Menopause, redux

What the hell?  My night flashes were the first to intensify and now the daytime flashes have returned.  I thought my menowar was over.  In the car Saturday, the 1961 Jimmy Dean song "Big Bad John" played (I listen to 50's and 60's music) and I could not stop the non-existent tears.  It's hard to cry when you have no tears.  Your face contorts, your mouth sours, but without the tears falling, you look like you just ate a few lemons or smelled something rank.   The Hobby Lobby commercials of the little girl and sheep, the young man and his mom, send me into a tizzy of distortions.  Just about anything does.  I started taking Viviscal for my hair loss but there isn't a hormone to be found in it, same with the Plaquenil.  So what gives?  When I got my mammo last week, the tech told me she can tell who takes hormones and who doesn't.  Really?  That obvious?  Yep.  If I would have known then .....!   I've been told it's too late to start, that ship has sailed.  Well throw on a life jacket and raise that damn anchor doc, we need to talk.

I worked a little more on decorating, decided to not hang the Santas on trees this year.  I went into the parlor where pieces were moved for painting (and never returned) and found a little black cupboard I made.  Perfect size for the table top next to the small tree.  I need a few more sprigs, but I think this display won't be changed.  

I have a plan for the other set, and also the BOAF boys, maybe tomorrow.

Hope your weekend was great.

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It's beginning to look...

like this for two days until I switch the Santas or bring out the BOAF boys.  I had black hammered chargers on each side but it was too much for my taste.

As with last year, I am only putting out half of what I used to.  

I purchased these artificial greens when James Creek was closing, wish they had more.  I really love the texture and soft falling branches.

I went out for the Friday $1 poinsettia sale and have splashes of red around.  I like the pop of festive color better than a wooden bowl of greens.  Two small lighted trees and I will finish the tags for the unlit.  (I hear commotion in the parlor, Missy must have found floss again.)  I am staying home Sunday, as far as I know, and hope to get them made and put all the totes away.  Outside is always just fresh boughs and a spotlight, should not take long at all.

When Mark went to feed Petey this morning, he couldn't find him.  Later in the morning, I checked on him and found he was curled up in the box corner and barely visible.  He is a mess.  There was a terrible fight during the night and my poor Pete is really beaten up.  The brats stay inside at night so it wasn't Nitzy, and the extra box I keep closer to the house had the padding and bedding pulled out into the yard.  I tried babying him all day with fresh turkey bits and treats, but since I can't really get close to him I was interrupting his rest and making him leave his box.  I hope he is better tomorrow because I can't capture him for a vet visit.

Did everyone have a nice Thanksgiving?  Our food was good, but Carole looked very pale and not well at all.  Since she started the Entresto, she is having episodes of blurred and grayed vision.  Doctors including an eye specialist have said it's not related.  But it has to be.  

Next week I am taking her to the local cardio on Monday and in Cleveland (pray for no snow) on Friday.  I have appointments Tuesday morning and toe surgery Wednesday.  Time is flying and I so hope to have some days to stay home and relax.  I did all the shopping online with in-store pickup and the Amazon order is being delivered to a locker hub in Rite Aid.  So many thefts of packages, showing the lack of decency, morals, and scruples of people today.  Is there an electrified porch mat that can zap the crap out of these vile scums?  How about a cover that activates a loud alarm if removed?  If delivery persons are willing to throw it over and push an on button, sounds like a great idea!

Enjoy the weekend, stay safe!

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Smoking

I used to!  A lot.  Being the only female in the all male accounting department back in the early 70's, I decided to start swearing like a fiend and smoking like a chimney to fit in.  That continued until 20 or so years ago.  Well, not the swearing.  As long as I stay calm and dry, we're OK.  Unless I am bewildered, astonished, surprised, shocked, inept, run into a mannequin, bang into a pole that should not be there, tip over a display, or any number of things.  Then all bets are off.  Hypnosis liberated me from cigarettes, not sure it would help with the mouth problem.  It's not difficult to restrict my vocabulary in front of family because most visits are pleasant and do not trigger the tongue.  I never used profanity around my parents and was uncomfortable if a movie we were watching contained that fricking word.  In private, at home, let it fly.  But restaurants and stores are not the place.  Unless you run into a mannequin, bang into a pole that shouldn't be there, tip over a display.

The smoking today is widespread.  Every room on the first floor.  I always start the turkey at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and then turn it down.  This time, I did not heat the pan before adding the bird and we are smoking.  Big time.  Nothing like having ear piercing alarms go off (that falls under "surprised") and cats scatter while you try to turn the damn things off and can't (that falls under "inept").  Needless to say, that spew made the dead bird roll over in his pan.

The boys were peaceful until then.  I've been close enough to old man Bud to know that Nitzy's position is not a good one.

So before I start the pies, I thought it best to relax a little with two of my favorites.  Vanilla Birch candle and Nutella, and what Coni calls a cup of "damn good".  What could possibly go wrong?  Probably a bird flying in the open windows to get rid of the smoke, the brats chasing it throughout the house, creating another spew.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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Did you see this?

Of course you have.  I haven't until today while watching floss tube.  Isn't this different and a really nice addition to Christmas stitchery?  I may order.  I would do it on a darker gingham which of course, I sold.

Nothing much going on.  For some reason, I can't stay awake, even in the afternoon.  Staying up until midnight was my normal routine, now I struggle to make it to ten.  I look forward to a day without an appointment of some sort but that won't be until the second week of December.  Well, not really.  I need to see the rheumatologist and get injections from my orthopedic.  I can't believe how painful my joints are becoming and really limiting what I can do in such short time.  Between that, my thinning hair allowing my scalp to show, and the vicious return of hot flashes, I'm not in a very festive holiday mood.

Petey is loving his home and is getting closer to the house when sunning himself.  It's so cute, as soon as I open the back door he runs to his shelter and waits for a treat or food.  Problem is developing with Nitzy.  He just won't leave him alone and is starting to fight. 

Petey went after a cat I have seen here before and I heard the fight in the woods.  But he won't attack the brats, just an outsider.  Bud is doing his yoga while they both enjoyed the warmth of the sun yesterday.  This is about as close as they get, Nit gets right in Petey's face.  I think he was someone's indoor cat, but it will be a long time before he comes in here.  He is probably loaded with fleas, needs to see a vet, and until they all get along, I don't want to create a situation.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I can't wait for Saturday when all the Black Friday ads that have been running for a month are OVER!!!

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Family tags

Hi folks.  I am not a frequent Facebook visitor, but yesterday showed me that I should not be at all.  Once again, someone that I follow from a stitching group posted a horrific photo from an animal torture site of a bound and defenseless puppy, not going into details.  It seems they all come from a country know for being disgusting human beings when it comes to dogs and cats.  May they all receive the same acts to them as they burn in hell.  Don't you realize you are fueling their audience which in turn creates more videos?  And shows repulsive people new ways to torture?  Stop it.  

I sealed and completed a few tags and tried them on the 3' tree.  I do think mixing the tags with other ornaments would be best.  But a light bulb went off.  Wouldn't it be sweet to have a family tree?  Between old photos and the thousands on phones, they could be edited for size, scanned for printing, or copies made from actual photos and reduced in size if necessary.  I taped a bunch to a sheet of paper and made a copy at Staples so I could make notes, an easy way to keep the originals safe.  I think my mom would have loved to have a little tree like that, she enjoyed going through old photos.  What a special gift for those with only memories of the past.  Just a thought!

If you want to try this, make sure you spray the printed papers with Krylon 1311 matte sealer before gluing or applying a permanent finish.  I don't use Modge Podge, not sure if that would work as well as the Krylon to prevent ink from smearing.

Have a great weekend!

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Playing tag

Carole moved her appt. up so Chris could take her before work.  Both hips are bone on bone, her bottom vertebrae are tilted and fused, nothing can be done about either.  The only options are injections to ease the pain, and steroids.  She is not a candidate for any type of surgery.

I decided to try a few tags before the printer runs out of ink or dies again.  They may create a sweet little tree mixed with other ornaments.  Not sure exclusively would be as nice, but since the tree is very small, who knows?  I have other designs to print, but I am liking the simple samplers and bugle boy.  We can't cut the angled top off since this thin plywood splinters easily.  Maybe try a few with a stained wood top exposed.  Probably not.

I had to clean Petey's box today and now he is afraid to go back in!!  I think all cats are mental.

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