singinmomo4

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I also really like Portside's response. Mo12, only you know when and if you are ready to put yourself out there, however, when you are, keep in mind all the good advice you've received here. People die every day from any number of causes, as is evidenced here in this group we became a part of but would have chosen not to if we could. Car accidents, heart attacks, cancer, sepsis, murder, there was even one from the old board whose gf died from a lightening strike just when he was about to pop the question (or maybe right after, I forget). Many who get sick , whether it be from heart disease or cancer, many times survive. My father, at almost 85, is still alive after having a quintuple bypass over 20 years ago. I also know someone from church who had a heart attack when he was very young and the picture of health that is still very healthy after around 15 - 20 years. No one knows how much time any of us have, lets make sure we spend the time we have well with someone we love rather than someone who just meets all the right criteria.

Yes, my decision to stay in Bethlehem is points motivated. I just got a Hyatt credit card and I have a spend requirement to meet to earn the sign up bonus and I get the most points for Hyatt stays (of course). Plus, I signed up today for an "Elite Tier Challenge". If I meet a stay requirement within 2 months of signing up for the challenge, I earn Diamond status through Feb. 2017, which gives me a lot more perks when I stay at Hyatt. I also earn an extra 1000 points for each stay. Hyatt has become a favorite of mine among hotels because they are nice and require a very small amount of points for a free night. So, even though it's a little bit further from my destination, it's worth it in the long run. As always, there is a method to my maddness.

Somewhere, lost in my garage, is a shade tent type thing that Rick won at his company picnic. We've only used it once. IF I can find it (and that's a big if) I would be glad to bring it if adp would be willing to put his manly skills to work trying to set it up. It's not real big but would probably help a bit with the shade.

Do you have any idea on how many kids are coming? I'm thinking of bringing Nick and John with me since you said kids are welcome. Also, I know a wid that is off the board that has 4 boys. Do you have enough space to handle her and her brood if she were to want to come? How far are you from Dorney and Bethlehem PA? I'm thinking of making it a weekend thing for the boys, staying at a hotel in Bethlehem and taking them to Dorney Park. I checked and they have motorized wheelchairs available for rental so I could take them and stay off my ankle. I'm starting to get excited about this. I've been so bored and depressed with my ankle woes. It will be nice to get out for a bit. What kind of food could you use? Pasta Salad? Fruit Salad (maybe with blueberries from my yard)? Baked Beans? Dessert?

Whether I am able to come or not will depend on how my ankle is doing next week. Right now, I've been given the okay to go back to work. So far I don't have any hours next week but if I do get hours, how my ankle does and so long as it doesn't take a problematic turn, I should be able to. I've learned however, not to plan on anything when it comes to this ankle. So I will let you know, but I might not be able to tell you until the last minute, if that's okay.

Thanks everyone. I got cleared to go back to work today. Hopefully I'll get a few hours next week. Still a lot more healing needs to happen but I guess it's making progress. Ready for it to be over.

No not silly st all. (((((HUGS)))))

For 3 months I've been battling with a wound on my ankle. Right before my brother died, when I was in Arkansas visiting him and my family, my mother was coming up an unsecured wheelchair ramp they had in their garage, I saw it was unsteady, went to help her, the ramp buckled and we both fell. Fortunately my mother was fine, unfortunately, the metal on the edge of the ramp sliced into my ankle. Extremely nasty, deep, wide wound. Three months I've been battling this. I've been on at least 4 rounds of antibiotics, maybe 5, it's getting hard to keep track, because it keeps getting infected. I was referred to a wound care specialist who, after several weeks, referred me to a surgeon and they have opened the wound back up and now I have an extremely nasty looking hole in my ankle about the width of a golf ball and about as deep as half of said golf ball. It's taking forever to heal. I've spent a small fortune on ER visits, doctor visits, supplies to take care of the wound. I've been out of work for probably a month now with no idea when I will be able to be back. I'm supposed to stay off my feet and elevate my ankle most of the time. The weather is beautiful out and I'm on my back unable to take care of my yard, do fun things with my children, clean my house, etc. I cook sometimes, often I send Mike (my 21 year old) out for food or to take the younger boys out somewhere, I get the dishwasher loaded and wash a load of clothes here and there. My blueberries will be coming in soon but chances are I won't be able to get out there and pick them. I love picking blueberries. I'm so tired of FB, playing internet games, watching tv. I want to work, do things with my kids, travel with my kids, visit friends and family, use some of these points I've been collecting on free hotel rooms, airfare, etc. I'm so tired of cleaning and dressing my wound. I just want it to be over and it's not. I just needed to vent. I'm tired, depressed and miserable.

Alex would absolutely be proud of you! You can do this! 5 1/2 year later, tears still fall when I have little memories of Rick. Don't let your tears, your emotions, let you get discouraged. It's all part of the love of Alex and you and completely normal. You've got this!

Just Jen, I don't remember how far out I was, probably 2 years, I got my first ever mani-pedi. Mind you, I'm about as low maintenance as they come. Getting manicures is senseless since I don't have nails and pedi's? Well, I've just never paid much attention to them. So, wids on the board were always talking about how great pedicures were so I decided to get one when I saw a groupon for a good deal on a mani-pedi. So I go in to get this done and yes, the pedi was really nice, but it was the manicure, and the person doing mine was a man and when he was massaging my hands, it really took all my strength not to cry. The feel of a man stroking my hands and wrists, I just wasn't prepared for how it would feel. I managed to keep my composure but afterwards I cried like a baby.

Oh Rob, you really need to try one before you judge. Trust me, I thought the same thing. Rick turned me on to everything unhealthy in Philly.

Here you go! http://www.visitphilly.com/restaurants-dining/authentic-philly-cheesesteaks/ One tip, if you are ever anywhere other than the greater Philadelphia area and you see advertised an "authentic Philly cheesesteak", don't be fooled. It is not even a close substitution. Also, the roll is as important as the meat. If it's not a good roll, it's not a good cheesesteak.

You are better off taking a trip to Philly and getting a REAL Philly cheesesteak. There are no substitutes. Plus we have great bagos out here.

Congratulations and Good Luck!

Seeing this title gave me a jolt of a memory. When Rick was in the hospital, probably only a week before he died, he was getting his one and only chemo treatment. They were also giving him something to reduce the potassium in his body, apparently he had too much. Whatever it was, it made him have diarrhea really bad and he was spending much time on the porta potty in the room and I was there helping him. He made a joke about our exciting Saturday night. I laughed and said I was happy to be there sharing it with him. I'd still rather be doing that with him than any Saturday night I've had since then.

Prayers going up for your friend. I'm so sorry.

I don't have a problem with people from church offering their services for a price. If I couldn't afford to bring someone in I could absolutely go to this church and ask for help and they would find someone to help me. It's a good church full of caring people but, like most churches, some of those caring people like to talk and often can be judgmental. I'd just rather not deal with it. Just a note, I edited my original post a bit. I read the post on FB when I first woke up this morning and the post I thought was on my page wasn't. It showed up in my feed because the person from church who had originally suggested I use someone from church tagged me in her response to the post. the poster did just as she should have. Posted a general "My husband is available for work" post without tagging me. It was the other church member that put me in an awkward position. Still awkward but at least it was just one church member being difficult and not both of them.

These days Facebook is pretty much my only adult interaction. I'm laid up at home with an ankle wound that is keeping me out of work and mostly on my back with my ankle elevated. (I was going to say on my back with my legs up but then I realized how that sounded. Actually, that sounds pretty good right now ;D) So, I'm on FB alot, more than I should be, and anyone who knows me knows I really don't think too much about my posts before I post them. I post about pretty much everything in my life and sometimes it gets me into trouble. Case in point. I recently posted about how I've finally contacted a handyman through Angie's List to take care of some things around the house. I figure I'm laid up, I might as well get someone in here to take care of some things. Actually I should have done it before my kids were about to be out of school. It would have been a lot easier. So then, after I post about this someone from church comes on to say there are several people at church who could do handyman work for me. Oops. Now I'm in a pickle. I don't want to hire someone from church or my personal life for several reasons. 1. Hiring someone from your personal life causes problems if you aren't happy with the job they do, 2. I like finding people who accept credit cards because I like getting the points and 3. My house and life are a mess, I don't like bringing in people that will likely talk behind my back or judge. Unfortunately, many from church would, not everyone, but many would. So I respond to the comment about how I like to use my credit cards for points. I talk about my use of points all the time, so this is well known. You would think that would end it, right? Nope. This morning there is a post from someone at church saying her husband just retired and is looking for odd jobs to keep himself busy and the person who had suggested I use someone from church tags me in her comment and says "See Mary! The money you save from not using your credit card will make it worth it!". Shit. Now I have to find a way to tell them no, I don't want to use you. Crap. Fortunately she said the only things he can't do are electrical and plumbing and fortunately that is mostly what I am looking to get done at first. So I say that. Then I respond to the comment about using my credit card by saying I don't pay interest. I pay off my charges in full each month unless I have a 0% interest deal. Really, it's like using cash only I get points to leverage for travel and other things. I must admit, I get quite a high from playing the points game. I hate being in a position to say "No, I don't want to use you". Actually, if I remember right, her husband worked for a place that did carpentry. I think they made wood furniture. I would probably bring him in for something carpentry related but again, I know this couple well enough to know I don't want them knowing me or my life too closely. They will talk and judge and I don't like that. Honestly, I just want to find a highly rated person though Angie's list that takes credit cards and can do pretty much anything, that I can bring in to do a little at a time. I don't want to deal with multiple people and I don't want to worry about bad feelings or awkward situations. Rick was the same way. He often had people offer help when he was doing home projects. He didn't want the help because he didn't want problems if they didn't do things the way he liked. There was only one friend he would bring in to help with projects and I have called and will call that guy whenever I need things like drywall and some light remodeling done. For instance I will likely call him in when I need to get a leak on the ceiling of my living room fixed. He does excellent work. I never have to worry with him. Other than that, nope, not interested in finding someone from church or a friend to help out and risk problems. It's not worth it. <sigh> Facebook can be such a pain sometimes. I really need to get back to work.

Truly a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. (((((KAMCHO))))

Too far out for me to definitely commit but put me down as a maybe. With my crazy life, I don't know what I'm doing next week, much less next month. Sounds great though! I hope I can!

I know! And to add to the craziness, AnnE's anniversary is also the same day AND year as mine and IronBear's anniversary is the same day as my birthday. Pretty crazy stuff.

(((((BIG HUGE HUGS))))))) MS. Seeing your post reminded me that my wedding anniversary and your sadaversary are the same day. I know that was really hard, dealing with sadaversary feelings, breakup feelings, all of it at once. It truly blows. Now my only question is.....how to I get the motivation to become a fitness badass too?

Going to try very hard to make this but I might be in Arkansas then. Don't know. I really want to meet the infamous adp!

My anniversary was the 20th. Beautiful words. ((((HUGS)))) and love to you as you remember your special man and special day.