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Morning all. It’s December 8th, 16 days to Christmas, for those who have things yet to do. Bit of a snowy morning here, no big deal, but the south is having a Winter Storm. Looks like a good time to just stay home and read a good book.

Reading through the posts about the statins the other day, I too refuse to take them. Through diet and exercise, I have lost weight and pulled some of my numbers down, not that I have been behaving myself of late and eating some things I shouldn't , like sweet stuff etc., But I know come January, I will crack down again. Only need to shave off the 5 pounds or so I gained this summer and fall. Too much good camp cooking I am also taking Glucosamaine supplements rather than Osteoporosis meds for same reason,don’t want the side effects.

Nothing much going on here right now, puttering around and deciding how I want to reorganize my basement storage area where my craft stuff is, plus continue setting up my little workshop. Fun type projects for me. Tomorrow is big Christmas craft/vendor show in town, looking forward to browsing around at that.

But for now, guess I should take myself out of my chair and get changed to head to town. Hope you all have a nice day. Those of you in the storm areas, keep dry, warm and drive careful if you have to be out.

Good Morning All, Just stopping in for a cup of coffee. Finally a good cup of coffee with new coffee maker. If you don’t like strong coffee, don’t push the bold button. Still need some gifts but not a clue what to buy. Will stay home, wrap some gifts, do a little house cleaning and think. Safe travels

Morning world. Not that it matters to anyone else but the route south has been chosen. Cindy is driving down here from Columbus, Ohio, area as soon as she can get away today and we will continue on down using I-75. Since we were not planning on heading down until Sunday morning we are using the "leave early" method. The weather maps show the I-75 corridor picking up less nasty weather, it is at a lower elevation than the mountains of WV and VA and it has more off ramps and civilization should something unexpected occur. So Josef and I have piled our belongings in the kitchen and wait for the chariot to Orlando to arrive.

I am looking forward to leaving this cold weather in the rear view mirror. You guys in Florida already, feel free to work on those temperatures for everyone to enjoy!

Think I will text my daughter, who lives in Charlotte, NC, and be sure she has adequate supplies of bread and wine. Being from Ohio she watches the "impeding storm" panics of NC, with an experienced eye. She just wants to bundle up and enjoy the snow and memories of her youth before it all melts away and the 60 degree winter hiking weather, which she really, really loves, returns.

Tina

Colliemom wrote:I am also taking Glucosamaine supplements rather than Osteoporosis meds for same reason,don’t want the side effects.

Sue: Great Minds Think Alike.

I try to avoid meds of almost any kind. Haven't done the bone density test (would not take the drugs anyway, so what is the point?). Also, it seems to me (after observing these kinds of things over time) that the ultra-expensive "wonder drug" of today is often the drug that is found to have some kind of unexpected (and often dreadful) side effect tomorrow. I think glucosamine is aimed more at joint health than at bone health (could be wrong on that) - but I still enjoy drinking milk, so I hope I am covered on bone density issues.

I have taken glucosamine in the past; it really does work if one keeps at it, it just takes a while to kick in, sometimes not for many weeks of taking it daily.

But kick in it does seem to, eventually. Had not taken it in a while (when I don't hurt I forget to take it!!), just now, am very religiously taking glucosamine, hoping it will help with my current set of joint pain problems. Will know in a few weeks, I guess.

Over the last several years I have also given glucosamine to my dogs. Not any special $$dog glucosamine$$ but just the same pills I that I take (at a lesser dose) - I get them at Walmart. Not cheap, but not that expensive, either. Especially compared to "wonder drugs".

I know that the jury is still out on people taking it (or maybe it's just that Big Pharma is against it - cuts into their profit margins!), but the effect on my dogs has been very striking. I gave it to three of my dogs during the last years of their lives.

My Sweet Girl and my wonderful Rodrey James, and their mom, Cude Dog, were all out chasing the ball at full-tilt out in the yard well into their mid-teens, with no sign of stiffness, pain or arthritis. At all. Had started them on glucosamine when they were about seven or eight years old, and continued on it with them right up until. . . well, you know.

Years ago, before I "discovered" glucosamine, the dogs that I had then (same breed of dog then, same breed of dog now) got very stiff and painful, and had a lot of difficulty moving, when they reached their "senior years". Active ball-chasing was no longer a possibility for them.

I swear by glucosamine.

Anne

Anne, I took the Bone Density test and am glad I did. I knew I wasn't taking any of those meds but what it did give me was a sense of security knowing I had good bones. Now the lipid test is another story. I told my doc the other day that in 6 months I would take the lipid test again (due to elevated cholesterol) but then I was done as I am NOT taking the statins. I would if I had the risk factors of heart disease or really high blood pressure. I have low blood pressure 98/60 , no heart disease OR history of heart disease in my family. She already ordered a couple of tests in 6 months, the lipid test and a CMP (liver test) but my rheumatologist does labs when I have my infusion so I see no sense in repeating that test. Our medical dollars at work.

It started raining sometime during the night and I think it has just passed here. There may be some still in the Gulf but my local weather on the weather channel has stopped updating. I hate to have to call those people. The rain gauge shows 2 inches. It was a blowing rain so everything is wet. It was 70 earlier and is down to 65. I think it's suppose to freeze Monday night and be back to 70 on Thursday.

I need to find my bottle of Glucosamine and start taking it again. The pills Hank is taking have really helped him. I am going to have to take something to keep up with him.

I just love the ads on TV for the miracle drugs. They are suppose to help one thing and the list of side effects is unending including killing you.

I stocked up on baking supplies yesterday to make some candy and cookies. I am only making enough to give away. Most of the time I would rather have seconds instead of dessert but if it's hanging around I will eat some. Beth has more willpower than I do at 3 cookies. I usually bake about 5. I don't have many gifts to get and everyone gets frozen deboned stuffed chickens and crawfish pies from the local specialty meat market. Everyone in my family has more stuff than they need and they love the food. One of these days I'm going to see if I can cook one of the chickens in the slow cooker. Not sure how it would come out. The local take out place that sells boiled crawfish opened yesterday. I hope I can get in more this season than last. The crawfish usually start out kind of small so will give them a few weeks.

I took a few Christmas decorations camping last week but it was raining and windy so never did put any out. I have a few Christmas plates and would dig them out if I knew where they were. They are packed away in the old house somewhere. Just can't get into the spirit.

Tina, have a good trip and hope you miss the snow.

I need to do something with my hair so I can go vote. The runoff election is today.

Martha

Not morning! Good evening! I'm not sure how many of you have read my post in members only thread. At a follow-up appointment at the heart hospital the PA who was with my doctor told me that if I could not tolerate statins that I should try to use CoQ10. It's an OTC supplement. It might be an option for any of you who do not want to take statins.

It is awful outside--not the weather, but the traffic and trying to park!! No, I am done with Christmas shopping for five grandkids and parents, but I have been having low-grade fevers last several nights--ever since they removed my stent. I was not given any antibiotics before or after this stone removal or even the stent removal, which is unusual. And I almost never have a fever, so I called urologist yesterday, so had to go in today for a urinalysis and to pick up some prophylactic antibiotics. (Yes, In the last year or so, I sometimes take antibiotics just to prevent things because my immune system is so lousy and because once I get an infection, it would be extremely hard to recover from. I don't want to spend a week in the hospital with IV antibiotics, so preventative drugs, it is. And the instruments and the stent they put in and then took out can cause infections. Hopefully, it will not be too long, and I will be done with all of this.)

Also needed propane. So, unhooked and off I went. First, had to park in emergency room lot and walk to the exact far end of the hospital complex, so was worn out by the time I got there. Lab went OK, but I did find some black things in my urine, which I hope means I am passing parts of the stones.

ON to Walmart to pick up prescription. Waited in long line only to find out they had no prescriptions for me. So, I got on the phone and called Walgreens because the name sounds similar. Nope. Then I called Rite-Aid because that is where the urologist sent my pain meds, thinking maybe they sent it to old place. Nope. Finally, I realized there was a neighborhood Walmart not too far away, and yep, that is where the prescription was!! Picked it up, then on to UPS store to ship big box to Ohio. (Last few years, I have just ordered from Amazon, but this year did some special shopping.)

Finally, on to get a propane fill and then home to hook up and put stuff away. Would you believe all of this took 3.5 hours, and I only drove 26 miles? The problem was traffic on main roads and in parking lots and my big rig. EVERYONE is out shopping!! Had so many stops, it would have been more expensive to take Uber, so I drove, plus I had to fill built-in propane tank. I have enough groceries for the next week or longer. Since it is so cold, I bought extra milk, butter, and eggs, and stuffed them in an underneath bin. And no doctor appointments until Dec 19, so I hope I can stay home for a while.

Judy, your day makes me tired just hearing about it and you probably weren't feeling good.

The only thing I did today was go vote and make a batch of candy. My neighbor works at the poll and we were taking about it being gumbo weather. That made me hungry for gumbo. I'm glad I found a container in the freezer so I didn't have to make some.

Martha

Had a busy day today then decided to head to PetSmart to pick up a couple of things. Santa was there and they were taking pictures for free so I got a pic of Emma with Santa. She was so not impressed.



Then came home and made some cookies but I dunno, they dont look like they should. Will let them cool off then give em the old taste test.

Weather here was beautiful today. Sunshine and no wind. We went up to the dog park here where I live and I visited with a couple of neighbors and their dogs. Emma doesnt seem to lose her mind anymore when she is around other dogs...whew.

I'm still hoping to get a picture of Ty with Santa. But it's hard when I avoid all the places it could happen lol. I love Emma's picture.

I unhooked and went to town for groceries, etc. I bet I could last a month except for getting some fresh fruit occasionally. I forgot it was Saturday... Way busier than I wanted.

When I checked the gauge on my propane tank it was showing 1/2 full... Which means in the past month I've only used 1/4 tank. (Since they only fill to 80%, I decided not to fill yet... ) this rig has never given the right readings inside. When it shows empty inside I still have 1/4 tank.

My casita and storage is all locked up. Ty and I will be back on the road sometime tomorrow morning. I'm going to try to get a good off leash run in for him. I know he's going to miss them.

Karen - love Emma's pic with Santa! Would make a cute card. Pet Smart here didn't advertise if Santa would be in the store.

Beth, I hope you get Ty in to see Santa also.

Linda I didnt see any advertising either but when I went there it was happening. At this store it happens this weekend and next so if you want one you might check. No charge. I didnt even know.

This morning my roommate and I went to Costco to pick up a real tree for Christmas. It was a little too tall so I had a neighbor come over and cut off 6 inches for me. It is a nice looking fat tree. She waited until after I got home from work to decorate it. Her granddaughter was over so we all did a little bit to the tree. Looks nice now. I think I have some decorations out in the shed that I brought from my dad's house. Mostly "woodsy" ornaments made from sticks and pinecones, or little wildlife critters, etc.

My new kayak is ready to pick up at Walmart so will do that tomorrow. I bought crossbars and a kayak "saddle" for the Jeep roof, so I need to put that on first. Lots of places around here to use the kayak. I still have the inflatable kayak but many of the reservoirs won't allow them.

I like to make 8 cookies before bedtime but they are mini sized. I use Pillsbury Cookie dough and cut 4 cookies in half before baking.