow tomorrow and Thursday, so we'll see what the weather brings now.......Punxsatawny Phil let us down......

[Mark N]

Sandi, no snow for us as it stayed North and then moved into your area. My wife is from northern Indiana, it is where we were married, and they got 11 inches of snow too. I made the puppet theater out of cardboard and used a primer on it then spray painted a base coat. I had Emery over to cut out shapes in a sponge then let her print shapes on any way she wanted. Of course, she wasn't satisfied and decided to start using the stamps in an artistic way pushing the paint on then pulling it along to create stripes and broad strokes. Sorry you missed your consult but as you said it gives you even more time before needing to make a decision. Be careful going down your snowy ramp when you do get out of the house. It is good to hear your MIL is back home. It gets harder to care for people as they get older which is one of my concerns about me as time goes by. I don't want to make it tough on the kids and I don't want to become a drag on Penny as she starts dealing with some of her own physical ailments. I guess we will just get through it together as we have so far.

I go to the bus station to pick Tyrel up as he decided he wasn't going to make it on his own. At least it is clear to him that he needs to get his degree and have a job that lets him live the way he wants - which isn't extravagant for this kid. He now understands it just cost a lot of money to just get by any more. It is a shame the way politicians have let this country get in the shape it is but when you pander to people just wanting handouts this happens. If I were in charge I would create a good business environment than encourage companies to come back and create jobs
for our citizens. It would also encourage businesses to have workers participate in the profits of the company. Enough of my soapbox as I could go on and on we have so many issues to correct.

[sandi1016]

Hi Mark,
Your granddaughter's ideas of decorating are adorable........kids are so much fun at that age......so full of wonder and imagination. You and your wife are great grandparents.......
I share the same concerns about how things will be as I get older. 51 this year and I see the decline, despite my attempts to mitigate it.
We are supposed to get yet another blast of snow this weekend again......My eldest son has an AF JROTC competition tomorrow morning.......hope they do well.
I decided a year ago to start taking guitar lessons, since I have always wanted to learn to play.......so I do something to keep me motivated. I don't miss lessons for anything. I am actually starting to sound much better than I did even a few months ago.
As far as the economy and the market for jobs to support ourselves and our kids opportunities, it is scary what it costs to just have the bare essentials, and meet the basic expenses. Even with an associates degree, you still need at least a bachelors in many markets now a days.
I couldn't agree with you more, there is so much more that could be done to make things more afforable and to provide opportunities for the job market but there isn't the motivation by our elected officials to do much about it......
I guess when you make several hundred thousands of dollars a year, you don't see the downsides of the economy and lack of opportunities.

[Mark N]

Sandi, grandkids are such a treat. They aren't around all the time and when they come over they are excited about being at our house. It is fun seeing once again a child's imagination and learning process. I hope you are ready for the extra snow and it doesn't interfere with too many activities. THe AFROTC is a great program as far I am concerned; I hope you son enjoys belonging to the group.

Not much else to say as after staying up to pick up Tyrel I had a sleep day. Sandi I hope the warm weather we get for a couple days comes your way as we will be in the 50s for the weekend before another cool down.

[sandi1016]

Hi Mark,
One day, when the grands come, I hope to be able to do all of those things with them......It is of course snowing again here. I can't wait for winter to be over this year. My best friend moved to NC and she is having weather in the high 50's today......later this week, it will be even a bit warmer. Here, snow for the next three days........
A few more years and my husband will retire, once the youngest two are done with high school.......as for us, we are headed down south....my days of being a polar bear are over.......LOL
Get some rest, glad to hear that your son is safely home......enjoy your time with him.
Hugs Mark,
Sandi

[Mark N]

Sandi, I enjoy having him home but my wife stresses having him here. No matter what he does, he struggles doing things and needs some counseling which he is going to do, Penny doesn't think he is doing enough. It stresses him out because she can't understand what he is going through. She has been this way our whole married life but I have learned to deal with it. It has caused him and my daughter problems and he needs to see someone to talk it out. Secondly he has an addictive personality so he struggles staying away from drugs but has been doing a good job this time avoiding doing it. He is a very smart man and has a lot of knowledge but like me [I don't tell many people that my IQ is at the genius level] he struggles to focus on one thing. My meds have changed that for me to some extent so it is easier for me now. Addiction seems to hit one person in each generation in my family as my uncle and brother both died from alcohol poisoning before they were 50 years old. I have talked to my son about that so he understands he has to fight it. ON to lighter stuff -

Like you and your hubby Penny and I will be moving South when she retires as she has come to hate winter too. I always wanted to live on a tropical island so if our two stock gambles in 3D printing come through and make us semi-wealthy in 10 years we may end up on a tropical island. I hope you and your husband can move South when you retire. Yes doing things with grandkids is such a joy even Penny loves it and she is a great grandma to them. She always tells me I am a great grandpa to both of them as I can cut loose and do silly things with them. The family is coming over so we can all be together for the first time in 6 months. I will be making homemade pizza. Has your youngest son got into the ICE movie? Our granddaughters have fallen hard for that movie. We went to our 4 yr old pre-school play and one of the things they did was sing the song in the movie "Let it Go". We were taking the 2 yr old to their house as they had to wait for Emery. I thought I heard something and tried to listen harder and very quietly the 2 yr old was singing Let it Go over and over.

I hope you don't get too much more snow. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[sandi1016]

Hi Mark,
It is snowing AGAIN! LOL. It's our third storm in less than two weeks......and I am just not sure where we are going to put this latest batch. Ah well, that's what snow blowers are for, right?
I understand, as you know, we've had our own struggles with our eldest daughter........so you aren't alone in having to deal with issues with the kids and our dreams and hopes for them as parents..... it's not easy, and we, as parents expect/hope that our kids will take our experiences and learn from them, rather than go out and make the mistakes we made as young adults.....but life doesn't work that way, and our young adults often think that things are so different from when we grew up.......it's usually not so much the case, we dealt with drugs, alcohol, poor choices, conflict with our parents and friends as well......
Often , we think that if we can only say the right thing, or find the right approach , they will listen.....and sometimes they do, more often not.
I hope that your son continues to stay away from drugs and alcohol, since one usually leads to issues with the other........I have a similar background, both parents were alcoholics, through and through, so I am very aware of the pitfalls of alcohol and drugs......
I would be happy living in the woods, somewhere with a few neighbors but not too close by, a wood stove, trails and some wildlife nearby......or a beach sounds good too........LOL , as long as it is warm........I can even deal with a little chilly weather, just not the massive amounts of snow and extended cold...........my body just doesn't like it anymore.....
Anyway, enjoy your time with your family and homemade pizza...........sounds like a lot of fun. My sons are now 13 and 14, so they aren't so much into Disney movies anymore.........that doesn't stop me......I still watch ones that I think I will like, along with my younger daughter who's almost 20......LOL

[Mark N]

Sandi, so you don't want to move up to Buffalo I guess. I understand wanting to go where it is warmer although winter doesn't bother me the way it does my wife. I grew up in warm locations so I prefer being in the tropics. I do love the ocean which is why I have the dream of living on an island. There is just something about the rhythm of the waves and the differing colors of the water. I can't say I love being in the water so much but I do love being near the water.

Yes our kids think things are so much worse for them, they just don't understand what we went through back in the 60's and 70's. I was very young in the 60's but knew about the environment of sex drugs and rock/roll as it was becoming pervasive. I wonder how so many made it through that time period; I had parents that helped me see a different perspective but many really got deeply involved in the sex, drugs, and music yet made it out to be people today. One thing I have worried about is our two have grown up with seeing me need medication while missing the years I suffered without the medication. It is too easy to see medication as treatment for my spinal issues as just a way to cope so therefore how is it different that others using different drugs to cope with their lives. It is an insidious thing in our lives but I feel thankful both of our kids have a strong enough foundation to work past seeing my meds that way.

It has cooled down again here so I guess we haven't started Spring yet. We did have sunshine so it was a good day overall.

[sandi1016]

Hi Mark,
I am glad that you had a good day........and the weather was warmer......here's to hoping that Spring will soon arrive. I noticed yesterday, that instead of it getting dusk around 4:00 pm, we actually made it to5:20 instead, so the days are growing in length......
I understand completely, the concerns with our using t he medications and how our kids viewpoints can be altered by seeing it. I have always made sure to discuss the medications with mine, and explain why I take them, and have used their grandmothers diabetes, or heart issues are similar comparisons...... since our sons also have add and adhd, and they both take medications for it, they also understand that sometimes an underlying medical problem requires medications and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as the person is taking those medications as directed...
All we can do is try to explain to them in the best way that they can understand and hope that they don't read more into it than we want them to....
Buffalo??? Ah, NO.............too cold for me......LOL
I always told my husband that when we retire I wanted to move to Ireland.....no snakes, lots of beautiful land and scenery and I am Irish, so I've always wanted to visit there.......but I will compromise , somewhere around North Carolina, near the water ( ocean) , and warm.....I would love to find a little valley, with a house in the woods, but also not far from being able to hit the beaches or other resources , shopping etc......I don't want much , do I??? LOL

[Mark N]

Sandi, it doesn't sound like too much to me but it depends on how rough you are willing to live. I had a couple buddies from NC when I was in the Marines and there are some isolated rural areas in NC. I could see you opting to living in the Appalachian Mountains surrounded by the forest and waking up to the mist each morning and driving to the ocean when you want to see the shore.

I have been open about the use of meds and how much I don't like taking them. I went for a decade of severe pain refusing to take more than aspirin for the pain but like my daughter to me when I asked if my disability [meaning since I couldn't work any more] impacted her life too much - she said "dad you have been disabled my whole life". She was right because all she knew was me dealing with severe pain and surgeries her whole life even though I only viewed my disability as when I couldn't function on a daily schedule. We can only do so much, the rest is up to our kids to make their own choices and I am glad Tyrel is choosing to resist the feeling of needing alcohol or drugs to get by.

Our warm weather sure isn't lasting very long as in a couple days we will have temps back in the single digits. I guess there is no hurrying Spring no matter how much we want to see the warmer weather. Maybe one day in the next decade Penny and I will be living near the shore or at least some place where it is warm all year around.

[Mark N]

We are getting ready for our first big snow this year. We have had cold days but the snow has missed us but now we are suppose to get 9" - 18" by Tuesday. It will be nice to have a big snowstorm but I hope this is the only one for this year for us. We had the girls over for Valentine and I got the younger one Minnie Mouse gloves for working in the yard with mom and dad [she loved them because she loves Minnie Mouse]. I got the older one stickers as she loves putting stickers on paper and making a story out of them. Penny got both a chocolate frog with a red heart that both thought was so cute. I had to get back down to the basement to take some medication and go to sleep so I missed out on the rest of the visiting. Tyrel helped Penny with the girls and Megan came back over after doing the grocery shopping. They all ordered some pizza to be delivered and I got a few pieces of cheese pizza when I woke up. It was a good taste and something I didn't have to do much to have it ready to eat as I was a bit out of it at the time.

Julia, and Sandi I hope you survive this cold air that is moving all over the East United States. Stay inside and keep warm is the best idea I have with this weather.

[Mark N]

We got hit again with snow but just a couple of inches this time. We didn't get as much as they said were were early this week 5" instead of 9"-18". The snow makes the town look very nice though although the under zero temps are a bit too much LOL. We have a neighbor that is really nice and he clears off every sidewalk in our block. There are several of us that are elderly or disabled so it is really nice for him to do that although he has only one arm. He lost his other arm when 6 yrs old when he put his arm out of the car and the bridge hit it. He hasn't let it stop him though as he played football, he was a kicker, and coached our kickers when I was the football coach here. It is nice to know there are some really good people still around that helps others.

I hope no one is snowed in and everyone has been able to get out. Our son looks like he has a job at WalMart, full time, he just has to pass a drug test and then go through training. I hope it all works out as it has really worked to get back on track since he has been back. He needs the job so he can save to get a cheap car to get around and then to put money away to start college again. I hope he does his college on line so he can work while doing is classes. Not much going on except for it being -8 degrees tonight.

[Jo6]

I want the snow to go away!!!! Had it last week and then again this week, still got much on the ground and it is cold as ice! Sandi, honey if you don't want to go anyplace near snakes you better not move to North Carolina. Of course it depends on where you move to. We live near the foothills of the beautiful BlueRidge mountains. that sounds like it's very close to the Mountains, but it isn't that near. We live near a Nuclear plant and several large lakes near us. It beautiful here, but I don't get near the water much. My sisters and Mom used to take her to the beach every spring, but after Mom died we kind of stopped doing that. Now we go to the Mountains in the fall.

I have been too sick to go a lot of places in the last few years. I'm hopping to get out more when spring gets here. I think first day of spring is the 20th of March and Day Light Savings Time will start the 8th of March. It will be nice to have longer days.

Mark, I always smile when you talk about the girls. We are on our great-grand's now. they are all girls, but we are expecting one in June and it's a BOY!! I can't believe all the grand kids are all grown up. Our Jennifer got her RN 2 years ago and she is working and going back to school working on getting her bachelor% (?) She is much smarter than I am. lol

Mark, you and Penny would like South Carolina. We aren't far from the beach or either the mountains. We do get some cold weather but it doesn't last too long. Well, it does sometimes but not too much. I'll hush and invite you to look up all the things in Carolina. You might even decide you will like it.

take care and stay warm all, Julia s

[sandi1016]

Sorry I disappeared again. My Mother in law is back in the hospital , twice now in the last month. She has been having severe mid thoracic pain that last month they thought was her gall bladder.......well, I took her to see an ortho on Monday, and she was in such severe pain that she can barely stand up. He gave her some percocet, did xrays and ordered an MRI of her lumbar and thoracic spine. She had other appointments the rest of this week and so put off the MRI until next week. She is now in the hospital, because she has two fractures of her thoracic spine- t8 and t9........the t9 fracture is smaller, but the vertebra at T8 is severely fractured and there is some bleeding around the fractures . Kyphoplasty is off the table because she had her fourth stent placed in December and the medication she is on can not be stopped for at least a year due to the possibility of blood clots forming around the stent......
They are giving her iv dilaudid, and toradol but it is only helping for an hour at best, then the pain is through the roof....
If you guys are so inclined, please keep her in your thoughts........she turns 81 on the 4th and my heart is breaking for her. She has been through so many medical problems since October, on a monthly basis and now this.....
Thanks guys,
Sandi

[Jo6]

Sure thing, Sandi. I do feel for her. I spent much of the last 4 yrs. in hospital. It sounds like she has some of the same problems. I will certainly keep her in my thoughts. For you and your family also.

Julia s