[Polibeth]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

My family member, really my replacement father, died last night. I'm so glad he isn't suffering anymore; the last 4-5 months were bad for him. But I'm going to miss him so much. Not much else to say.

I'm so sorry - thats so difficult. Hugs

[Mountaindewed]

Originally Posted by Nammu

Oh ugh. My car insurance just came. I pay a year up front to get additional discount and the dr called and said my insurance refused to pay for the hearing aids because I have money! I’m on SSDI and that money is because I pitch pennies and go with- out. Geez thats over 3000 dollars! So I can kiss my savings good bye. Plus I over spent on Christmas for the grandkids.

That happened to my dad. He took a lot of money out of his pension and SSDI took it all and used that money to pay him every month.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

My family member, really my replacement father, died last night. I'm so glad he isn't suffering anymore; the last 4-5 months were bad for him. But I'm going to miss him so much. Not much else to say.

I'm so, so sorry for your tremendous loss, Rainbow. I hope peace finds you at this time.

[Sunflower123]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

My family member, really my replacement father, died last night. I'm so glad he isn't suffering anymore; the last 4-5 months were bad for him. But I'm going to miss him so much. Not much else to say.

My sincere condolences on your loss.

[Soupe du jour]

BeyondtheRainbow, I'm so sorry to read of your loss. There seems to be a number of people losing loved ones lately. Sending hugs and support during your grieving process.

[Soupe du jour]

It's nice and sunny where I am now, but it did snow a lot yesterday. I don't think it reached the upper amounts predicted, though. Maybe max 12 inches.

I posted some things on Craig's List, including our whole bedroom suite. In response to the bedroom suite listing, people are inquiring, but only want our bed and mattress. We really hoped they'd take the whole shabang. Another two people want to buy our ping pong table, but I fear they'll want my husband and me to do most of the hauling up the steps and out. It is a heavy bugger! Somehow all we have left is extremely heavy stuff.

My husband wants us to start our road trip on Saturday, but deep down I wish we could wait until Monday evening. On Monday, the movers take our stuff out of our house for the shipment (a rescheduled date because of the snow). Hubby wants our neighbor to let them in on Monday. I really wish it was us. I know that that would mean us waiting around in a hard to live in house more days, but I feel uncomfortable not being present. But Hubby is the stubborn one of us two. He'll surely get his way. The house is supposed to be "broom clean" afterwards, and yet when the stuff is taken out it will need the broom cleaning. No one will be here to do that. Then all of the other stuff would also happen with us away (lawyer stuff, closing, etc.) As boring as it would be waiting until Monday, that would at least also save us two nights hotel bills. But no, Hubby will likely get his way.

Here are glimpses out front and back windows of our house.

[MuddyBoots]

So sorry for your loss, Rainbow. Take it easy, alright?

[Soupe du jour]

I'm thinking about getting extremely tough with my husband. I looked around the house and it is blatantly clear that we should not leave for our road trip until after the moving people take our stuff and we have a short bit of a time to properly prepare the house for the upcoming new owner. That means that we should leave for the road trip next Monday or Tuesday, and NOT this Saturday.

Update: I talked to our realtor (myself). I then told Hubby what she and I discussed. My husband is now receptive to the "better course of action". We'll have a phone conference with our realtor in an hour or less. I communicated to her our current issues and questions. Our closing will need to be delayed until at least Dec 21. Given the snow storm, Dec 18 (tomorrow) is not doable.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

It's nice and sunny where I am now, but it did snow a lot yesterday. I don't think it reached the upper amounts predicted, though. Maybe max 12 inches.

I posted some things on Craig's List, including our whole bedroom suite. In response to the bedroom suite listing, people are inquiring, but only want our bed and mattress. We really hoped they'd take the whole shabang. Another two people want to buy our ping pong table, but I fear they'll want my husband and me to do most of the hauling up the steps and out. It is a heavy bugger! Somehow all we have left is extremely heavy stuff.

My husband wants us to start our road trip on Saturday, but deep down I wish we could wait until Monday evening. On Monday, the movers take our stuff out of our house for the shipment (a rescheduled date because of the snow). Hubby wants our neighbor to let them in on Monday. I really wish it was us. I know that that would mean us waiting around in a hard to live in house more days, but I feel uncomfortable not being present. But Hubby is the stubborn one of us two. He'll surely get his way. The house is supposed to be "broom clean" afterwards, and yet when the stuff is taken out it will need the broom cleaning. No one will be here to do that. Then all of the other stuff would also happen with us away (lawyer stuff, closing, etc.) As boring as it would be waiting until Monday, that would at least also save us two nights hotel bills. But no, Hubby will likely get his way.

Here are glimpses out front and back windows of our house.

That looks like a terrifying amount of snow to me! What happens when it melts...isn't there a flood?

I agree with you being present until Monday/Tuesday. Better to finish all loose ends.

[Soupe du jour]

Originally Posted by BethRags

That looks like a terrifying amount of snow to me! What happens when it melts...isn't there a flood?

I agree with you being present until Monday/Tuesday. Better to finish all loose ends.

No. Definitely not terrifying at all. Are you from a warmer climate place? A lot of places get 12 inches or even more of snow in the winter, on a given day/night. It usually wouldn't cause a flood unless perhaps a heavy rain followed the heavy snow. It otherwise melts gradually. I suppose it may depend on some soil types, but where I am it is usually fine. I remember back in 1996 there was an especially bad nor'easter blizzard that left 4 feet of snow. There was a similar one less than 10 years before that that was especially huge, with snow drifts. That did paralyze the area quite a bit. I can say that places like upstate New York have even more snow issues, usually. They call that "lake effect snow". People there are used to it and their road crews are snow removal experts. Unlike California getting the earthquakes, the east coast's biggest issues are the nor'easters or hurricanes/tropical storms.

Yes, it turned out that we will be waiting until the movers take our stuff. I confess that I had to have our realtor say this to really drive the necessity home. This was not the first time our realtor and I had to present a 2 against 1 argument. Don't get me wrong, sometimes my husband is the right one of us two. When I really put my foot down, it is usually always for very good reasons. We're waiting to hear back from our realtor with some answers on a few things. She said she'd call back in an hour, but an hour passed about 30 minutes ago. I want that call to be a conference call that includes my husband.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

No. Definitely not terrifying at all. Are you from a warmer climate place? A lot of places get 12 inches or even more of snow in the winter, on a given day/night. It usually wouldn't cause a flood unless perhaps a heavy rain followed the heavy snow. It otherwise melts gradually. I suppose it may depend on some soil types, but where I am it is usually fine. I remember back in 1996 there was an especially bad nor'easter blizzard that left 4 feet of snow. There was a similar one less than 10 years before that that was especially huge, with snow drifts. That did paralyze the area quite a bit. I can say that places like upstate New York have even more snow issues, usually. They call that "lake effect snow". People there are used to it and their road crews are snow removal experts. Unlike California getting the earthquakes, the east coast's biggest issues are the nor'easters or hurricanes/tropical storms.

Yes, it turned out that we will be waiting until the movers take our stuff. I confess that I had to have our realtor say this to really drive the necessity home. This was not the first time our realtor and I had to present a 2 against 1 argument. Don't get me wrong, sometimes my husband is the right one of us two. When I really put my foot down, it is usually always for very good reasons. We're waiting to hear back from our realtor with some answers on a few things. She said she'd call back in an hour, but an hour passed about 30 minutes ago. I want that call to be a conference call that includes my husband.

Yes, born & raised in California. There is snow in the mountains here, I've visited it about 5 times in my life, but certainly never lived in it. If I have a choice I'll go west, to the ocean. Where I live winter is short, 50 degrees is cold, and anything below that is "OMG it's freezing!" Summers are long, and 95 - 105 (at least).

[Nammu]

I have lived in both central Texas and southern Minnesota and over all I’ll take Minnesota over Texas humid heat any day. One year we had over a month of over 100 degrees though we can get deep snows and -45F temperatures it doesn’t last long. It’s so much easier to dress warmer but there’s only so much you can take off in the heat! :

[Moose72]

This is the finished blanket. (My mom is in the picture for size.) It needs some loose ends tied up- literally! But I should have my blanket tonight or tomorrow.

[Blue_Bird]

We got over 18 inches of snow, it finally feels like winter/christmassy, I love it

[Soupe du jour]

Originally Posted by Moose72

This is the finished blanket. (My mom is in the picture for size.) It needs some loose ends tied up- literally! But I should have my blanket tonight or tomorrow.

Very cool and stylish! It's always nice to have something homemade.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Nammu

I have lived in both central Texas and southern Minnesota and over all I’ll take Minnesota over Texas humid heat any day. One year we had over a month of over 100 degrees though we can get deep snows and -45F temperatures it doesn’t last long. It’s so much easier to dress warmer but there’s only so much you can take off in the heat! :

Texas heat is similar to the heat in the southern states: HUMID. Fortunately, we have "dry" heat here. Most of California, aside from the coast and eastern mountains, is, essentially, a desert.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Moose72

This is the finished blanket. (My mom is in the picture for size.) It needs some loose ends tied up- literally! But I should have my blanket tonight or tomorrow.

It's darling, Moose! It reminds me of the "Mod" look during the 60's. The black edging is sharp. Really cute! Great job

[Blue_Bird]

I'm trying to get over some specific phobias I have and it's been extremely hard. It's been interfering with my life a lot, fear of eating and taking pills due to fear of choking. It started less than a year ago but has gotten severe pretty fast. I don't know what triggered it. I never had this before that. Anyway, obviously I have to eat and I take 10 pills a day so it's something I'm gonna have to get over sooner or later. It just causes massive panic and anxiety in my life every time I'm trying to eat or take my meds, and those are everyday things. Ugh. I hope I can train myself to get over it. I need to ask my therapist for help I guess.

[Mountaindewed]

I’m doing pretty good today besides the anxiety. I still need to figure out how to eat and eat better. Plus I have to figure out how to ditch the caffeine. Today was the best day of group so far. I was participating a lot and people were agreeing with me and I just felt very comfortable for the first time. The rest of the day I’ve been watching Christmas specials. I watched the Saturday Night Live Christmas special, Mr. Hankeys Christmas special, and the holiday episode of RuPauls Drag Race. This is the first time after group I’ve been able to rewind and relax and not overthink things.

[*Beth*]

We had a hard, joyful rain overnight- wish it would have stuck around. But today is cold, crisp, and brightly sunny. (Yes, I find weather fascinating.)

I want to start lining up a couple of movies to watch on Christmas. Oh, how I wish the theaters were open. The first vaccines arrived in my county today, designated for healthcare workers and nursing care residents.

I'm...so-so. The depression has, thus far, been remarkably better this year than for the past 9 years. It's still there more than I'd like, though. The SI scares and drains me.

[Scooter9]

This time last year I was sleeping 2-3 hours a night, not because of being manic but because of a change in meds.

Now I'm in the opposite camp - I struggle to sleep less than 12 hours a day. l try to go to bed later and then get up earlier so that I get around 9-10 hours - that's still a lot. I have no idea how I'm going to manage when I start commuting again. One thug at a time.

Remember to look in the southwest sky as the sun is setting to get a look at jupiter and saturn... It's spectacular! They look like really bright stars and are close together.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

I'm trying to get over some specific phobias I have and it's been extremely hard. It's been interfering with my life a lot, fear of eating and taking pills due to fear of choking. It started less than a year ago but has gotten severe pretty fast. I don't know what triggered it. I never had this before that. Anyway, obviously I have to eat and I take 10 pills a day so it's something I'm gonna have to get over sooner or later. It just causes massive panic and anxiety in my life every time I'm trying to eat or take my meds, and those are everyday things. Ugh. I hope I can train myself to get over it. I need to ask my therapist for help I guess.

Phobias are such a hell. I, too, have a fear of choking. It started when I was in Paris and choked on something, alone in my hostel room. I completely lost my ability to breathe until I forced myself to remain calm and breathe, to allow my throat to relax.

It was terrifying. Sine then, it has happened several times. I suspect that some meds cause muscle relaxation, which includes swallowing muscles. Eating, drinking, and taking pills is always a source of anxiety now.

One tip I have is to eat and drink with your head facing forward, not turned to either side.

Talking with your T is a good idea, especially since you don't know why your phobia began.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Scooter9

This time last year I was sleeping 2-3 hours a night, not because of being manic but because of a change in meds.

Now I'm in the opposite camp - I struggle to sleep less than 12 hours a day. l try to go to bed later and then get up earlier so that I get around 9-10 hours - that's still a lot. I have no idea how I'm going to manage when I start commuting again. One thug at a time.

Remember to look in the southwest sky as the sun is setting to get a look at jupiter and saturn... It's spectacular! They look like really bright stars and are close together.

I have to sleep 12 hours, too. Most of it is meds, some of it is depression.

Thank you for the reminder about the planets! I'm so looking forward to seeing them.

[Soupe du jour]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

I'm trying to get over some specific phobias I have and it's been extremely hard. It's been interfering with my life a lot, fear of eating and taking pills due to fear of choking. It started less than a year ago but has gotten severe pretty fast. I don't know what triggered it. I never had this before that. Anyway, obviously I have to eat and I take 10 pills a day so it's something I'm gonna have to get over sooner or later. It just causes massive panic and anxiety in my life every time I'm trying to eat or take my meds, and those are everyday things. Ugh. I hope I can train myself to get over it. I need to ask my therapist for help I guess.

At one point in the past, I had a temporary fear of choking on food, though it was mostly a fear of choking on meat. I would take extremely small bites and chew and chew and chew, so that the pieces would be as small as possible. As my brain healed from some traumatic times, the choking fear faded.

Are you less afraid when taking the pills one by one? Or is it any number of pills? I used to find that putting a little water in my mouth before putting in the pill would help it go down without really realizing.

I'm sure you'll get past this phobia with time, but I understand the fear.

[Blue_Bird]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

At one point in the past I have a temporary fear of choking on food, though it mostly a fear of choking on meat. I would take extremely small bites and chew and chew and chew, so that the pieces would be as small as possible. As my brain healed from some traumatic times, the choking fear faded.

Are you less afraid when taking the pills one by one? Or is it any number of pills? I used to find that putting a little water in my mouth before putting in the pill would help it go down without really realizing.

I'm sure you'll get past this phobia with time, but I understand the fear.

Thank you I take my pills one at a time, but once the pill is in my mouth with water I panic and sometimes swallow too fast and then I get scared. Someone suggested taking them in yogurt or pudding and that seems like something that may help, I'll have to give that a try and continue working on relaxation exercises. I really hope that someday I'll be over this fear