ksaul

jean, glad to know the surgery went well. i hope that you and don will start the new year off together in your home. kathy

donna, wow! i got happy just reading about your joyous christmas. :cheer: how wonderful that the move to PA has really been a move back to the closeness of family! i sure hope to start seeing some pics now that you are the owner of a digital camera. great news about your test results - a positive start for the new year . :happy new yea: cheers! kathy

lorri, great resolutions! i so wish you strength on the desire to quit smoking - like the saying goes,"a day at a time." happy new year :happy new yea: kathy

leah, glad to hear you had a good christmas. you did everthing you could and then you let it go - and things that needed to get done got done! yeah for you! have a terriffic new year - cheers! kathy :happy new yea:

lorri, terrific idea and great list! kathy

ann, i am glad you were able to climb out of your pre holiday slump. sounds like you really got into the swing of things and had a good time shopping. i am sorry that bill is not doing real well. glad the doctor - and you are on top of things. hope you have a great christmas! :santasmiley: kathy

hi donna, that is so cool about your family being at kristi's concert! it sounds as if the move back "home" has been really great. can't wait to hear about the results of the memory books. so, i wish you and kristi and the furry terrors a very merry christmas! :santasmiley: kathy

hi bonnie, better make one more batch of cookies if bill is coming over - lol. glad you got your shopping done and it turnned out to be fun. wishing you a very merry christmas!! :santa: kathy

hi kimmie, gypsy sounds adorable! i can just picture you in bed at night with an entire kennel of furry friends. i am sooo happy your son made it home and that everyone will be with you for christmas. have a wonderful visit and holiday :santa: - cheers! kathy

well, leave it to kids to remind us of the spirit and wonder of the season. too often, as adults ,we can be so rushed with the responsibility of daily life that the holidays just bring additional "to do" lists and stress. i know pre-stroke i had the gift lists, mailing deadlines, baking activities, card lists, party list - blah, blah,blah. i loved it! by the end of december i was exhausted,happy and looking forward to the new year. :yay: i have found it harder to get into the holiday spirit since my stroke and like many i am dogged by a never ending fatigue, a true discomfort in groups and a burning desire for routine and quiet. so, today my husband was walking our dog in the neighborhood. it was chilly -he had his red flannel shirt and red vest on - i know, is was 63 degrees - but this is florida and it seemed cold! adding to this picture is that barry, my hubby, has a beautiful head of white hair and a beard that nearly matches.. well, he came home from his walk with a big smile. it seems noah, our neighbor's grandson(age 4) had thought barry was santa. noah out playing had spotted barry coming down the block and started jumping up and down yelling "hi santa" hi santa" and ran over to hug barry! later, noah's grand dad came over and told us how thrilled noah was to see santa had a dog. i think this all came about as noah had joined neighborhood children the previous night sitting on blankets, sipping hot chocolate, waiting for santa to drive by in his big red fire engine. every year our local firemen drive through the neighbohoods blaring their sirens with santa waving and throwing candy. :reigndeer: it is big event for safety harbor kids and so noah knew santa was in town! later i sent some magical reindeer food over to noah's grandma so santa's team would have a snack when santa was eating cookies and milk on christmas eve night. so, imagination and a child's belief gave this household a real gift of joy and a wonderful injection of smiles. otherwise, the week was one of fatigue and trying to deal with it. i had my oral surgery this past monday and found that 7 stiches do not keep me from eating ice cream! lol !! i attended quite a bash with my cyber family and friends on friday! :ChristmasTree: i had no idea what fashion plates i was hanging out with and the food and drink was the best. i never cease to be amazed at the humor and imagination of my friends. i was productive in that i finally submitted a short story and a few short poems to lin for the feburary newsletter. i also found 26 cents to add to the family coffers. so, ho! ho! ho! wishing you all the joy of the seaon. :santa: kathy p.s.(magical reindeer food consists of a small amount of oatmeal, a few chocolate chips and some glitter - reindeers love it)

hi maria, great list - now you will be my fashon plate! i am glad you added the part about socks - my sock collection IS my fashion statement. lol cheers, kathy

kimmie, i did not know dan fogelberg was ill or had died. you are right - he was a talented musican - music from our era! music is such a wonderful gift - songs can bring back such happy or sad times in life or change a crumby mood to a happy one. i am sorry for your loss and it is good he left a legacy of music for you. i amt hrilled that your got your house decorated and that your son is coming home for christmas. it is so much of what the season is so about, family and friends. relax and enjoy yourself to the maximum! kathy

congratulations marty. what a great opportunity to make a difference. kathy

lorri, please don't be so hard on yourself. we all have area that we need or want to grow in. the fact that you have searched yourself and said there is a part of you want to begin to develp shows your strength! awareness and willingness to chane is the begining. be kind to yourself and do your best - that's all any of us can do. kathy

hi again fred, i just had another thought - i wonder if an alternative therapy such as acupuncture might help. i know it helped me pre-stroke with some health issues. i also know people here on the site have mentioned it helping them. my other thought was a really well trained and experienced massage therapist. you have been on my mind and i just wanted to pass on these other thoughts. please keep us posted on what is happening. i am sending you an enormous hug! kathy

marty, congratulations and yeah :Clap-Hands: for your progress. lots of women in the class -hmmmm- now i know why your attendance was so good. cheers! kathy

thank you for sharing the pictures - now i see a face with the name joey. i hope he contines to progress well - kathy

i can't believe i lost this again!

lin, you are so right - the market is a buyers one for sure! we are lucky cause we don't have a deadline for selling - in fact i am glad no one is tromping through right now. hope all is well with you. enjoyed your 100 list - what an interesting life. enjoy the holidays - kathy

well, since i already joined the 100 club this week i will just add the exciting news that i will be getting a new crown - tooth type - on monday. along with this i also get to have one tooth removed. my bridge fell out on thursday as i was eating cake. now, i know for sure, cake is not my friend! when i told my husand and gave him the dentist's estimate he said - merry christmas. i do have a plan to defray the cost. since my coin business has not been going too well this week (i think everyone is spending their change) i have decided to put my old bridge - with the two beautiful perfect faux teeth- under my pillow for the tooth fairy. i bet they are worth something. the kid next door got $5 for his tooth. cripes we got a dime when i was a kid. i told my husband my plan and , as usual, he just rolled his eyes. :head_hurts: not much is going on in the housing market - things are really dead. i hope we get some interested people after the holidays. i went back to the pain clinic and am trying some new hip injections - keeping my fingers crossed. i had a real and total melt down earler this week and posted a major whine. people were real supportive and i was grateful but embarresed for being a cry baby. i do however, cry way lots these days and am thinking of asking my doc about all this boohoo stuff. so, i am grooving on the 100 list info - i am a real nosey parker. also, i have given up the battle with verison dsl :Tantrum: and am having cable internet put in on tuesday . so Ho!Ho!Ho! :santasmiley: kathy

donna - great list and interesting life. thanks for sharing so i can know you better. :santasmiley: kathy

great list! you are too funny - look for the stores that give discounts at 50! kathy

happy anniversary! that is romantic :wub2: kathy

vi please keep adding. i too wish i could sing like sarah brightman. i have always wanted to go to alaska - and you have been twice! lucky you. i made it to hawaii - you have to get hubby to go. thanks for sharing! kathy

katrina it is tough not being able to drive. i just started driving recently and then i drive only when i am feeling tip top. i never go on busy streets and have not ventured further than 7 or 8 miles from home. i am so sorry that you feel a burden to your family - i do not think you are alone iwith those thoughts. just remember it gets better. give the botox a try. it worked well for me! i get it about every 3-4 months. it takes 5 minutes and then you are good to go. kathy