The holidays...can't it just be April now

[widower2]

I doubt I'm the only one here who mostly if not entirely dreads holidays. Oh Halloween's no big deal, but Thanksgiving and Christmas (or Hanukkah or whatever if anything you celebrate in Dec), which are so family focused, frankly I mostly hated even before losing the love of my life as my family is totally dysfunctional but it's only worse since my loss as I don't have that now either....occasionally on Thanksgiving I might find some folks doing a pot luck, but that's been far and few between, and that's still not a "family thing." Of course on Thanksgiving worst case I can make my own dinner and watch football and get by, but Christmas? For anyone who's spent a Christmas totally alone, I can relate and my heart goes out to you. esp to those of you facing holidays without your loved one for the first time. Regardless, I hope you can find something/someone to spend it vs just being alone. 

[SSC]

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  Time off from work, eating and visits from family.  Not a lot of pressure.  If I made the dinner I always had help from my husband and others brought sides or dessert.  Watching football after and looking at the Black Friday deals.

but that was then

when it comes to Christmas…I just dislike it so much anymore.  I find the entire season so stressful.  So much is expected and I really don’t care.  To be honest I haven’t for a long time, I’m really quite a Scrooge and I’m always so relieved when it’s January 2nd.  My father died the day after Christmas many years ago. My mother died in September three years ago and my husband died in October five years ago.  So for me the holidays are a time of melancholy.  I just muddle through and do my “part” for my children and grandchildren.  I try to have something to look forward to in January to focus on otherwise I get depressed.  This year I will get out of cold snowy Utah and visit my daughter in Florida. Yay!

[widower2]

I drink to you, fellow Ebenezer.   

The "death anniversaries" don't bother me like they seem to bother many, but still I'm similar, i.e., lost my beloved in Oct, my sister in Oct, my Godfather (my best friend's dad and they were like a second family to me) day after Christmas, etc. ugh. No plans for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Again: can't it just be spring...

[Rey Dominguez Jr]

Was wandering aimlessly at the Navy base exchange store, just killing time, and all the Christmas stuff is out.  Great!  Another reminder of what is missing this year.  I’m with you, SSC, in that Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday for the reasons you listed; family, food, football, no pressure.  This year is my first without my wife, Veronica.  About now she would be calling our younger son and his wife asking what they need for Thanksgiving dinner at their home.  I told our older son I am not planning anything for the holidays.  I scheduled myself to do Red Cross stuff on Thanksgiving morning, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve mornings.  I agree, Widower2, why can’t we just fast forward to spring?  

[KayC]

I haven't heard from my son about Thanksgiving yet, he told me I have a standing invitation but one year they did it at their in-laws and since my DIL is very nasty to deal with, it's hard. Still, I'd like to see my daughter and her BF.  I don't host anymore because DIL said she wanted to when they got married 12+ years ago.  So I guess I won't know until the last minute.  Okay by me.  I can't buy a meal because I can't eat all the carbs, just the turkey.  Which is all I could eat last year.  Okay by me, to me the meal is secondary to the company.

Christmas...my tree had to be tossed last year and the new one is so heavy I don't know if I can get it out of the box, let alone set up.  No idea if I could go through that again.  Getting old alone sucks.

Death days are always hard for me as are their bdys and our anniversaries and no one remembers...

Holiday Blues
Holiday Tips
Holidays
Holiday Coping: Suggested Resources 2015
Holiday grief
Holiday Griever
Holiday Traditions WYG

 

[Goforth860]

I'm with you on can't it be March already. My sister and I have became closer since we've realized we're not the same ppl we used to be. But that's only came to pass since John has been gone. Thue holidays suck and like you said between death days anniversaries holidays bdays more death days and so forth and so on.... it's really rough. My and Robert's anniversary was yest. His death day is the 17th.  Then there's Thanksgiving.  But thank goodness my sister has invited me to her house and is coming to get me. I have a dependable person to take care of Justice while I'm gone. Tina is picking me up Thanksgiving Wed and they'll bring me back that Fri. With Justice I dont think I'm going to bother putting up a tree. It would be a waste anyway.  I will be alone on Christmas. I miss my family that's no longer with me so much. I hate growing old and being alone while doing it as well.  

[KayC]

My son called yesterday, he bought this house three years ago, the former sellers sold it with a new roof, now it's leaking everywhere, and the company is defunct. Their dryer went out. They have a gas leak. And a neighbor took out their fence, Paul had to cob it together, large section, as the dogs couldn't go out like that.  Neighbor has done nothing.  WTH!  Bethany is overextended and keeps trying to loan HIM out!  He tells her not to.  They're going to her sister's for TG so I'm high and dry.  The only reason I go is to be with family. I just drove the huge trip to town for groceries so too late to buy turkey, not sure they'd want what I eat and my refrigerator is tiny.  I'd thought my entertaining days were done, that's what Paul had said over 12 years ago, oh well.  I messaged Melissa, haven't heard back.  Iris invited me to go with her to the Methodist TG spread, all I can eat is the turkey, everything else is carbs.  Will see.

[widower2]

ugh, sorry to hear Kay. There aren't too many carbs in yams or corn are there? Or a little pumpkin pie if you skip around the crust?  I bought the former and having stuffing already, so turkey is all I need to buy...but turkey for one is challenging, I'm not about to buy and cook a whole turkey. I've tried diff things in the past with mixed results...turkey drumsticks, turkey cutlets (which don't take well to grilling it turns out!). Maybe I'll get a Marie Calendar turkey dinner and be done with it lol 

[KayC]

Yams 42 carbs/serving, corn 29 per cup.  I stay under 20 carbs/day, preferrably under 14.  My blood sugar would be over 200 with that, I try to keep it in the 90s or very low 100s.

Have you tried just cooking a breast or legs?  If it wasn't for the carb issue, I'd just buy a turkey dinner at the store.  Oh well, doesn't matter what I eat, when I went to my son's last year all I could eat was the turkey and the pumpkin mug cake I'd brought for him and I.  But with no family, it doesn't matter.

[Sparky1]

1 hour ago, widower2 said:

ugh, sorry to hear Kay. There aren't too many carbs in yams or corn are there? Or a little pumpkin pie if you skip around the crust?  I bought the former and having stuffing already, so turkey is all I need to buy...but turkey for one is challenging, I'm not about to buy and cook a whole turkey. I've tried diff things in the past with mixed results...turkey drumsticks, turkey cutlets (which don't take well to grilling it turns out!). Maybe I'll get a Marie Calendar turkey dinner and be done with it lol 

I know what you mean about cooking turkey for one, it's way too much. Here we have Butterball turkey rolls, either with white meat, dark meat or one with stuffing in the center. I'm sure if you're in the States they have them too. I thaw it out and put it in the slow cooker for about 2 hours or so, I check the temperature with a thermometer just in case. I'll get about 3 or 4 dinners out of it, but usually I'll freeze the remaining portions, after slicing it. It's like a big fat salami. Just a consideration for an alternative.

[KayC]

Sounds good!

[DotPark]

I missed my husband on Halloween because I freaking love it, giant skelly and full sized candy bars, and he delighted in my delight. 

Thanksgiving has zero meaning to me so I will be fine, staying home eating whatever I want. 

I just got Christmas plans...taking over a meal for the homeless...so thank God I can say I'm busy. I have weeks of planning and a couple of days cooking and serving to look forward to. Focusing on the reason for the season will get me through it.

I don't know what people expect of me in terms of grieving. I'm sad A LOT, do I have to be extra sad on special occasions? I AM TRYING TO KEEP MY HEAD ABOVE WATER HERE.

Sorry for rambling on. Having a weird day. 😕

 

[KayC]

2 minutes ago, DotPark said:

do I have to be extra sad on special occasions? I

No, it's however you are feeling.

[KayC]

I think so many of us have come to associate expectation with the holidays, even though it's the time of the year more people commit suicide and have depression.  It's what Hallmark has taught us, and our past experiences when thing were good.

[DotPark]

9 minutes ago, KayC said:

I think so many of us have come to associate expectation with the holidays, even though it's the time of the year more people commit suicide and have depression.  It's what Hallmark has taught us, and our past experiences when thing were good.

Right. The pandemic has kind of prepared me for this. I'm immunodeficient and my husband and I had not done indoor family gatherings since 2020. That's not likely to change.

[widower2]

5 hours ago, Sparky1 said:

I know what you mean about cooking turkey for one, it's way too much. Here we have Butterball turkey rolls, either with white meat, dark meat or one with stuffing in the center. I'm sure if you're in the States they have them too. I thaw it out and put it in the slow cooker for about 2 hours or so, I check the temperature with a thermometer just in case. I'll get about 3 or 4 dinners out of it, but usually I'll freeze the remaining portions, after slicing it. It's like a big fat salami. Just a consideration for an alternative.

Thanks great idea, but it looks like they don't sell them here; the only turkey rolls I see are ground turkey. I might try the cutlets and just pan cook them or something!

[KayC]

That sounds good!  I had some turkey in the freezer but must have given it away, went out there and went through it all...nope!

[Sparky1]

4 hours ago, widower2 said:

Thanks great idea, but it looks like they don't sell them here; the only turkey rolls I see are ground turkey. I might try the cutlets and just pan cook them or something!

You're welcome. No, they are solid meat and they are pre-basted. I just put a little bit of water and olive oil in the slow cooker so it doesn't burn, but it produces it's own liquid too. I use that as a gravy, no need to make one. My mom used to make them too because everyone loves breast meat, and no one liked the dark meat on the bones on a full turkey. So no waste. Hope you might be able to locate one. 

[RichS]

As the holidays approach, I've been thinking more about the years we lived in Florida; and how our families and some friends would all gather at our house. It was a lot of work (especially for Chris), but well worth the times that we all spent together. We were the "HOME TEAM" most of the time; which meant that there was no jockeying by our parents as to who we would spend which holiday with. 

Fast forward to the present (30 or 40 years later). Besides my wife Chris, so many of our relatives have also passed away; which makes the holidays so empty and quiet, compared to the way it used to be years ago. I know I'm preaching to the choir here. So many of you have had the same thing happen to your family and friends as well.

 

[DMB]

Thanksgiving is right behind Christmas for me as my favorite holiday.  It was 4 years ago that my husband received his terminal diagnosis, and we went to my brothers knowing it would likely be the last time he carved the turkey.  That was always his job. Mine is to always make a pot of Italian wedding soup (aka holiday soup).  It is my grandmother's recipe.  I will be starting that later today while waiting for Monday night football to come on.  Hardest part is rolling those tiny meatballs, which can take up to 3 hrs. to do.  I cook and then put them in the freezer.  

While I realize how hard this time of year for many, time has helped me a bit.  Last year the kids and I went to my nephew's house in Florida.  It was nice to get away and I highly suggest it for those having a hard time.  Switching things up.  I've also done a Christmas Day alone thanks to covid.  It wasn't as bad as I thought.  I haven't totally adjusted to being alone, but I do it and find myself sometime actually wanting my down time with just me and the TV.  I am truly thankful for my children, my siblings, in laws, and lifelong friends that are only a text or phone call away.  Wishing you all the best that you can be.  That's all we can do. Certainly, there will be memories shared, a few tears as we miss him dearly, yet we also appreciate the current memories being made.  My nephew just got married.  Kids and I just got back from the Dominican Republic.  So fun.  My daughter is getting married next summer, so we've been dress shopping and planning.

[KayC]

You need a miniature meatballer, they sell them on eBay, probably Amazon too.  Enjoy your soup!

[widower2]

On 11/14/2023 at 10:28 AM, Sparky1 said:

I know what you mean about cooking turkey for one, it's way too much. Here we have Butterball turkey rolls, either with white meat, dark meat or one with stuffing in the center. I'm sure if you're in the States they have them too.

Found it, thanks! I wish I'd known about this years ago. The one I got doesn't have stuffing in the center, but that's OK, I have stuffing I can make. It was busy when I went to the store at lunch today, but not too crazy. I don't even want to think about going anywhere near any store of any kind again until at least Monday!

[Sparky1]

1 hour ago, widower2 said:

Found it, thanks! I wish I'd known about this years ago. The one I got doesn't have stuffing in the center, but that's OK, I have stuffing I can make. It was busy when I went to the store at lunch today, but not too crazy. I don't even want to think about going anywhere near any store of any kind again until at least Monday!

You made my day. I am ecstatic that you found one. Oh, the ones without stuffing are better because you're getting a lot more meat for the same price. Yes, they are amazing because they have no leftovers and especially no bones. Keep an eye out for after your Thanksgiving or Christmas, usually they drop the price on them. What I do is buy a couple and just put them in the freezer. I hope you enjoy it, and Happy Thanksgiving, we had ours a month ago up here in Canada.

[widower2]

Nice of you to say, so you just made mine.   I love pork tenderloins, so I'll cook this the same way (on the grill). Great advice on the sales; yeah I often do that in general for holiday food, get those deals afterwards. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving!

[widower2]

Looking up how to cook it and I think I will just grill it like I do pork tenderloins, but I'm a little leery...I tried cooking turkey cutlets last year and it didn't work out. I fear you can't grill turkey as you can chicken or pork.

[Sparky1]

10 hours ago, widower2 said:

Looking up how to cook it and I think I will just grill it like I do pork tenderloins, but I'm a little leery...I tried cooking turkey cutlets last year and it didn't work out. I fear you can't grill turkey as you can chicken or pork.

The proper way is to put it in a roasting pan with a bit of water and bake it for about 2 to 3 hours. I check the temperature with a thermometer, when it reaches 165F, I take it out or else it will dry out. Another way is to put it in a slow cooker for almost the same time, but also check the temperature to make sure it's properly cooked. Don't take off the netting until you're ready to slice it, or it might fall apart. Last thing is it should come with instructions, and they're practically the same as I've explained. Hope it comes out good, keep us up to date on it. And I know it's  a tough thing to tell you, but I hope you have a good day today. My Thanksgiving last month wasn't different from yours, and yes I made one of these turkeys too. I think I had 4 meals out of it. 

[KayC]

I always baked in a Romertopf...but no longer have a family or anyone coming, so will go to the Methodist Church for turkey, the rest is carbs that woul put me six feet under!  Will come home and supplement with something.  I wish I were going to my son's, but alas they're going to in-laws.  So is my daughter, I was invited but have Kodie and unsure how they feel about that or how Keto (not!) her food is or how late she's eating.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[April Ballou]

3 hours ago, KayC said:

I always baked in a Romertopf...but no longer have a family or anyone coming, so will go to the Methodist Church for turkey, the rest is carbs that woul put me six feet under!  Will come home and supplement with something.  I wish I were going to my son's, but alas they're going to in-laws.  So is my daughter, I was invited but have Kodie and unsure how they feel about that or how Keto (not!) her food is or how late she's eating.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Just another day for me.  All alone.  But my daughter and her family are coming over tomorrow.   So I will be having chicken salad today.  Happy Thanksgiving 

[KayC]

And Happy Thanksgiving to you also, April!  The dinner I'm going to all I can eat is the turkey, but I'm okay with that!  Chicken salad sounds good!  Enjoy your family tomorrow!

[widower2]

10 hours ago, Sparky1 said:

The proper way is to put it in a roasting pan with a bit of water and bake it for about 2 to 3 hours. I check the temperature with a thermometer, when it reaches 165F, I take it out or else it will dry out. Another way is to put it in a slow cooker for almost the same time, but also check the temperature to make sure it's properly cooked. Don't take off the netting until you're ready to slice it, or it might fall apart. Last thing is it should come with instructions, and they're practically the same as I've explained. Hope it comes out good, keep us up to date on it. And I know it's  a tough thing to tell you, but I hope you have a good day today. My Thanksgiving last month wasn't different from yours, and yes I made one of these turkeys too. I think I had 4 meals out of it. 

Too late I grilled it  Worked out fine. Only took 20-30 mins too. The marinade they used was not great, but nothing some gravy won't cure! Definitely one of my better Thanksgiving meals, thx again for the idea. 

[Sparky1]

15 hours ago, widower2 said:

Too late I grilled it  Worked out fine. Only took 20-30 mins too. The marinade they used was not great, but nothing some gravy won't cure! Definitely one of my better Thanksgiving meals, thx again for the idea. 

Nice, I've never grilled one, I might just do that on my next one. And you are very welcome for the idea. 🙂

[DWS]

This time of the year can be just pure hell for us grievers. Most of that, for me, is the endless grueling marketing and advertising going on....the continual pounding in our brains of warm and cuddly Christmases with the ones we love. I swear my email inbox is going to have a computer meltdown from the ad spam of Black Friday deals. Curses to whoever invented such an invasive atrocity!!!

[widower2]

Agreed. But thank goodness for spam blockers and online shopping!  

[RichS]

44 minutes ago, DWS said:

Most of that, for me, is the endless grueling marketing and advertising going on....the continual pounding in our brains of warm and cuddly Christmases with the ones we love.

That what you mentioned above and also still receiving junk mail addressed to your spouse. That's a hurtful reminder as well.

[Sparky1]

The bad part of all those spam emails is that those Black Friday sales are not really sales. They jack up the price a bit and then lower it. I hate that. And yes, spent lots of time deleting the crap that came up. Arghhhh, still looking for a deal on a freezer.  It's been on sale for the last 6 months but it's the same price everywhere else, so not really on sale.

[Boggled]

Well this is the second day since my son and his family left.  The silence!  oh dear.  I caved and called up "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd ... and google takes care of the rest ... keeps on coming up with more music like what you originally asked for.  Just sound ... in the house ... makes it feel more ... alive.  

I went outside and there's what looks like a full moon coming up over the trees in the east.  Beautiful colors, sky still blue overhead, sort of an orangey-grey over the trees at the bottom of the sky.  ... gotta get used to alone again.  sheeeesh.

Widower2, I can't believe you grilled a turkey roll but GOOD for you!   Innovation.   hahahahaha!   

so.  Christmas.  meh.   Time to buy presents for the grandkids ... I'm feeling poor since buying a car.  Ebenezer and Me Too.   

And I have a fridge full of leftovers and it's going to take me MANY days to eat it all and I caved to company and cooked MEAT so now I can't just go back to my old standby beans.  hunh, I could just freeze a bunch of it.    ...   yep, that's why it's good to post on here, gets the ol' brain cells a-twitchin'.

[widower2]

On 11/25/2023 at 10:03 AM, Sparky1 said:

The bad part of all those spam emails is that those Black Friday sales are not really sales. They jack up the price a bit and then lower it. I hate that.

I do too; oldest trick in the book. I don't think they're all like that, but no doubt many do it. In general btw, I don't just mean emails. 

 

2 hours ago, Boggled said:

Widower2, I can't believe you grilled a turkey roll but GOOD for you!   Innovation.   

Thanks but hardly! Sparky1 gets all the credit for the idea. Finished it up tonight; I'm turkeyed out. 

[Rey Dominguez Jr]

This is the time of year where Veronica would be asking me when I was going to turn on the heater in the hose.  Went to visit her at Miramar, sat for about an hour, but then I told her it is getting cold, even for me.  I had my jacket on which would have made her laugh because I never admit that I get cold.  Cold, windy, over cast skies this afternoon.  So, I guess I’ll clean the heater and turn it on tomorrow.  She would say “It’s about time!’

[KayC]

Two days ago it was 20 for over 12 hours, never got above 40.  Did a little better yesterday with 24, got to 50. So far 26 today.

Not sure I'm ready for the holidays...or should I say snow season, ugh.  Have made use of my down coat lately!

 

[Boggled]

My big male "kitten," now almost full-size CAT, Buddy, did not come in last night when I called several times;  this morning 25F, I went out on front deck and "mew! mew!  po po me! mew!" he was  a-way up in a nearby tree.   Now he's crawling 'round my keyboard here, glad to be inside.  He's such a nice guy.  All three kittens' personalities are quite different.    yes there are still things to be grateful for, but winter can be BAD, regardless of holidays, which are meant to be happy interludes in the damp dank dark dretfulness of WINTER IMHO.  For the holidays, at least we can be grateful IF we are warm, fed, and sheltered!

10 hours ago, widower2 said:

Thanks but hardly! Sparky1 gets all the credit for the idea. Finished it up tonight; I'm turkeyed out. 

well Sparky1 gets the credit for TRYING to tell you how it's SUPPOSED to be cooked.   hahahahaha!     But, no.  Ain't a-happenin' is it, that way, huh?  hahahaha!

[KayC]

How'd you get your cat down? Years ago we had Kitty, she was a tree dweller.  She disappeared for five days...one day my son was outside and heard this faint croaking, looked up and saw Kitty up a tree.  He drove his Chevy over to it and climbed on top of the cab (put a dent in it...and did I mention he is NOT a cat fan!) and barely got her leg, scratching and clawing his arms all the way down!  

A couple of days later she disappeared again, this time further up a tree.  He is an excellent marksman (got awards in the Air Force for it) so he shot the branch off that she was on!  I saw it, in slow motion, slowly drifting back and forth with Kitty hanging on for dear life!  She hit the ground running!  She never climbed a tree again.  She did like the mailbox shaped cat scratcher though, it was out on the patio, she could get inside and look over the yard incognito!  Panther lays at the base, never climbing inside it.

[DWS]

On 11/25/2023 at 10:03 AM, Sparky1 said:

 And yes, spent lots of time deleting the crap that came up.

I've deleted about a dozen already this morning. Placed my checkmark in the box beside each business' carefully crafted admail heading, click delete and now they're gone. I guess this is now one of my holiday traditions. 

[Boggled]

52 minutes ago, KayC said:

How'd you get your cat down?

hahahaha!  He made it down on his own.  For some reason, climbing UP seems to come naturally and is easy for the kittens/cats, but DOWN is hard.  Maybe because of the way their claws are shaped in curves.  I've seen him climb down though, he has to do it backwards, bottom-first, so his curved claws can claw into the bark and he inches himself carefully down, backwards.   I do "tough love," you got yourself up there, now you have to get yourself down.  

It's kind of surprising your cat was out for five days!  IF she was up in the tree for that long, she really could not get down on her own, so it's great your son got her down.  Also, REALLY great he's a marksman!    KayC!   

[RichS]

2 hours ago, Boggled said:

All three kittens' personalities are quite different.

They're all unique, just like us people. Salem likes to stay in my uncle's room for hours at a time. Reason? At 94, my uncle gets cold easily. He has a window unit in his room and it's usually cranked up for heat most of the year. Salem likes to lie flat on the floor and pretend he's a bearskin rug. You notice the big difference in temperature as soon as you walk in. We call it "The Florida Room."

[DMB]

Thanksgiving at my brother's house went really well. I drove up to my daughters on Friday (1 hr 10 away) and had dinner with my future son in-law's family.  They had prime rib, it was delicious!  They have a tradition of decorating gingerbread houses.  It was great fun.  I spent the night, and we had a wedding dress shop appointment Saturday morning.  Future mother-in-law also came.  She found and purchased a dress!! There were tears in the store!  I wasn't expecting that, but I can barely watch anyone cry without crying myself, so you can imagine with it being my daughter, I had to take a really deep breath to not totally break down in the store.  Yesterday I put on my late husband's Philadelphia Eagles pj pants and a sweatshirt and spent the day decorating for Christmas.  My son came to watch the game with me and do a few things, so I made him Caesar salad and raviolis.  Then, we won!!  10-1 record. I'm back at work today.  I haven't worked a full week since Oct 30th.

This is the earliest I've ever put a tree up (last Wed.) while having fall decor still up.  Yesterday I packed the fall away, got the XMas decor out, took my old bakers rack out to the end of the drive with a free sign, and it was gone in less than 2 hrs. I also purged stuff in bins that I've looked at and haven't used in quite a while, so in the dumpster it went.  I am pretty sore today.  The rack was heavy to carry, and I bruised my ankle getting it out to the road.  Lots of up and down steps, and yes, up on the countertop (I put decorations on top of my cabinets each season since they don't go all the way up to the ceiling).  Have a few invites on the 8th, 9th, 12th, 16th. I can't think or plan beyond that just yet.  

Sorry for the long post, I'm a bit overwhelmed with good emotions but also exhausted today. 

[KayC]

It sounds like a really good time, so glad for you!

[RichS]

A NEW DAY..............

1)  Cancelled my upcoming back surgery. My sciatica hasn't been hurting much over the last 5-6 weeks. More importantly, my son Ross feels more relieved that he won't have to be a home alone with my uncle (who's going to be 95 in January). To sum it all up...........now is not the right time for my surgery.

2) Ross got the inspiration to hang up some lights and garland in front of our house. I wasn't much in the mood, but I worked with him and we got what we wanted put up in an hour.  It actually felt good putting up the stuff in the cooler weather (50's).

3) Maybe no surgery, but no excuse not to try to start losing some weight (kinda helps out the back a little). Ate a lighter lunch and went for a short walk. It's a start..........

[KayC]

Yes it is, good for you!  Wish you all the luck with losing weight, getting yourself in shape and not having surgery!

[Goforth860]

On 11/13/2023 at 10:44 PM, Goforth860 said:

But thank goodness my sister has invited me to her house

I ended up staying home for Thanksgiving. None of us were feeling well.  So I spent the day alone but a feller friend of my came over that evening and visited with me. He made me feel better but when he left I was alone again. I really haven't been anywhere or do e anything in a cpl weeks. I mean other than Dr's appts. And most of them I didn't even want to go to. I'm just missing my family momma Dec 16, 18. Snoop Sept 14, 20. And then John Feb 28, 22. So in less than 3 ½ years I lost my major family members. Now I'm just alone. Tina and Phillip live over an hour away. I do have a few ppl in my life who help me out and are here for me. They do their best to get me to go somewhere and get outta the house. Anyway 

[Sim7079]

@DMB your post made me smile - thanks for sharing your  dress shopping experiences for the wedding- happy times & a new positive journey. It does make you feel good. I’ve been to three weddings this year, all fun happy experiences & took me back to my wedding & the excitement and happiness of it, including all the planning. 

Christmas & the holiday period is tough and I can’t wait until it’s over too - the Christmas of the past with hubby was the best times for all the things people have mentioned; being with family, going to church, the food, football, sharing presents, etc. The last two years I just wanted to keep busy and give back so worked for crisis - help the homeless. This year I will spend with my mum-in-law and father-in-law & see my parents and brothers the following day.