Pacific Coast Rest-Stop

[Ms. Barbie]

Hi guys- remember me? I've popped in once in awhile, but have not posted. A couple of days ago, I received notice that I'm no longer a member of Faithwriters and that scared me! I thought my renewal was supposed to me automatic every November, so did not even think about it this month. I debated a bit with myself wondering if I should renew since I've not had any inspirational thoughts in months! I do, however, want to support the site for as long as I am able, and so many of my Facebook friends are linked to this group. I will try to be more involved (if anyone cares )

Since it's just Mom and me for Thanksgiving, we had lunch at a Chinese Buffet, then wandered around Big Lots. Was back home 2 1/2 hours later.

Still keeping busy on my job-some days ever so stressful, and a lot of hurtful things have happened, but rely on God to deal with the situations.

I will be having hip replacement sometime in the next few months- no date yet. I had to pass a lot of hurdles to be considered "optimized" for the surgery. Very different from when I had it ten years ago.

[Shann]

Barb! I've missed you so much! You have to stay. I think you should write too. You're always have a special place in my heart because you were the first person to really welcome me. Make sure you let us know when you have your surgery. Happy Dance just for you!

Thanksgiving was rough. We Skype Lyd and I think she is more homesick than she wants to admit. She said some horrible things and we both ended up sobbing. Now my head hurts.

[Allison]

Hi Barb!

Sorry you have to go through the hip surgery again. That's no fun. I'll be praying that you are "cleared for takeoff" and that everything goes well.

Shann, I'm sorry you had a rough Thanksgiving.

[JesusPuppy]

Hi Barb.

Okay... stepped down wrong and popped my toe somehow, hurts. Ow.

Stayed home and watched Who videos, and had sweet rolls for dinner.

Sparrow Bird, I am so glad you popped by, and also to hear you have a slow term. I know you love the work, but I worry, can't help it. As for WHO, you guys will love it.

Shann I feel for you, really. Kids grow and leave the home, but... and this is the good part, they WILL be back.

[RiversidePeace]

Hi Barb.

Hi everyone. I'm sorry I have been quiet lately. I'm just a bit busy with appointments and stuff. I feel rather tired with this year a pretty heavy one. Still, I think it's been a great year. It's just these last weeks that are depressing. Sigh...

Chrissy

[Shann]

Hey all just popping in. I'm in a very dark place and thinking how much better the world would be without me in it but then realized how egotistical that is because 99.9%of the world wouldn't even know. I just need prayers. I know you guys love me. I don't need affirmation just prayers.

[violin4jesus]

Love you, Shann, and am praying for you. Words do hurt and it's hard to not let them ring in your head over and over again. (((hugs)))

We had a nice Thanksgiving. I came home from work and prepped the stuffing and stuffed the turkey, then made cranberry sauce. Since I was sleeping, Ryan stuck the bird in the oven by noon and then added potatoes at 3. He got me up at 5, and I had him pull out the juices and I made gravy on the stovetop, and let it simmer while he carved the turkey and I had a shower. By the time I was ready, dinner was too! We watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special on Netflix, which was cute, then went to the theatre to see Catching Fire, which was sold out, but we had bought tickets on Fandango Tuesday. I liked it better than The Hunger Games, mostly because it dealt with the underlying resistance to tyranny. I've never read the books, so the movies are quite fun for me. Then we came home for pumpkin pie and Doctor Who (we're re-watching the new series).

Amy, there is a site where you can watch both Season 7 and the 50th Anniversary Special, so text me if you're interested. We loved the special, too. Ryan watched it streaming on some site live, but I was sleeping, so we watched it the next day. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. There's also a hilarious mini-special by the older Doctors posted on the BBC site, Pup. You would get a kick out of it for sure.

Barb, I'm glad you renewed. I had debated this year, too, since I hardly am writing at all for fun, but the benefits of being a part of this community definitely outweigh the $10/month. I missed you at the Fair this year by one day, but maybe we can coordinate meeting at the Renaissance Fair next April. We had a lot of fun last year, so we're planning on it again.

Sigh. Just one more night off before my class starts up again. Gotta get some good sleep, especially since it's sick season and everyone is spreading their germs. Amy, I used to get flu shots every year from the time I was 10 years old. Then three years ago I stopped, and coincidentally I didn't get sick multiple times that winter. And every year since. I had started to question the validity of the vaccine, but the physical evidence really clinched it for me. I just dose up heavy on vitamins, sleep long hours, and wash my hands diligently to avoid catching the bugs. We eat a mostly organic diet, and I've been sick even less since eliminating dairy. I wouldn't recommend refusing the vaccine to everyone, but for a healthy young individual like myself who takes care to boost my own immune system, it works. Plus I'm more likely safer for myself and my patients if I'm wearing a mask. Less likely to catch and spread bugs in general. As long as I'm allowed to wear a mask and refuse, I will...my other reasons stem from my strong belief in patient choice. I believe in all patients' rights to refuse treatment, including myself. If they start requiring it as a mandatory condition of employment, I'll look into preservative free or nasal vaccines, but I will be highly vocal about being forced to inject toxic substances into my body against my will. There are far more adverse reactions to the vaccine than actual "prevention" of flu, if you do the research. The vaccine should be recommended only for those with weakened immune systems; injecting healthy individuals does little to stop the spread of flu and results in terrible adverse reactions for some people, many of which are life-threatening or life-long problems. The government often won't acknowledge the reactions as related to the injection, so if it happens to you, you're pretty much suffering on your own. That's not a risk I'll take willingly.

Sorry. Off my soapbox. I've got a few of them, so don't get me going. Incidentally, a high percentage of my coworkers have had bad reactions to the flu vaccine this year in particular (most are giving in because they don't want to wear the mask), and just in the last week we've had a lot of sick calls. I'm probably fighting something off, or it's allergies, but I'm definitely well enough to work still.

It's raining heavy out there right now. I definitely prefer this kind of rain to Seattle drizzle. But we'll be heading home for Christmas in a month, so I'm sure I'll get my fill. Hard to believe the year is almost over. Feels like it flew by!

[JesusPuppy]

Praying for you Shann.

There's also a hilarious mini-special by the older Doctors posted on the BBC site, Pup. You would get a kick out of it for sure.

The Five(ish) Doctors..? Saw it. And yes I did get a kick out of it. Seeing all the, as yet still living, Doctors running around.. (not telling just in case anyone else wants to see) It was cool, almost like a family reunion. Sort of.

Foot still hurts, but they messed up at work and we didn't get a load, so I am taking another night off. It is getting somewhat easier to walk on it but it still hurts. Being up on me feet all night would probably kill me, but that's ok, we will see how it goes tomorrow.

Anyone see the comet this passed month? I sat up looking last week and was going to take pictures... guess that will teach me to check the battery in the camera now and then.

[RachelM]

Hi all!
So, I didn't get 50,000 words in NaNo this year, but that's okay. I realized that it was taking too much from my family and I know that it was the right decision to scale back my goals. But I did manage 30,000 in 1 month, so I'm super happy with that and I'm trying to keep going with it until my rough draft is finished.

Shann, I'm sorry that you are feeling so rotten. I'm praying for you, friend.

[RedBaron]

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I've been missing talking with everybody, keep hoping people will come out of hiding, and they don't. So here I am, even though I have no idea what anybody is talking about and I can't go back and read months worth of posts.

Doctor Who was amazing! We splurged and I took Dad, Eileen, and Josh to see it. Frank had class and doesn't like Doctor Who (or most anything BBC produced, says he can't understand them lol) and Mom stayed here with Jolynn, since I wasn't about to pay that much for her to see it and spend half my time with her in the hall lol.

I don't buy many DVDs, but that's one I'm going to own. I also watched An Adventure in Space and Time through a streaming site, which is a docu-drama about how Doctor Who got started and it is fantastic.

[RiversidePeace]

Foot still hurts, but they messed up at work and we didn't get a load, so I am taking another night off. It is getting somewhat easier to walk on it but it still hurts. Being up on me feet all night would probably kill me, but that's ok, we will see how it goes tomorrow.

Hope your foot improved after a night off. Do take care.

CHrissy

[jaybird]

Praying for you Shann. ((hugs))

I started watching the Macy's Parade was a disappointing at the start with all the musical numbers. I'm sure the traditional floats and marching bands would have followed, but I turned the channel. The men dressed in drag turned me off. The NFL football game began anyway.

Pup, I'll send a toe truck. Ow, that must hurt, bud.

[JesusPuppy]

Ow, that must hurt,

Yrah, but not as bad as that toe truck joke... Booooooo.

((RED)) Hiya sis, glad you finally decided to stop by What you mean hiding? We are not hiding, we're right here. And by the way, I didn't know Doctor Who was in theaters, where did you go to see it. Or was it at Comic-Con?

Doctor Who got started and it is fantastic.

Yes it is, the best all time show, and the longest running, but I won't get started on that, and I am sure most will thank me.

Well.. that dredded time of the year has arrived, Christmas Muzak in the stores. Last night, I counted that Mexican song, "Flees on a dog", 14 times. Sorry to those who might like that song, but 14 TIMES. True it is not as bad as Jingle Bell Rock, that played 10 times through the night, but at least it was done by three different people. The other, one guy, 14 TIMES, and I swear he was off key.

BAck to wearing me MP3 player.

[Shann]

Hey Shari glad you popped in too! We are a bit wacky but that shouldn't surprise you too much! I think I'm the only one who isn't into Dr Who. My husband likes it though. I'm all excited about the live Carrie Underwood production of the Sound of Music but no one will be here to watch it with me which is part of the fun. So I asked Chris if he'd watch it and he said You didn't watch the 50th anniversary of Dr Who.

I said that he didn't ask, but if he had I would (of course I'm sure I would have peppered him with questions because I know nothing other than a weird sounding call box or phone booth okay I'll admit I know it's called a tardis or something like that but only because Lyd got him a tree ornament last year and it's on the desk) but I digress (Again!) his answer was I'd never ask you to watch something I know you wouldn't like. Now personally I think he'd like the Sound of Music...

So does anyone want to come to NY to watch the Sound of Music with me?

[Shann]

Pup, Fleas on a dog? Do you have Fleas? I scratched my head until the lice jumped off and finally dawned on me that you must be talking about Feliz Navidad I am a bit slow on the uptake. I was getting ready to goggle Fleas on a dog.