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HeyDeborah!

18 years ago

Debbie,

Just wondering about you and how you are doing. I think of you often...you are such a tower of strength. I hope Al is doing well. Merry Xmas to you and your family,

Mimi

Comments (5)

gabby_49
18 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yes, I do miss all the stories you tell.Really enjoy your posts, guess you must be busy busy with getting ready for the holidays. How are the holidays in Canada? Every place is so busy here, soon it will be over. After running for months and shopping, then like a balloon it bursts and it is all over. Such a let down, but many preety things to enjoy. I have a juicer ,I am going to try. Only thing is it takes so many fruits and veggies...costly....but good for you...take care, STAY WARM.....and let us hear from you....HUGS Gabby
derryw
18 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Merry Christmas Deb and Al and kids! Hope you guys are staying warm and are having a good holiday. Derry
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Hey there, Deborah. I still have no ice on my pond and it is two weeks since you posted last. Your weather leads ours so maybe your water has frozen since then. I thought I would add a comment or two. The Barley straw ball is not going to do anything to keep the ice open. It will just freeze in place. The tennis balls might work but I always found them on the bottom after they broke open and sank at the first hard freeze that lasted long enough to close the ice. They hold up just fine when you are hitting them around in hot weather but cold makes them brittle. You need something that can be compressed like an inflatable pillow tethered to the bottom so it stays in place. Ping pong balls work if you don't mind the dents that appear. You need to confine them to a small space so there is not a lot of water between them.If the ice gets thicker than the diameter of the ping pong ball the hole will close up anyway. I tried to keep a pond the same size as yours open all winter with a heater and wound up with a heavy frost layer on everything around the pond. It looked like the worlds heaviest fog. I wound up removing the fish on Christmas day. What a mess. I kept the fish in the garage in the winter after that until I could dig a bigger pond a couple of years later. Horton's wood cover sounds like it could be a lot safer than a plastic sheet. The potential problem I see would be if the wind could lift it up. A cement block would solve that problem. There have been a number of threads on keeping the frogs alive during the winter. Lots of failures too. I haven't tried because frogs don't manage to get to my pond. However, after reading many threads on the subject I think I can suggest a solution to the problem in the future. By the way, this is not my solution, it is suggested by someone else who has a web site elsewhere. I just can't remember where it is. An area close to the pond should have a hole dug 12 to 18 inches deep that is backfilled with loose compost or chopped dried leaves or even sand. The frogs will go to the bottom of this backfill and hibernate until spring. Material such as quilt batting can strangle or suffocate the froggie as it shifts around. Otherwise, if you have a properly maintained garden area, the frog will be just as happy there since it would be easy to dig itself in. Freezing does not harm a frog. They produce their own anti-freeze. They are killed by dehydration. I once found the dissicated remains of three frogs who made the mistake of using a bag of lime in which to hibernate. I have also found a seemingly dead frog in the bottom of a ball of soil in a flower pot that broke. I left the ball of dirt in the sun frog side down and as it thawed the frog thawed too. It found a new spot to dig in since the soil scattered. In a deeper pond they would be safe in a bucket or pot of sand or clay such as you would use for a water lily. Sandy
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Good morning, well at 10 am it's already 73 degrees and humid (it feels like we live in florida! with the humidy and heat!). our computer was in the shop for over 2 weeks and it is loaded with only the basics (Connie, i can't reply to you because of the programme they have installed so i have to wait till theu find the recovery disks from another store, imagine a big chain that can't find disks and they have tried 4 other stores now they have to order them from the states!, so i will reply to you soon, would love to hear about your butterflies!). The leaves are not out yet, however, our plum and apple trees have white and pink blooms! Al has had 2 minor heart attacks but seems to be fine right now and is going to go to physio tomorrow for his hand, this weather we've been having has him in constant pain, so i'll be making a doctor's appointment later on today. one of the reasons i think he had a heart attack is because of some good news Carley was accepted to her first choice and second choice university (really the same university but 2 different programmes) with a busary and scholarship for the 4 years, and also an offer from the university here in our town and a scholarship, not as good as the offer from out of town though, the busary was one of 20 from across Canada!, so she will be going out of town instead of a 5 minute car ride to school! - go figure! i am busy making grad gowns yes gowns, not for a bunch of girls just mine! for those of you who are new, i am a quilter and i do volunteer sewing for a hockey league and have done this for the past 13 years!, so we buy a bunch of patterns and i have just a ton of fabric so i end up making 6 gowns out of extra fabric, but i say to her there's no way i'm putting the zippers in them now, i hate putting in zippers!, so that is the big laugh here, she says to her friends my mom made me 6 dresses and she didn't put the zippers in, since they are not sewers they do not find this funny at all. needless to say after i talk to all of you i am going back to the dress, red satin yes red satin, cocktail length and it is a high fitting halter style, she pick it all out, she said she didnt want anything skankey(sleezy)it must be elegant, so only 16 days left of high school! dear son is not at home, not yet, in my eyes, he must still learn alot about the feelings of others and just general life skills, he turned 23 on tuesday and was also made sales manager of the store! he is thinking about opening his own store now, but with all the thousands of people out of work here, i don't think it's a good idea. well it's off to the dress, wish me luck, and welcome all the new folks! 10 minutes of uv rays are good for you (Cdn. study) just don't overdo it! enjoy your day!!! debbie
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Oh Debbie...for goodness sake, be careful!!! I know you have a lot on your mind and when we do, we tend to be prone to accidents...we're just not really focusing on any one thing. Since you've shared all of your accidents of late, I will share something with all of you, which I haven't told anyone else, since I was SO darn embarassed...On Sunday, we were planning to go to my sister's house for Father's Day...mom was already there because she had spent the nite Sat nite. I was getting stuff ready to bring with, my DH had gone over to pick up his mom to take with us...so I'm running around, getting things together and my darling Golden Retreiver, Cheyenne, who is almost two now, decides it is play time and starts taking anything he can get his mouth on and dragging it all over the house, just to get my attention (very much like a kid)...so I'm chasing him and thinking, this isn't going to work, he's so full of energy (and this is after a 3 mile morning walk with us) and I have to crate him while we're gone because he still can't be trusted, so I'm thinking I'll give him a tranquilizer, one of his, from the Vet...only use them when really needed..my thoughts were it was better to tranq him so that he's calm in his crate and then maybe he'll be calm when we get home with mom cause she can't stand any kind of commotion....OK, long, long, story short...what do I do? I TAKE THE TRANQUILIZER!!! Don't ask me why...it was NOT a conscious decision and I realized it about 30 seconds after I took it...so now my husband is back with his mom, so now I give one TO THE DOG this time, and we leave...I'm thinking, the dog weighs 75 lbs and the meds go by weight, I weigh much more than him, so I should be ok...we get to my sisters and I feel like I've had three martini's!!! And, I am so embarassaed because of what I did, I can't tell anyone!! I'm trying to help my sister prepare and I'm dropping one thing after another...I finally said I had a horrible night and needed to go lie down, which is what I did and slept for about two hours...after that, I was a little groggy, but ok...talk about being distracted!!! So, Debbie, try to focus more (like I plan to do!) and maybe we can both stay safe!!!....take care, Mimi
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heydeborah
18 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Oh, you guys are the best! you made me cry! - a good cry though to be thought of, what wonderful,wonderful friends you ALL are! i am still not taking losing my little "Buddy" and still am mourning him alot, it is so weird not having him, infact, a gift came for him in the mail today from Al's aunts, and lets say i lost it! School is finished tomorrow for Carley, and she is home until the 6th. Matthew comes home on Sat. after work, he just hasn't moved right back yet. Our tree is up and it isn't a real one! you would think living up north we would have a real one, but guess what, only 3 places are selling them, and for the price they want, well, lets just say we didn't pay near for this one! we have decorated inside the house, but not outside, because of the price of electricity this year, what a town we live in! many have lost their jobs or will in the new year, because of the pulp and paper industry, very sad! i have been busy knitting mittens for the less fortunate (there are always people worse off than us), we don't go over board with gifts, something you might really would like and 2 smaller things such as socks (you can never want anything here because you won't get it-lol), so we never go into the "Hole", i'm also cutting out gifts for neices and nephews, since they have the philosphy their parents gave them if you don't like it just throw it away, so the money we would have spent on them, is going to one of the food banks, where it will be appreciated it. Al and i exchange something small, just a token, i remember the first Christmas we were married and i asked for a cheese slicer, really, i still to this day use it!, besides that i also got a pair of wonderful earrings. it's super warm here and it 30 out as i write this, and we have about 2 feet of the fluffy white stuff on the ground. Chrsitmas eve, Carley and i will make cabbage rolls, for Christmas, and Saturday we will do just a bit of baking, seems like not many people are doing this this year, as there is alot of baking supplies are still in the store. Gabby, we have a juicer, just love it, lettuce here on monday was 3.99 a head but yesterday it was 1.69, carrots are still 1.99 for 5lbs and Christmas oranges are 3lbs for 3.99, bananas are 59 cents a lb. Al is having alot of pains in his arm and shoulder, but it's almost been 7 months since he's been in the hospital, so i'm hoing he's just sleeping "funny". oh, and Matthew, got us salelite tv for Christmas it's been here for 2 day, and Al has been obsessed watching hockey and he watched Troy yesterday. it's soo weird you can watch tv from detroit, which is a regular cable station here, but new york, those poor people, toronto, spokane, and Al's aunt's live right by there, and vancouver and winnipeg, but i haven't really sat down to watch anything, PB i've been reading another of Sarah Graves mysteries, and i noticed that Sue Graften's "S" book is out. well that's all the news here from way up north! May you ALL have a Safe and Happy Christmas and I hope Santa is good to you all because you deserve it! Hugs Deb
mimi427
Original Author
18 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Deb,
You certainly understand the true meaning of Christmas spirit. You are such a giving soul. How lucky your family is to have you.
As far as you still missing Buddy, I can relate very much to that. Two year's ago, we had to put down our beloved Golden Retriever, Shannon, because of cancer (lymphoma). She was such a special girl, so sweet and so devoted to me; we were inseparable. I took her everywhere I went and when I couldn't take her in somewhere with me, she'd patiently wait in the car (as long as it wasn't too hot or too cold). She was our third Golden to die of cancer and I swore I'd never get another one because I couldn't go through that hurt again. We had two other dogs at the time (and still do), but not Goldens. Fox six months, I felt a tremendous void, even though I had my other two dogs who are very sweet, but it just wasn't the same. Long, long story short, Cheyenne just turned two; my handsome young sweet Golden...yes, we got another Golden six month's after we put Shannon down. For me and my husband, there is just something about a Golden Retriever, their desire to please and give so much love; we just missed that so much. So now, we have crazy, energetic 2 year old Cheyenne, and our precious seniors... Herbie, a Bichon Frise' who will be turning 15 the beginning of February, and Cassidy, a mix my son rescued 12 year's ago in a canyon in New Mexico... Herbie is our first "senior"...physically, he's doing fine, but he's losing his hearing and his sight and I think he might have some "doggie dementia"...poor little guy.

It sounds like we are having similar weather...we have quite a bit of snow on the ground, but it is beginning to warm up...in the mid 30's today and heading to 40 by the weekend. Last week, we had wind chills at -15 degrees.

Thanks Debbie for keeping us posted. I hope Al's pain gets better real soon, and I wish you a very peaceful, joyful holiday season.
Warm regards,
Mimi
gabby_49
18 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
3.99 for lettuce....gee I wouldn't be buying many of those. It can go from .99 to 1.29 here, which seems high. Then green leaf and romaine is about 1.38. I wish to buy "organic" for the juicer, but that can be costly too. But then ,all the "chemicals on the other store bought items can be costly also ,with our health. How sad we live in the U.S. and what they offer in the stores, is junk.It is no wonder people are sick with all kinds of diseases. We need to get back to growing our own gardens and slaughtering our own meat.We do have a "organic' store here called ,"The Harvest" which is great for the size of town we live in which is about 30,000 I believe. We live close to metropolitian areas which we can do our shopping and then come home to the quietness of the country.

Also I think it is wonderful that you jus give small gifts,and don't get caught up in the expensive gift buying. We try to keep it at a minimum, but we have several to buy for. I think Christmas has got way out of hand, and the true meaning is vanished. We try to keep it in "perspective",. When DH retires, then so does the big Christmas's. I believe if my husband Den had time ,our kids would just as soon have a item he made as opposed to something bought. Much more thoughtful and appreciated. Well looks like son got here this morning from Florida, drove alnight and he came in quietly with -out waking me and went to bed. I seen "oranges " from there on the dining table, bless his heart...well ya'll take care and hope Al is feeling better and will enjoy the holidays. With all tha snow, cuddle up on the couch ...light a few candles and enjoy your satlilite. Bless all of you and have a Merry Christmas. Love Gabby

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