AndreaM

Maybe before we go to my brother's for 2 p.m. Afterward, no. I think hubby and I'll be there until it's time to go to work.

^^Same here. Especially working the nightshift, people don't even agree when breakfast is. Some people have breakfast when they get home in the morning, 'cause morning is when most people have it. But the whole concept of 'breakfast' is 'breaking the fast' from when you've been sleeping, so I usually don't have mine until after my nap after work, usually sometime in the early afternoon. Different strokes . . .

I voted Other As the unmarried (at the time) of two siblings with no children, I was 'volunteered' to take care of my father, who I've never had a great relationship with. Luckily, I now have a hubby who took me on despite this obstacle, though the only time we're ever alone is on vacation, or when Dad's in the hospital. Eventually, I'd love to do something with cats or kittens, maybe help in a shelter, or foster, or trap/neuter/release neighborhood strays.

I love that my bro Jeff and his family are having us come up to his house on the 25th, and that no one's coming here. The weather's been too nasty to decorate outside, except for green bulbs in the porch and walkway lights, and I've been too pooped and stressed to decorate the inside. I'm off the hook!

Nope, unless you count the birthday cake I'm bringing up to my bro Jeff's on the 25th. We're celebrating Christmas, his and my Dad's Christmas Eve birthday, and hubby's birthday on the 22nd, all at once. I don't cook, but I bake two specialty old-fashioned cakes that I used to make with my mom many moons ago. The easier one is a spice cake, literally called Tomato Soup Cake. I call it Toxic Waste Dump Cake, because I've since developed bad food sensitivities to two of its main ingredients, tomatoes and raisins. I can make it, but I can't eat it!

Congratulations! Love your descriptions.

TIL that the Winter Solstice starts this Tuesday, December 21, at 6:38 p.m. EST. I'm funny about the change of seasons. The calendar just reads the first day of so-and-so, but if it doesn't change at midnight, it's not the first full day, and that bugs me. So the first full day of Winter this year is actually Wednesday. So there.

^I confess, I've been in a nutty mood lately. Between work and my toe, I think I got sent over the edge this week. I've been using (Oil of) Olay body wash for a while. I looked at it with more intent than usual while taking a shower and said 'Olay my body'!

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been . . . Wait a minute, I'm not Catholic! j/k

Shoot my father (I give him his first insulin of the day) Christmas Cards! Chiropractor Best Buy for a gift card for my brother Jeff's birthday present Walgreen's to pick up a DVD transfer of old home movies PetsMart for cat litter Maybe some decorating A little laundry

Pay off credit cards (again), and keep them that way! Buy a new car. Was aiming for July. Still could be then, or before March, but I really don't want a new sports car in the Winter. But I might not be able to resist! Reduce anxiety enough to lower one of my meds.

I prefer cats. I get too many headaches; can't take the barking. Most of my neighbors with dogs have been aholes; their dogs bark incessantly. My ex had a dog that would whine in the backyard all night, because he'd let Willie in the house for five minutes, and the poor thing would be so lonely, and the cops would come. I don't blame the dogs at all, but still . . .

1. What book(s) are you currently reading? I'm constantly looking through my own novel, and working on a few other things. The last book I read was an autobiography of Alan Alda. 2. What’s the last book you started to read but didn't finish? When I was a teenager, I started to read Brahm Stoker's Dracula, but the beginning was boring, boring, boring. I don't need pages and pages describing the scenery. 3. Do you ever give a book as a gift? I once gave a depressed friend a book called 1000 Reasons To Be Happy. I have a depressive nature, but am optimistic. 4. You decide to give your friend a book store gift certificate for a gift: which store are you most likely to choose? Probably Amazon. 5. EBook 6. For your own personal library, which would do prefer? All books be hardcover or all paperback? I don't keep books, because I obsessively look them over. I have the first three Twilight books, in paperback (much cheaper), in my locker at work. If they were home, I'd never get anything done!

Oooo, I've seen a few from that photo shoot, but not that exact one!:heart:

^^That's hilarious!

Not bad at all, compared to lately. 36. I found out in a hurry. The doorbell rang and I was still in bed. I get downstairs, and the mailman was halfway down the street. I missed a certified letter-NOT! I ran out of the house in socks and a robe (sometimes I sleep still dressed, a consequence of the midnight shift and how dead tired I can get) with my bad toe, and caught him. The letter was actually a waste of time, but now at least we don't have to post a sentry at the door Monday to find out what the hell it was.

Doubtful.

Well, this is my order of preference: Tom Benmont (I have a Hammond Organ-need I say more?) Mike Ron Howie Stan Steve Scott

My podiatrist is a really good guy. He just takes whatever the insurance pays. I've never had a co-pay or a bill from him. He treats a lot of seniors. My father goes to him now, as well, since he almost cut the top of his toe off and didn't feel it because of diabetic numbness. It was thisfar from gangrene. I'm sorry about your lack of insurance. I hate lots of things about my job, but it has its good points, too.

Most of these are big catch-alls for a bunch of smaller obsessions! My writing TPATH Hidden Object games Anything I'm not doing, but should be The 400 cassettes I want to get rid of Our broken front door (won't close right) Rice Krispies Treats Health issues Work issues Internet searching

1. Where you live, will you be having a white Christmas? Doubtful, but always a possibility. Haven't checked the forecast. 2. Best present you could receive this season? I just want it over with. Weather's been miserable, work's been worse: My hands are cut to ribbons (haha) from Christmas cards, and I can barely walk. I'll be happy Christmas Day! 3. Egg nog - regular or spiked with alcohol? Tried eggnog once; wasn't impressed. Most alcohol gives me migraines. 4. Tell the truth, do you like fruitcake? Never tried it, but it's got so much junk in it that I probably can't have it, anyway (food sensitivities). 5. Name your 3 favorite holiday songs? Marcia, I love Greensleeves, too. Step Into Christmas by Elton John Walking Round In Women's Underwear (Parody of Winter Wonderland)

Food would probably be the worst. I get a migraine if I don't get some protein every few hours. I even avoid 8-hour fasts before blood tests at the doctor's office; you can usually get away with four hours. Heat would be bad, as well. I hate being cold, and I can't get warm once I am cold. Can you go without peeing for 24 hours? That might be the worst of all!:eek:

xcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcxc ^My cat Purr just did this!:heart: Very likely. I've been seeing a chiropractor for years. My neck is long and doesn't have a normal curve. I get migraines for many reasons, and that's one of them, when my neck goes way out. I had bad experiences with two different offices, but the right one has really made a difference. I've also seen a very good acupuncturist, but haven't had to go in years. I had a horrible pain down my left arm, from my elbow to my thumb, and it would tingle. A regular doctor took Xrays, found nothing wrong, and gave me pain pills (the night ones had codeine cause it would wake me up). The chiropractor tried to help, also, but it didn't work. In desperation (I was having trouble doing my job), I went to the acupuncturist. As with anything, you have to be very specific in describing your symptoms. The first visit helped some, and the second visit nailed the problem (pun intended)! No pain there since!:003:

Thanks, ladies. Yeah, work has been ridiculous since we took over another facility's mail. They actually took our third shift's mail away, but gave the first shift (midnights) more mail, and now the facility that took our third shift can't handle the load, so we've gotten some of that mail back. It's obscene. I had to go to the foot doctor today. Being on my feet for eight hours made my toenail feel like it was going to shoot off into the ceiling. When I soaked it in icewater and it was only marginally better, I knew I had to go. Didn't want to get caught with a major problem over the weekend. He actually asked me if it was broken! 'You're the expert!' He took three Xrays and it's not, but the nail had to go, because it was all pressure. He said the toe looked like it was going to explode, and that it could be swollen for up to a month. I should be okay, now, though, 'cause I do have really good, comfortable wide shoes (I should say boots, 'cause that's what they are), even with the bandages.

I smashed my big toe early on my first day of work for the week, with a postcon gate (big bar of stainless steel came full force on it). I didn't tell management, because I was wearing suede boots, so the whole place would probably crack down on 'inappropriate footwear'. Hubby thinks it might be broken, but to me it doesn't hurt enough. I know I'll lose the nail 'cause it's turning black, and the top of the toe is swollen and a hideous dark purple. Looks like I'll be limping through the rest of the week with those same boots on, since they're the most comfortable! I have a foot doctor, so if it doesn't seem to improve, I'll check in with him. Even if it is broken, there's not much they can do for it, anyway.